The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Brad Pitt again does an amazing job of picking the perfect role.  This is a touching movie, with laughter, heartache, romance, and sadness.   The movie is slow at a few points and there are moments you regret the main characters decisions, but it all in all is a very good movie.  You will stay involved from beginning to end.  And the make-up work is really amazing.

Pound of Flesh

This is a movie that the story is much better than you expect.   It also asks the deep question if you are will to die to save someone you love are you also willing to lose your soul to save that person?  The acting isn't great, but JCVD is very good.   Some of the camera work is poor, but the story has a bunch of twists and turns.  Everything is connected and leads to one tough decision after another.   I really liked the movie.

Protecting Animals

There are 3 ways to protect animals from extinction.  

1.  Make them useful for recreation.   This is  done by making animals into pets like dogs and cats.  Also using them for sports like horse racing or other activities.

2.  Turn them into food or other industrial uses.  We eat millions of cows and chickens every year.  As long as we keep eating them farmers will make sure we always have a supply of them.

3.  Hunt them legally.   In America deer hunting is very popular and our hunting laws help control the deer population to make sure we always have a good supply.  In Africa poaching has been the biggest reason why rhinos,  elephants, and lions have been put in danger.  Legal and regulated big game hunting has helped to protect these animals.  The money people pay to game hunt (which averages $250,000 to $350,000) helps pay to protect these animals from poachers and make sure there is a supply of these animals.  The rhino population has went from a low of less that 1000, to almost 20,000. 

Basically capitalism is the best way to make sure we protect animals.

Spiderman: Homecoming

I'm going to be one of those few people that think Spiderman: Homecoming wasn't good.   It was very disappointing and the final end credit might be the biggest slap in the face of fans.  If this is the direction of coming Marvel movies, then I'm looking forward to the rise of DC.  This Spider-Man is very weak and they have made him into a minor character.  What the heck happen to his Spidey sense?  I also didn't like how Tony Stark has this self-rightous attitude as if he hadn't been the cause of a lot of deaths and destruction (Ultron).  And again we see that because of Stark and the federal government another villain rises up to cause destruction.  If we just got rid of Stark we'd have a lot less problems.  The climactic end to me just fell flat and I found myself rooting for Michael Keaton (Maybe that is just because he is still Batman).  Overall a very disappointing Marvel movie and compared to Wonder Woman not even in the same league.

Despicable Me 3

I'm sure kids will like this movie as my nephew did seem to like it, but he didn't love it.  As for me I was bored and almost fell asleep.  The jokes are tired and the concept is dated.  The only good thing was some of the 80's music.

The Fifth Estate

This score is for Benedict Cumberbatch.  He is amazing and makes you root for his character.  The story is told from the point of view of someone who sees themself as a hero and morally right.  It is told by the person who betrayed Assagne the founder of Wiki Leaks.  I did find it interesting how the Obama administration is seen as someone who hated Bradley Manning and they had to do a lot to protect assets.   But it is funny now since Obama basically pardoned Manning.  Watching this movie with the events so far removed what we learn is that as everyday Americans the stuff that has been posted by Wiki Leaks really have little impact on our lives.  It is another story where journalists think they are more important than they really are in this world.

Paterson

This movie is neither good or bad, it just is.   If you like poetry, then you might like this movie.  It is less of a movie and more of a poem on film.  Adam Driver is very good and if a lesser actor was staring it wouldn't work at all.  Overall the movie has no real ending and you keep waiting for something interesting to happen but sadly it never does.

Manchester by the Sea

The main character might be one of the saddest people I've ever witnessed, but Casey Affleck doesn't bring enough to really make you fully care.  The movie could have been an inspirational film, but instead it goes nowhere and has a disappointing ending.  And the writer and/or director has some weird obsession with teens getting to have sex. 

War Machine

So depending on your view of the war on terror you could view this movie two different ways.  You could see this movie as making fun of the military and showing how they have no business in the Middle East.  On the the hand you could be like me and feel the movie shows how clueless the Obama administration was and how if he just let the generals do what needed to be done the war would be already won.  This Is a dark comedy and I loved Brad Pitt.  I found the movie funny and with some good acting.  My only issue was that it seemed to me that the storyteller wanted to be the hero.

The Dressmaker

This is a really funny movie and the first half of the movie is a mystery and a love story.  But then all of a sudden the movie becomes a very dark comedy.   It isn't what you would expect.  There are a lot of good actors and Kate Winslet is as good as always.