Patriot’s Day – Review

Patriot’s Day – Budget of $45 million – 2 hours and 13 minutes

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Sargent Tommy Saunders is on suspension from the Boston Police Department and has to do beat cop work to get his job back.  The final beat is patrolling the Boston Marathon’s finish line. Dun Meng was trying to sell his new app to local restaurants while missing his family in China. He finally works up the nerve to ask out a cashier at a restaurant and takes her out after the bombing for normalcy. Patrick Downes and Jessica Kesky, newlyweds, decide to watch the race instead of going to watch the Red Sox play. Steve Woolfenden, a family man, takes his son, Leo, to the race for a good time.  Officer Sean Collier, works for MIT security and makes plans to go out with his dream girl to a concert. Brothers, Dzhokhar “Black Hat” and Tamerlan “White Hat” Tsarnaev, sit and watch Al-Qaeda instruction videos for bomb-making while eating breakfast. All these people, Boston, and the world will be changed with 2 bombs. When the smoke clears, blood, body parts, and ball bearings will be all over the ground … leaving the FBI Agent Richard DesLauriers in charge over Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis, his team, and the investigation. They know they have to stop Black Hat and White Hat before they set off another bomb. But another question the police have: Is there any more bombs around the City? They will do everything to stop the bombers and save Boston.

BOSTON STRONG!!!! This movie is shot like a reality TV show. The camera focuses in and out, is not steady, and it’s shot from weird angles. This makes you believe you are watching this as it happens. Also, real clips of the bombing, race, capture, and news coverage are used to help drive the story. This movie tugs at the heart strings will make you scream in angry, and smile with joy. You are inspired that Boston, the Police, and the FBI all came together and work as a unit to catch the Tsarnaev brothers. The FBI quickly learn that their biggest weapon was Boston’s eyes and ears. And hearing first person testimonials at the end are poignant and endearing perspective.  Although every story that day can not be told, these accounts give a conclusion to each story. This is a great movie for adults to see at full price. Children will not be able to handle some of the images.

I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars

Do I look like a clown – Tommy Saunders

Is it just me or do I get better-looking every day – Jeffrey Pugliese

Are you ready for this – Dzhokhar Tsarnaev

Yeah, but I am a fornicator – Tamerlan Tsarnaev

Yeah, it’s very dead out here – Sean Collier

You know nothing about me – Katherine Tsarnaev

I bet I will race before you – Patrick Downes

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Top of this Post

xXx: Return of Xander Cage – Review

xXx: Return of Xander Cage – Budget of $85 million – 1 hour and 47 minutes

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy (Exclusive Set), iTunes, Target (Exclusive Set), and Walmart (Exclusive Set) (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy (Exclusive Set), iTunes, Target (Exclusive Set), and Walmart (Exclusive Set) (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

When a satellite falls from the sky, killing a top agent, Jane Marke assembles the highest ranking world leaders in one room.  She tells them the satellite falling was not an accident but a deliberate attack caused by Pandora’s Box.  This box can break through any firewall, take over missiles, and (of course) drop satellites from the sky.  Only the people in the room had the ability to run Pandora’s Box and she is determined to know who dropped the satellite.  Just when she starts to drill the leaders, a man, Xiang, jumps through the window and starts shooting.  In the melee, Pandora’s Box is stolen by the man and his crew members (Serena, Talon, & Hawk).    Jane knows she must call someone who thinks, moves, and fights like them in order to get Pandora’s Box back.  She pulls Xander out of hiding by “testing” him.  Xander decided to help, but he must have his team.  First, Adele Wolff, who hasn’t seen a target she can’t hit.  Second, the life of the party, Nicks.  Finally, Tennyson, who loves to crash cars.  For safe measure, Marke adds Becky to Xander’s team.  Becky is a technical wiz who’s mouth runs faster than her brain … especially around Xander.  Xander must work with his team to find Pandora’s Box and return it before more satellites fall from the sky.

As the third installment of xXx franchise (xXx, xXx: State of the Union), this movie performed much better than it’s predecessors (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  It had a lot of high impact fight scenes, great stunts, and amazing characters to drive the story.  It does help to see the first two movies or you won’t get the shuttle jokes or references.   There are a few moments the movie makes fun of itself and it’s obvious cliches.  This movie has a Fast & Furious feel with a bit of James Bond (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  The co-stars shine bright and add a fresh perspective on the mission, fights, and espionage.  Also, you never know which way is up, who is bad, who is good, and who is in charge.  But all will be revealed in the end.  If you can, see it in Dolby but not 3D.  On another note, there is nothing after the end crawl; but they the possibility for a 4th movie.  Although this movie is a wild ride, viewing it once is enough.  It’s not a movie to buy and watch it over and over again.  But see it once in the theaters.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

Who says there is no such thing as a free … meal. – Agent Augustus Eugene Gibbons

One of you here did this and I am not leaving until I find out who – Jane Marke

I need a new map – Xander

That’s the problem. You forgot the queen – Serena

If you need a 50 of purple Urkel, I am not the girl to talk to – Becky

It was like that when I got here – Tennyson

You look so sexy with a frisbee in your mouth – Adele

That’s my style though – Nicks

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy (Exclusive Set), iTunes, Target (Exclusive Set), and Walmart (Exclusive Set) (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Top of this Post

TheFounder – Review

The Founder – Budget of $7 million – 1 hour and 55 minutes

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Ray Kroc is selling a 5 spindle milkshake mixer that makes 5 milkshakes at once. He his having a hard time selling when he gets a big order. He is so curious about the business, that needed 8 mixers, he travels from across the country to see it. The business is McDonald’s. Owned by Richard “Dick” and Maurice “Mac” McDonald, they were able to do what no restaurant could do, serve a meal within 30 seconds. After several failed business, they decided to start a restaurant. But when they were losing money, they did what few do.   They studied their success and failures and changed. They only sold a few items, got rid of the wait staff, and got rid of silverware. Then to make sure the food would be fast, they changed their entire kitchen to focus on precision and speed. Seeing this model only made Ray think of one thing: Franchise. The brothers quickly said no; because in the past quality was sacrificed in franchising. They only wanted their store and nothing more. But Ray promised he could do better, so they drew up a contract to allow Ray to be the Head of Franchising. But this deal wasn’t the beginning of McDonald’s (i.e. Mac and Dick), it was the beginning of Ray’s vision, the McDonald’s Corporation.

Calling all Entrepreneurs, Business People, Business Students, and anyone with a great idea. See this movie. Mac and Dick had the best intentions and tried to protect themselves, but they were no match for Ray and the Tastee Freeze King. Parts of this movie will be laughable when you hear what Dick didn’t want McDonald’s to become – compared to what it is now. It will be difficult to look at McDonald’s the same again. And prepared to be shocked to find out how much a #1 cost then. Even if you don’t know the history of McDonald’s, you will be able to see Ray’s true colors within 30 minutes. There are moments when the movie drags, but hang in there and you will learn an important lesson. This movie does give a synopsis of some of their characters lives, however other important players were left out. The Founder isn’t just a movie about business, it is a movie about persistence, trust, and contracts.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

Contracts, like hearts, were made to be broken – Ray Kroc

You’re really not my type – Mac McDonald

When is enough going to be enough for you – Ethal Kroc

It’s gonna to be ok – Dick McDonald

Good things come to those who wait – Joni

Click on a vendor to purchase: Amazon, Best Buy, iTunes, Target, and Walmart (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer)

Top of this Post