Movie Review For January 9, 2015

TAKEN 3
Rated: PG-13
Stars: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Forest Whitaker
Plot: An ex-Government Operative must stay on the run until he can clear his name from crime he didn't commit.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

One can only hope that this will be the final installment in the TAKEN franchise. The first film was great, the second was a carbon copy of the first, and while this one actually has a different plot, it has the same feel, action and dialogue as the first two.

It does have a couple of interesting twists and turns, but it also has several eye-rolling moments that take away from the excitement of the film. It's tough to be in suspense when you know that no matter how many adversaries the main character is facing, he's still going to be okay.

The ending to this trilogy could have been a lot worse than this offering, and for that I guess we should be somewhat thankful, but it is still an average flick at best.



SELMA
Rated: PG-13
Stars: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Carmen Ejogo
Plot: Martin Luther King, Jr. protests to get African Americans the right to vote by marching from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.
Trailer

Clint Says: Drop everything and go see this movie now

It's hard to believe that the event portrayed in this film happened only 50 years ago. It's also incredible to watch David Oyelowo become Martin Luther King, Jr. He walks like him, he talks like him, and his resemblance is nearly spot on.

This may be one of the more uncomfortable films I've ever endured. The entire time I wanted to ear-tug the opposition into the corner and slap some sense into them. I wanted to scream at the screen and say, "how can you possibly think that it is okay to treat another human that way?" I sat there embarrassed like you do when your ignorant cousin twice-removed starts spouting off racist remarks at Thanksgiving dinner.

This is a powerful film that everyone should see. On the one hand, it's great to see just how far we've come in the last 50 years, but it's also important for the younger generations to see it so that they can understand the struggle that happened not so very long ago.

There are several times when the movie bogs down, and there are only a few times when it really gets dramatic, but there is a quite power throughout the film that keeps you engaged.

This film got in just under the wire for the 2015 awards season, expect it to make some noise at The Golden Globes, The Critics' Choice Awards and The Academy Awards.



INHERENT VICE
Rated: R
Stars: Joaquin Phoenix, Katherine Waterston, Josh Brolin
Plot: A Los Angeles P.I. investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend and her lover.
Trailer

Clint Says: Wait for the DVD

This is one of those movies where the trailer is way better than the film, and the trailer makes it look like you will be seeing an entirely different movie than you actually end up seeing.

Clocking in at just shy of 2 1/2 hours, INHERENT VICE is a slow-moving, odd, quirky and nearly useless film. While Joaquin Phoenix does an incredible job in his role, I found myself several times trying to figure out why this movie was even made. It's not terribly entertaining, it isn't a ground-breaking piece of cinematic history, and as a mystery movie it is mediocre at best.

If you are interested in seeing this film you'd be much better off just watching the very well done trailer and then spending your money on something else.