Change Your Image
voiceman56
Reviews
The Butler (2013)
"The Butler" Serves Up a Perfect Dish
By Jim Fordyce, AmericanEntertainmentReport.com Rating: 4 out of Fordyce (Perfect)
In this summer of mediocre movies, it is nice to see one shine through. "The Butler" is a masterpiece of storytelling and movie-making all rolled into one beautiful history lesson. Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey star in this film based on the life of long-time White House butler Eugene Allen. While this movie is based on a true story, there is no attempt to hide that this is a fictionalized account of a man who witnessed many things.
Forest Whitiker stars as Cecil Gaines, the man who serves under eight presidents as a butler at the White House. We get to know him from his tragic upbringing in a southern cotton-field to his life as an adult. Whitaker is perfectly paired with Winfrey, who is superb in her role as his wife and the mother of his children. The movie takes us through the civil rights movement, Vietnam, and other major events in American society.
An all-star cast joins in with some strange casting that works incredibly well. Robin Williams is believable as Presdient Eisenhower, and Jane Fonda is there as Nancy Regan. Also in the cast is Minka Kelly as a gracious Jacqueline Kennedy and Mariah Carey as Mattie Pearl, the southern aristocrat who influences Cecil early in life.
In addition to a fine cast and story, the details of this movie are evident in every frame. It is historically accurate and there is hauntingly beautiful scenery and scenes where the backdrop is just as important as the actors and the story. Watch closely in the background, for example, after Cecil arrives home after the riots following the death of MLK.
Those who lived through this era will remember how it was, and in some cases still is, in our country. A younger generation should learn from this film, and we all should enjoy a marvelous movie that I gladly give a perfect 4 out of Fordyce to. Don't miss it!
The Heat (2013)
"The Heat" is a movie with characters you warm up to
Rating: 3 out of Fordyce
Which movies to choose was a no-brainer since I have already watched the White House blow up once this summer movie season, so it was off to the Theatre to see "The Heat." Sandra Bullock is an uptight FBI special agent who ends up having to work with a hard-as-nails Boston cop played by Melissa McCarthy.
Their mission is to take down a ruthless drug lord. This formula of the mismatched cops has been done many times and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Here it works and works well. While Bullock often plays a similar character, she is perfect in this role. McCarthy is just fabulous as the drinking, cursing, sarcastic, wise-cracking, unorthodox lady cop on a mission. The lines are great as is the timing, and the script moves along as expected.
There is a large supporting cast that includes Marlon Wayons and Michael Rapaport. The wonderful Jane Curtin is in this one, but she is kind of wasted in a small role as the mother of a dysfunctional family. Also in the cast is John Ross Bowie. Many of you know him as Barry Kripke on "the Big Bang Theory." If you ever wondered if Kripke's speech impediment is an act or real, you will find out in this film.
Although "The Heat" is formulaic and predictable, you warm up to the characters and will enjoy a fun film in a little less than two hours. I give it a good 3 out of Fordyce.
Credit Check: In spite of the setup at the end of the movie for a sequel, there is no bonus scene at the end of the credits.
Man of Steel (2013)
"Man of Steel" Good story? Yes. Traditional? No
The first question on my mind when I went into the theater was, "Could another Superman movie be worse than the 2006 bomb Superman Returns?" The answer is just about any movie could be better than that turkey, and Man of Steel is not a bad movie.
If you are a big fan of the Christopher Reeve vehicles Superman 1 and 2 then this will confuse you. The producers took a lot of liberty with the traditional story line and that was a little unsettling for a man like me who goes back to George Reeves as the man of steel on TV. But if you view it as a stand-alone film, it was not too disturbing. What was disturbing was the going back and forth in the timeline with Clark at different ages and just a little too much in the CGI effects department. Why can't people just put on an oxygen mask, a uniform, a seat belt or a phantom zone in movies anymore? They always now seem to form around them.
Henry Cavill as Superman was a good choice. He is his own Superman and did not try to copy any of his predecessors. I am a huge Amy Adams fan, but I will admit I did have a little problem with a blond Lois Lane, although it was refreshing to see Miss Lane being portrayed as something other than a good reporter who always needs her super boyfriend to rescue her. Michael Shannon was almost too creepy as General Zod, and Russell Crowe was good as Jor-El, Superman's daddy. I did think, though, that he watched Brando play the role a bit too often. The stand-out in this cast is Diane Lane as Martha Kent. She plays Clark's mother as a wonderful, strong, caring woman.
This is a fun film, and in spite of the "Let's put all of the Superman story elements in a jar, mix them up, add some ingredients and spill them all onto the pages" script method here, it is an enjoyable two and a half hours, so it gets a very good three out of Fordyce.
Credit Check: In spite of the setup at the end of the movie for a sequel, there is no bonus scene at the end of the credits.
Iron Man Three (2013)
"Iron Man 3" is action-packed fun
by Jim Fordyce AmericanEntertainmentReport.com Rating: 3 Out of Fordyce May 4, 2013
I must say I enjoyed the first Iron Man, and even though I am always wary of sequels, Iron Man 2 was OK, so I was off to see Iron Man 3 on opening night. Part of the charm here is Robert Downey, Jr as the quirky, sarcastic and very wealthy Tony Stark. He was once again fun to watch as he donned the big iron suit. He is joined by Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts and Don Cheadle as Colonel Rhodes. When you add in Ben Kingsley as the villainous Mandarin, you have the makings of a fun film.
The plot in this version is very good. There is a new dynamic between Stark and Ms. Potts and a bad guy with some secrets. The story is clever and moves along right from the beginning. There are a couple of twists you won't see coming, and it all wraps up neatly in a little over two hours. I can't say more without spoiling things, so I won't. But I must add that there are a couple of very unbelievable scenes even when performed by a guy in a magical computerized suit. Go enjoy the fun of this film that gets a very good 3 out of Fordyce.
Credit Check: STAY right until the end or you will miss out