Cindy Prascik's Reviews of Big Eyes & American Sniper

Dearest Blog, this week I had a glance at two awards favorites, Big Eyes and American Sniper. How's that for mature viewing? The fact that I saw both of these because the times worked well with additional Hobbit screenings...well, we'll keep that to ourselves, eh?

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or, you know, if you occasionally watch the news.

First to the plate: Big Eyes.

The subject of Big Eyes is painter Margaret Keane--noted for her portraits of waiflike children with extraordinarily huge eyes--her marriage, subsequent split, and legal battle with her second husband, who took credit for her work.

I burned a half-day's vacation Thursday to see Big Eyes before it closed here, thinking I'd need it for the Oscars. Oscar nominations were announced Thursday morning, and, as it happens, I don't need it at all ("My luck!" my Dad would have said), but, since the schedule worked perfectly with The Hobbit...well, you know the rest of that story.

Now, dear reader(s), you know how I feel about female-centric stories. I couldn't be less interested.

Even allowing for the Tim Burton factor, I expected to snooze through Big Eyes expressly for the privilege of saying, "Gee, that Amy Adams sure is great, huh?" Great Ms. Adams certainly is, but I couldn't have been more wrong about the rest of it. It's really nice to see something from Tim Burton that isn't inherently wacky. It's been awhile. That's not to say Big Eyes doesn't have its wacky Burton touches, but we're minus the goofy hats, silly songs, and rubber-legged dance numbers this time.

The whole thing still has an air of fairy-tale about it, which keeps a sometimes-less-than-happy story light and easy to watch. Amy Adams is incredible in the lead, a straight-woman to Christoph Waltz' over-the-top turn as her husband. (That's not to say Waltz isn't also great, and given the story, I don't find it hard to believe his performance is entirely accurate.)

Full marks to costumers, set designers, art direction, etc.: the movie looks beautiful, bright, and colorful, even in its toughest moments. It moves at a good pace and never feels slow or long, though it's hardly action packed. It came as a pleasant surprise that I enjoyed every minute.

Big Eyes runs 106 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and brief strong language."

Maybe Oscar didn't love it, but I did.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Big Eyes gets seven and a half.

Yesterday's heavy hitter was American Sniper.

Bradley Cooper stars in the true story of Navy S.E.A.L. Chris Kyle, a legendary sniper through four tours in Iraq, who found difficulty leaving the war behind when he finally returned home.

I always think it's important to be upfront if there's something that colors my opinion of a movie besides the movie itself, so here I need to state that I lost a friend, a Marine, in Iraq. Though I'm usually a notoriously cold fish, since then I can't keep it together if I so much as see a Marine by the Toys for Tots bin at the Mall during Christmastime. There's no way for me to watch or write about this movie minus that baggage.

So... *deep breath*

Bradley Cooper is as good as you've heard in the lead. I can't say he deserved an Oscar nod over Jake Gyllenhaal, but there's certainly nothing bad to say about his work here.

The supporting cast is solid, too, though I confess I'm not entirely sold on Sienna Miller.

The "in country" scenes are brilliantly executed; you can practically feel the heat and smell the dirt, and I'm pretty sure I held my breath for the better part of two hours, waiting for a potential threat from somewhere...anywhere.

For such a grim picture, there's a good bit of laugh-out-loud banter, and very little scene-setting music, which adds to the realistic tone.

Kyle very much embodies the prevalent American attitude of the time, so American Sniper presents quite the black-and-white view of the war, with little, if any, grey area.

The movie runs just a little longer than it needs to, and it feels somewhat wrong allowing it to present as truth so many things that have since been called into question. (The war itself aside, Kyle's Estate has been the subject of several lawsuits over the book on which the movie is based.*)

When it was over, I sprinted from the room in tears, bowling over a couple Marquee friends in my haste to go hide in a bathroom stall for a minute. (All I could see were maroon vests, so whoever it was I hope you're reading this and I apologize.)

I don't think I stopped shaking until the Elves arrived in Dale. I'm not sure how much blame/credit for that goes to the movie and how much to personal experience, but from the number of sniffles I heard around the room, this film is doing a bang-up job striking a nerve with more than just me.

American Sniper clocks in at 132 minutes and is rated R for "strong and disturbing war violence and language throughout, including some sexual references."

There are many reasons I hate American Sniper, none of which keep me from realizing it's a very good movie.

Its unflinching depiction of the cost of war is essential viewing. Of a possible nine Weasleys,

American Sniper gets seven.

Until next time...

*Thanks to Melissa Bradley for bringing this to my attention.

 






































"Tim...you made a movie WITHOUT ME??"

Cindy Prascik Reviews of Selma & Taken 3

Dearest Blog, this weekend my cinema surprised me with three new(ish) releases. In an attempt at responsible behavior, I saw two of said new releases rather than just seeing The Hobbit again. Since I can be just SO responsible, you know it was always gonna be Taken 3 and whichever awards hopeful worked best with Taken 3, which happened to be Selma.

Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers.

First on my agenda was Selma.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. leads a march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, in an attempt to assure equal voting rights.

Well, dear reader(s), I don't really have adequate words for Selma, other than to say it should be required viewing for everyone, period. Based on actual events that are often difficult to watch, the movie still manages to entertain as it inspires.

The performances are extraordinary, with David Oyelowo leading the way in an Oscar-worthy turn.

Tim Roth is also especially noteworthy as Alabama Governor George Wallace.

The story moves at a good clip and is peppered with rousing monologues. There were times I actually jumped in my seat at the violence, even knowing what was coming. The movie's historical accuracy has been called into question a bit, but there's no denying Selma is a fantastic film with a vital message.

Selma runs 128 minutes and is rated PG13 for "disturbing thematic material including violence, a suggestive moment, and brief strong language."

Whether it wins any of the big prizes remains to be seen, but Selma is likely the most important movie you'll watch this year.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Selma gets eight and a half.

Next up was the final (?) installment in Liam Neeson's Taken trilogy.

Accused of murder, Bryan Mills sets out to clear his name and protect his family.

So...you say "Taken 3" and people just kinda roll their eyes.

How many times can this happen to the same guy, right? If you're willing to suspend your disbelief, though, Taken 3 is self-aware good fun. Liam Neeson is in top ass-kicking form, managing lots of awesomely ridiculous escapes and delivering plenty of crowd-pleasing kills.

The rest of the cast--including Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker--is fine, but, if we're being honest, they could be marionettes for all it matters; it's Neeson's show and as long as he's outsmarting baddies and beating them to a pulp, you don't much care about anything else.

The movie has spectacular action sequences, well-choreographed fight scenes, a fair few laugh-out-loud moments, a satisfying--if predictable--final act, and is smart enough not to wear out its welcome.

With even half-reasonable expectations, you're guaranteed a fun couple hours.

Taken 3 runs 109 minutes and is rated PG13 for "intense sequences of violence and action, and for brief strong language."

If you're in the market for a bit of brainless entertainment, it doesn't get much more brainless or much more entertaining than this.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Taken 3 gets six.

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: SELMA

David Oyelowo stars as Martin Luther King Jr. in this historical drama set during the height of the American civil-rights movement, and depicting the marches from Selma, AL, to the state capital of Montgomery to secure voting rights for black people. Brad Pitt and Oprah Winfrey produce and Ava DuVernay (I Will Follow, Middle of Nowhere) directs. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Ava DuVernay 

Cast: David Oyelowo, Tom Wilkinson, Cuba Gooding, Jr., Carmen Ejogo, Alessandro Nivola, Giovanni Ribisi

Release Date: Dec 25, 2014

Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language, A Suggestive Moment, Disturbing Thematic Material and Violence 

Runtime: 2 hr. 8 min. 

Genres: Drama 

Review:

Selma is an excellent film which captures the 60’s civil rights movement but feels timely at the same time.  Ava DuVernay’s direction, helped by some beautiful and evocative cinematography, provides immediacy to the entire story.  As a result the film rarely drags even though there are a few moments where it could have been trimmed, just a tad.  At the center of it all is a mesmerizing David Oyelowo who delivers a career making performance as King.  Oyelowo captures King’s voice inflections perfectly but it’s more than just mimicry.  The script gives us a King that’s very human and Oyelowo brings that to the screen perfectly.  We see the passion, some of the failings and pain King went through along with some wonderfully engrossing reenactments of famous speeches.  The rest of the cast was strong with nary a weak link in the cast even though I’d love to have seen a bit more of King’s relationship with his wife, played well by Carmen Ejogo.  Selma is a sure fire awards candidate, it’s also the type of film that may make your eyes well up on more than a few occasions.

A-

MOVIE REVIEW: BIG EYES

The true story of painter Margaret Keane's life in obscurity while her husband gleaned the notoriety for being the face of her work is brought to the screen by Tim Burton and his Ed Wood screenwriters, Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski. Danny Huston, Terence Stamp, and Jason Schwartzman co-star. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi

Director: Tim Burton 

Cast: Christoph Waltz, Amy Adams, Terence Stamp, Krysten Ritter, Danny Huston, Terence Stamp, Jason Schwartzman

Release Date: Dec 25, 2014

Rated PG-13 

Runtime: 1 hr. 46 min. 

Genres: Biopic, Tragi-comedy, Drama 

Review:

Big Eyes is the type of film that Tim Burton should make more often, just to keep himself honest.  A smaller, more personal film would remind the masses that he’s a capable director outside of his tried and true tropes.  That’s not to say that this isn’t a Burton film because it is albeit a less garish version of his films.  Burton’s film is still visually eye catching even if there isn’t a gothic or fantastical element at play.  He delivers a glossy, light film that’s easy to enjoy but hard to get close to.  Its heart and soul is Amy Adams who performance is a collection of varying levels of subtly.  Adams gives us a peek into the psyche of Margaret Keane even if the script never does.  On the opposite end of the spectrum is Christoph Waltz who’s in full sleezy salesman mode.  Watlz is given free reign to take his character to extremes which almost drown out anything else on screen, including Adams.  Burton would have been well served if he’d reigned him in just a tad and the script given us more insight into the people and relationships.  Instead, they’re both painted with broad strokes lacking the kind of detail that would have made this film truly special.  

B

Cindy Prascik's The Best and Worst and In-Betweens of 2014!

Dearest Blog, here we are at the end of another year. Some folks are saying it was a bad year for cinema, but I sure had a good time with it. Following are my top ten films of the year, along with assorted random thoughts.

Disclaimer: A movie's placement here will not necessarily be commensurate with its original Weasley rating. Some films fared better under repeat scrutiny, some worse, and some have not yet had the opportunity to do either. Kindly bear in mind, too, that I live in a little place that doesn't always get movies all that quickly. The chance to see Pride and Inherent Vice (which almost certainly would have made the list), Whiplash and Foxcatcher (which might have), and Boyhood (which, if we're being honest, never would have) has not yet presented itself.

And here...we...go...

My Best:

10. "You're only a monster if you behave like one."

I, Frankenstein

Shut up, okay? Just shut up. I know you hated it. I know everyone hated it. I had enough also-rans kicking around the final spot on my list that I easily could have saved face and left this one off, but, you know what? I love it. I loved it at the cinema, and I've loved it the 20+ times I've watched it since. I'm not saying it belongs on any awards shortlists, but the effects are solid, the story is different, Aaron Eckhart is great, and it has Bill Nighy...which almost earns it a spot regardless of any other factors. The movie knows what it is, doesn't pretend to be anything else, and lived up to my very high expectations. Someday I, Frankenstein will be a genuine cult classic. Remember I told you so!

9. "You were a movie star, remember?"

Birdman

Unlike number ten, my number nine is on pretty much everyone's best-of lists, and deservedly so. Michael Keaton, Edward Norton, and Emma Stone are extraordinary in a strange, fascinating little story with a frustratingly ambiguous, yet somehow perfectly suitable, ending. This one is sure to share more of its secrets upon repeat viewings...can't wait for the DVD!

8. "I will never ask you to do anything that I wouldn't do myself."

Nightcrawler

Is there anything more fun to watch than when Jake Gyllenhaal does creepy? Nightcrawler has Creepy Jake in spades, headlining the riveting tale of a freelance videographer who crosses the line between covering news and becoming part of it. How far would YOU go to reach your goals? Nightcrawler will leave you wondering.

7. "Tadashi is here."

Big Hero 6

I'm not sure what I can say to adequately express the awesomeness that is Big Hero 6, but I'll start with: it bumped The Lego Movie out of this list. The Lego Movie is definitely the more buzz-worthy of the two and will probably win all the "Best Animated Feature" awards, but, for my money, Big Hero 6 is more fun to watch, better to look at, and more memorable. It also hits a sincere note that The Lego Movie doesn't quite match. If we're being fair, The Lego Movie *was* one of those knocking around my number-ten spot, but it doesn't come close to Big Hero 6 in my heart.

6. "We are Groot."

Guardians of the Galaxy

It was really hard not to make this number-one on my list, harder still to choose just one quote from the year's most quotable movie. Ever since that first trailer blew up the Internet back in the spring, GOTG has been 2014's big news. A relatively unknown property that put its biggest stars in roles where their faces are never seen, the fact that this thing took off and became the year's highest-grossing domestic hit makes someone at Marvel look like a true genius. Toss in a terrific soundtrack filled with hummable 70s nuggets, and you've got one for the ages.

5. "Gotta be who you are in this world, right? No matter what."

The Equalizer

Alright, people, how this not on all the best-of lists?? The Equalizer is a perfect movie...or, at the very least, a perfect movie for me. It's not brain surgery, but it's smart, action packed, engaging from beginning to end, and boasts a fantastic cast featuring Marton Csokas, Chloe Grace Moretz, Bill Pullman, my best gal Melissa Leo, plus another incomparable turn by the world's greatest leading man, Denzel Washington. What's not to like??

4. "Before we get started, does anyone want to get out?"

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Equal parts spy thriller and superhero yarn, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is so much more than it had to be. It's a layered story where almost nothing is quite what it seems, and Steve Rogers' unshakable morality is challenged at every turn. The cast is uniformly phenomenal, and the writing is so smart that even Honest Trailers had a hard time finding things to mock. In a year with no Batman, CATWS did a nice job filling the gap!

3. "The world is gonna hear that voice."

Jersey Boys

The big-screen version of Jersey Boys was met with a resounding ho-hum from critics, yet it was one of only two movies to earn a perfect nine Weasleys from me in 2014. It's got a great cast, a great story, and most importantly, a bunch of truly great songs that have stood the test of time. I saw it twice at the cinema, and both times every single person in a packed house walked out smiling and singing. If that's not the reason you make a movie, then I don't know what is.

2. "Will you follow me...one last time?"

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

I'm honest enough to understand that I see the Hobbit franchise through Rose (Cotton)-colored glasses. The Battle of the Five Armies doesn't match the original LOTR trilogy, but it's a far better film than its predecessor, and I'm pleased to say I was in love with it from my first screening. I look forward to hundreds more. Thanks, Peter Jackson, for the ride of a lifetime.

1. "I think forgiveness has been highly underrated."

Calvary

As it turns out, the year's best movie is one you probably didn't see if you live on my side of the pond. Brendan Gleeson turns in the finest performance of 2014 as a Catholic priest given a week to set his house in order after his life is threatened in the confessional. Calvary is a grim movie with a great heart and a surprising number of truly funny moments. (Graveyard humor, to be sure, but hilarious nonetheless.) The locations are magnificent, the cast is impeccable, and Calvary is untouchable as the best movie of 2014.

My Almosts:

The Lego Movie

A truly fun family movie that provided my only Batman fix of the year!

Expendables 3

Well, of course. It is MY list, isn't it?

The Boxtrolls

Lovely animation with a decidedly dark feel, perfectly spooky entertainment for the whole family.

Edge of Tomorrow

A smart, surprisingly fun sci-fi outing featuring fantastic turns by Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt.

Gone Girl

A twisting, turning, expertly executed yarn that keeps you guessing right to the very end.

My Most Pleasant Surprises:

Robocop

Fans of the original had plenty of complaints about this remake, but I found it extremely entertaining. Bonus points for bringing one-hit wonder Focus' hit Hocus Pocus to a whole new generation...in digital surround-sound! Double-bonus points for being the more watchable of Gary Oldman's two dubious screen outings this year.

Transformers and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Both big, dumb fun that I enjoyed immensely. Transformers is way too long, but it's also the worldwide top money-maker of 2014, so take that, critics.

John Wick

Super action from start to finish, gorgeous cinematography, and Keanu Reeves. Win.

The Purge: Anarchy

What an upgrade from the original! Frank Grillo is Hollywood's new number-one badass.

And the number-one "That Wasn't as Bad as I Expected" film of 2014: Divergent
Literally every single review of this movie included some expression of that sentiment. We all might as well have said, "Hey, it's no Hunger Games, but at least it's not Twilight, either!!"

My Biggest Disappointments:

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Andrew Garfield is such a perfect Spidey...won't someone please write him a good movie?

How to Train Your Dragon 2

The first HTTYD is one of my top films of all time. The sequel was rumoured to be even better, but it left me completely flat. I warmed to it a bit on second viewing, but, still, I expected to love this so much more than I do.

The Book of Life

This should have been awesome. All the pieces add up to awesome. It is decidedly not awesome.

My Worst:

Winter's Tale

Does anything scream "great movie" more than Colin Farrell and Russell Crowe in the leads? Well, apparently not always.

Transcendence

It was a very bad year for Johnny Depp.

Noah

It was a very bad year for Russell Crowe.

Exodus

It was a very bad year for the Bible.

Wild

I haven't been this bored since Your Highness.

Random Thoughts:

If you were going to see Unbroken, rent or buy The Railway Man instead.

Six years after The Dark Knight, how is it that two of the year's best-reviewed titles (by critics and fans alike)--Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy--will not be considered in any of the major Best Picture races simply because they are genre films??

Is Bradley Cooper eligible for a Best Supporting Actor nod for Guardians of the Galaxy? His "I didn't ask to be torn apart..." speech is the best acting I saw all year.

Luke Evans and Aidan Turner, you are going to be big, big stars. Please always stay as awesome as you are right now.

So, that's my year-end wrap for 2014. Kindly discuss in the comments if you're so inclined!
2015 is already shaping up to be a great year at the movies, so I'll hope to see everyone at the Highlands Marquee Cinemas!

Until next time....Cindy Prascik

Cindy Prascik's Reviews of The Theory of Everything, Unbroken, Into the Woods, Wild, and The Gambler

Dearest Blog, over the past four days, I've mainlined the five new releases offered by my cinema this week. Herein I offer brief (for me) takes on all of them.

Spoiler level here will be mild, limited to things you'll have learnt from the trailers.

First on the agenda: The Theory of Everything.

The Theory of Everything follows the brilliant physicist Stephen Hawking's life as seen through his relationship with the former Jane Wilde.

Well, dear reader(s), I'll be honest: Theory of Everything isn't the snooze-fest I expected. It's slow, for sure, but I wasn't bored. Positives include extraordinary performances all 'round, a surprising number of funny moments, and (fangirl alert!) Harry Lloyd and Charlie Cox in the same movie.

On the negative side, the movie tackles even the worst moments of what's surely been a sometimes-very-difficult life with a fairy-tale gloss, and (like 42 before it), its primary message seems to be that this extraordinary human being would be nothing without his devout and loving wife.

Not discounting the value of a quality spouse, but the movie really hits you over the head with it...though it *is* based on a book by the ex-Mrs. Hawking, so there you have it.

The Theory of Everything runs 123 minutes and is rated PG13 for "some thematic elements and suggestive material."

While it was better than I anticipated, I still don't consider it a fair contender in the Best Picture races.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Theory of Everything gets five.

Next up was Angelina Jolie's "based on a true story," Unbroken.

After his plane crashes during a WWII rescue mission, former US Olympian Louis Zamperini endures years of abuse in a Japanese POW camp.

This is a story well worth hearing, and it's a crime Unbroken does such a poor job telling it. From the first trailer, this reeked of awards desperation, crying out for nominations it doesn't half deserve.

A bloated runtime means that every single piece drags on too long. What should be the movie's most heartbreaking or inspiring moments are over-zealously wrung into eye-rolling territory, and the blandly competent performances are sadly well suited to this exercise in disappointment.

Unbroken clocks in at a painful 137 minutes and is rated PG13 for "war violence including intense sequences of brutality, and for brief language."

A plodding bore that manages to hit false notes with all its important moments, of a possible nine Weasleys, Unbroken gets two.

Third in my lineup was the musical Into the Woods.

A childless couple enters into an arrangement with a witch to end a curse placed on their family.

While attempting to keep up their end of the bargain, they encounter many-a famous fairy tale figure.

In the interest of full and fair disclosure, I'll admit that, while I love musicals, Into the Woods is not a favorite. I looked forward to the movie version due to some appealing casting, but I wasn't nearly as interested as if, say, someone would bring Taboo to the big screen. (Hint, hint...)

Sometimes it's a little too easy to forget how horrible and genuinely disturbing fairy tales can be. Into the Woods carries a dark tone throughout, and, if ever you're thinking, "Surely they wouldn't...???" well, yes, they probably would.

Pluses include Meryl Streep (do I even need to say that?), Emily Blunt (who has been fantastic at pretty opposite ends of the movie spectrum in 2014), Johnny Depp's Rum Tum Tugger-like Big Bad Wolf, the delightful James Corden, and Daniel Huttlestone, who proves the best part of this movie, as he previously did with Les Miserables.

Scenery and costumes are gorgeous, and there are some terrific laugh-out-loud moments, mostly courtesy of Chris Pine's Prince Charming. (If ever a man were born to play a handsome prince, it's gotta be Chris Pine.) Negatives are super-annoying and repetitive songs (yeah, I said it), the always-over-earnest Anna Kendrick, and Lilla Crawford, who offers the most blood-curdling onscreen screech since Hermione got caught in the Whomping Willow.

Into the Woods overstays its welcome, and, while I enjoyed much of it, by the end I was worn out and more than ready for it to be over.

Into the Woods runs 124 minutes and is rated PG for "thematic elements, fantasy action and peril, and some suggestive material."

As this year's movie musicals go, for me it's a poor second to Jersey Boys. Of a possible nine Weasleys, Into the Woods gets five.

The penultimate entry in my weekend movie-fest was Wild.

A woman who has made rather a mess of her life hopes to make things better by taking a solo hike of over 1,000 miles. Clearly said woman has never heard of Oreos.

Anyone reading this likely knows Wild is the sort of movie that makes me want to hit myself in the face repeatedly with a frying pan.

I hadn't ruled out the possibility of a pleasant surprise, but...

If we're being honest, Wild might as well have been called "Please Give Reese Witherspoon Another Oscar." It's not really about anything more than that, and the good news is Witherspoon is fantastic.

In further happy developments, there are actually two or three scenes that *aren't* mind-numbingly boring, and a couple great tunes are thrown in for good measure. It even gets bonus points for brief appearances by W. Earl Brown and Kevin Rankin. The bad news is the movie is otherwise filled with "inspiring" shots of Reese looking at the sky and at the water and at the mountains, and such annoyingly pretentious statements as, "I was never even in the driver's seat of my own life." (By all means, GET in the driver's seat and do a Thelma & Louise, please and thank you.)

The movie feels about a hundred hours long, and would be well served by Gravity's lesson: If your film doesn't have a lot going on and exists solely to show off a performance, an effect, a new technology, whatever, bring it in at 90 minutes. *I* would have been well served by my own lesson:

If you walk into a movie and there are only women in the audience, it's clearly awful and you should get out while you can!

Wild runs 115 minutes and is rated R for "sexual content, nudity, drug use, and language."

If I had to say something nice about Wild, I'd say El Condor Pasa is a great old song I don't hear nearly often enough.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Wild gets three.

The final movie on my long-weekend docket was The Gambler.

Mark Wahlberg stars as a college professor deep in gambling debt.

It will surprise no one who has ever read this blog that The Gambler was my favorite of the five new movies I saw over the weekend.

Mark Wahlberg is pretty terrific in the lead, carrying the movie mostly on his own despite some solid supporting performances from Jessica Lange and Michael Kenneth Williams.

The film expertly maintains tension throughout, though--not understanding cards myself--I felt like I was late getting the gist whenever that final card was laid down.

Did he win? Did he lose?

I didn't know until I saw which direction the chips got pushed!! If I have one complaint with The Gambler, it's that John Goodman has more shirtless screentime than Mark Wahlberg.

Who thought THAT was a good idea?

However, the film makes up for it by giving us Brainy Mark Wahlberg In Glasses. Mmm...

The Gambler clocks in at 111 minutes and is rated R for "language throughout, and some sexuality/nudity."

It feels a lot like one of those forgettable late winter releases, but The Gambler is still an entertaining couple hours of cinema.

Of a possible nine Weasleys, The Gambler gets six.

Random lessons learned from over 15 hours spent at the movies this weekend:

Seeing the new Star Wars trailer on a big screen is far more moving than fake Oscar-bait emotion.

Advertisements for the coming season of Downton Abbey play like a summer disaster flick.

If you were thinking of seeing any of the five movies mentioned above, go see The Hobbit again instead.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is already my favorite movie of 2015.

Until next time....

Here's a photo of Charlie Cox. You're welcome.