Ingrid Goes West – Review

Ingrid Goes West – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 37 minutes

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

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

After attacking Charlotte at her wedding, Ingrid is given a restraining order and time in a mental institution. A few months later, she returns home to find her mother’s empty hospital bed and not much else. She goes into a depression until she sees a picture of Taylor in a magazine with the caption, “I just like to make friends from all over the world”. Ingrid finds her on Instagram and follows her. Then Ingrid comments on Taylor’s picture and continues to look at Taylor’s post. The next morning, Ingrid is elated to get a reply from Taylor. Taylor tells her where she got the Avocado Toast and tells her to stop by the restaurant if she is ever in LA. Ingrid cashes out her mother’s life insurance and heads west to meet Taylor and become friends. She rents a place from Don Pinto and pays in cash. It doesn’t take long for Ingrid to settle in LA and make a new Instagram profile to attract attention. She eats where Taylor eats, shops where Taylor shops, and gets made up like Taylor. But when she has a chance encounter with Taylor, she blows it. So she follows Taylor home and takes her dog. Once the “missing dog” flyers go up, Ingrid pretends to be a benevolent person and offers to drop to dog off at her house. When Ingrid refuses to accept her money, Taylor and her husband Ezra invite her in for dinner. They don’t know they let an Insta-stalker into their home. To keep Taylor around Ingrid will take a punch in the face, dress like Catwoman, drag a man into the desert, date Don, and purchase a home. But Ingrid doesn’t understand how far she will truly go for Taylor.

In a world of likes, followers, and social media experts, it’s easy to see how Ingrid is created. She is a lonely person who wants more for her life and is envious of those who have it. So, she latches onto them and becomes jealous the minute she is challenged for their attention. Once those around Ingrid see her issues, it’s too late and she goes from nice to volatile to desperate to depress. This is Single White Female for this generation’s cell phone obsessed culture (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Ingrid brushes her teeth, eats, and sleeps with her phone in her hand. This movie is a public service announcement. See this movie in the theaters. But, put down the phone and connect after.

I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars

Where’s my phone – Ingrid

Say Gotham needs me – Don

Everything is the best – Ezra

More like Kitchen Nightmares – Taylor

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

Top of this Post

Birth of the Dragon – Review

Birth of the Dragon – Budget Unknown – 1 hour and 43 minutes

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

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

Nine years before Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee was a Kung Fu teacher in San Fransico who was creating a small buzz with his films (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Bruce believes that Kung Fu should be shared with the world not just among the Shaolin Monks. The monks kicked Bruce out because his grandmother was white, he married a white woman, and he was teaching Kung Fu to westerners. So when Bruce learns that Wong Jack Man has come to San Franciso, he thinks Wong is there to fight him. Bruce challenges Wong in front of hundreds of people. However, Wong is there to be humbled after making a near fatal mistake in front of the monks. So, he declines Bruce’s offer to fight. Steve McKee is a student of Bruce’s with a sad past. Bruce teaches Steve a lesson that embarrasses him. Later, Bruce apologizes but tell him that he needs to focus on his skill, not his anger. So when Steve learns Wong is in town, he asks Wong to train him. Bruce allows him to go but warns Steve that he could not serve two masters. Wong declined Steve’s offer to train him and tells him to go back to Bruce. Confused, Steve confides in Xiulan. Xiulan is a young woman who wants to continue her medical training in America. Lee warns Steve to stay away from Xiulan because she works for Auntie Blossom. Auntie Blossom is a local gangster that sells drugs, traffics women, and shakes down local businesses. When Auntie Blossom finds out about Steve’s attraction to Xiulan and his connection to Bruce and Wong, she approaches Steve. If he gets Bruce and Wong to fight, she will let Xiulan free. The money Auntie Blossom makes from the wagers will be enough to pay off Xiulan’s debt. The two men battle with a dozen witnesses. However, there is one problem. The winner is not determined.

This is not a Bruce Lee movie or a Kung Fu movie. It’s a legend of how Bruce got his style, Jeet Kune Do. Bruce is cocky and rightfully so. There are no challengers for him. Until he meets Wong. The choreographed battle between these two is masterfully done. However, some of the camera work is blurry. While some moments are blurred to make the movement look faster or slower, some moments seem like mistakes. This storyline does get slow as the back and forth game of telephone continue between Steve, Wong, and Bruce continues. It does have humor but not enough to carry this movie. This is better suited for FX or Spike TV. Not the big screen.

I give it 2 out of 5 stars

In a fight, the chip on your shoulder is just extra weight – Lee

You will be disciplined. Severely – Auntie Blossom

You are still Bi Ni – Xiulan

I got promoted – Wong

I ate Steve – Steve

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

Top of this Post

The Big Sick – Review

The Big Sick – Budget of $5 million – 2 hours and 4 minutes

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

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

Kumail is a struggling comedian and Uber driver in his spare time.  One night while performing, he is heckled by Emily.  After hooking up, they begin to date.  Emily is introducing Kumail to her friends and hopes he will meet her family.  But she becomes increasingly concerned when he never invites her to meet his family.  After a night together, Emily finds a cigar box and, out of curiosity, opens it.  She finds picture and information of several women.  Kumali admits his parents are old school Pakistani and want to arrange a marriage for him with a traditional Pakistani girl.  Emily asked him if they could ever have a future.  He admits that if they did, his family would disown him.  So he could never have a future with her.  Heartbroken, Emily ends the relationship.  A few days later, Emily’s friend calls Kumail.  She is extremely sick and in the hospital.  Her friend doesn’t want Emily to be alone, so they ask Kumail to stay with her for a while.  Despite Emily’s protest, Kumail goes to her side and is called by the doctor to talk.  The infection has spread and in order to fight it, they must put her in a medically induced coma.  They assume Kumail is her husband and he signs the papers and calls her parents.  Her parents, Terry and Beth ask Kumail to leave because they know how the relationship ended.  But as Emily gets sicker, so they stay at his home and get to know him.  While they get to know him, he gets to know Emily, the real Emily and falls in love.  Now he will do anything to get her back physically and emotionally.

Based on a true story, this romantic comedy is relentlessly honestly and, at times, tragic.  As Kumail fights with his family, he struggles with his Pakistani parent’s traditional values on love, marriage, and religion.  He wonders if he is a good person, Muslim, or Pakistani while being an American.  And before Emily fights for her life, she stands up for herself and refuses to be a secret.  Now since this is a real story, you will get a satisfying ending to this story and not the typical independent film ending.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

I am so stupid – Emily

It’s ok. We hate terrorist – Kumail

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

Top of this Post