Bad Times at the El Royale – Review

Bad Times at the El Royale – Budget of $32 million – 2 hours and 20 minutes

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Vacuum salesman Laramie stands in the lobby of the El Royale waiting for the concierge when Darlene and Father Daniel walk in.  Laramie has helped himself to the bar and offers the newcomers a drink as well.  Darlene gets tired of waiting and bangs on the service door.  Miles comes out with apologies and gives an introduction.  The El Royale is a bi-state hotel. You can choose to stay in Nevada or California.  Since the El Royale lost its gambling license, you can no longer gamble.  And if you want to drink, you must do it in California.  Laramie has already staked claim to the honeymoon suite when a “Hippie” rolls in like a bat out of hell.  Darlene is in Room 5, Father Daniel is in Room 4, Lamarie is Room 1, and the “Hippie” is in 7.  Once Laramie is settled, he gets to work.  He starts looking for listening devices in the room and finds 12.  He notices the room is shorter than it should be so he goes to the concierge to get some information.  With the concierge missing again, he finds the master key and a locked door.  He opens the door and finds a corridor that exposes 2-way mirrors in everyone’s room.  And 1 room has a camera pointed at the mirror with no film.  Then, he sees Miles with a needle in his arm on the nod. Next, he sees Darlene singing in her room. Next, he sees Father Daniel ripping up the floor in his room. Finally, he sees the “Hippie” dragging a woman out the trunk of her car and into the hotel room.  With all this going on, Laramie has a secret of his own.  That secret tells him not to intervene.  He does anyway and the bad times being.

This is a movie that should win every award but never will.  It keeps you engaged from beginning to end and teaches the true meaning of “not judging based on the cover”.  No character is innocent and every aspect of human life is on display.  This thriller is something moviegoers deserve to experience.  Even if someone tells you the ending, it’s never going to be as good as seeing it.  This movie is told in a nonlinear narrative, so you can’t miss one second of the movie.  While its a Bad Time for them, it will be an amazing time for you.

I give it 5 out of 5 stars

Are you lost Father – Darlene

What’s California like these days – Father Daniel

I bet you know some gals that might need a vacuum – Laramie

You got no reason to cry – Billy

Red – Emily

123 – Miles

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First Man – Review

First Man – Budget of $59 – 70 million – 2 hours and 18 minutes

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Neil Armstrong is a successful pilot and engineer in California. In 1961, he was told about NASA’s vision to get to the moon before the Soviets.  He has decided not to join because is daughter Karen is being treated for a brain tumor.  After she passes away, Neil, his wife Janet, and his son head to Texas to join NASA.  As a civilian, Neil is looked upon as an “egghead” by the military men.  However, no amount of training can prepare them for the physical and mental toll space exploration will take on them.  With each success, NASA is having consistent setbacks.  They have lost rockets, funding, and – most importantly – lives.  Neil and Janet witness this first hand when they lose their neighbor and friend in the Apollo 1 tragedy.  And to make it worse, it happened as Neil was defending the space program at the White House.  Now, Neil has to defend his choice to fly to the moon to his wife, the government, and the American taxpayer.

Based on First Man: The Life of Neil by James R. Hansen, this movie is an honest look at Neil Armstrong (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  He was a quiet unassuming man that dealt with unprecedented pressure in every aspect of his life.  He lost his daughter and coped by going back to work.  But losing his friends at work leaves him lost no place to cope.  Janet stated that in California they lost 4 friends in one year.  So you know the danger that they face attempting his mission.  The Apollo 10 mission itself lasts about 10 minutes in the movie.  This movie lives up to its name by being a biopic of Neil Armstrong.  With all the attention to detail with news clips, change in technology, and clothing, the movie is extremely slow and loses its luster after the 1st hour.  Your mind will start to wonder as you twiddle your thumbs waiting for the moon landing.  After the landing, you still have another 30 minutes to watch.  It’s just too long and gets boring.  If you are interest in the man more than the mission, this is the movie for you.  Otherwise, wait.

I give it 3 out of 5 stars

It’ll be an adventure – Janet

No, I got too much to do – Neil

I’m just saying what you’re thinking – Buzz

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Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween – Review

Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween – Budget of $35 million – 1 hour and 30 minutes

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Kathy has to work a double shift and asks her daughter Sarah to watch her little brother Sonny and his best friend Sam.  Sarah already has to write her college essay and wanted to attend a party, but she is forced to say yes.  Before the boys get home, they put out fliers for their business called the Junk Boys.  They offer to clean people’s junk for a fee.  They get a call to clean a home and anything they want to keep is theirs.  Inside the home, they find a book.  They open the book but find nothing interesting about it.  Then they see a dummy with a note.  The note introduces the dummy as Slappy and has an incantation on the back.  Sam says these words not knowing this will bring Slappy to life.  Slappy may look sweet on the surface but he wants a family.  And if Slappy doesn’t get his family, he will build one by hijacking Halloween and destroying this small town.

Based on the Goosebumps Series by R. L. Stine and the sequel to Goosebumps, this movie is the perfect blend between kid-like high jinks in a loving family tale and a splash of a scare (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer).  Parent’s shouldn’t worry, it is no scarier than something you would see on Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel.  It will make your kids jump and then laugh.  This movie has a plotline that will keep parents interest but the jokes are for the kids.  So, if your kids are old enough, you should drop them off.

For Kids: I give it a 3 out of 5 stars

Everyone Else: I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

Do people not whisper anymore – Kathy

Don’t wait for college to start having fun – Tyler

You know what else has monetary value, Sam? Actual money – Sonny

Can you stop being a nerd for one second and help me – Sam

We can be brothers – Slappy

Sorry but you just got voted out of the family – Sarah

Oh my writing was so cliche back then – R. L. Stine

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Kinky – Review

Kinky – Budget of $3.5 million – 1 hour and 33 minutes

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Joyce is a well-respected orthopedic surgeon who mentors several residents at her hospital.  She is headstrong, financially secure, and often running late.  Like some career women, she has put her personal life on hold for her career.  She hasn’t dated in a year but she was unsatisfied in her last relationship.  So she wants to tread lightly.  While out to lunch with her friends, a handsome man named Anthony introduces himself and his shy, younger brother Darren.  Anthony leaves his number with one of Joyce’s friends but Darren gives his number to Joyce.  Darren co-owns a financial firm with his brother.  He is extremely successful at picking stocks for their company and its investors.  Darren sends her 12 dozen roses and invites her on a boat date.   Joyce coyly says yes and starts to fantasize about Darren and her together.  Her wayward thoughts include cuffs, whips, and tape.  Joyce questions her dreams with her therapist who eases her mind.  On her date with Darren, her dreams become a reality.  She tells her therapist that controlling Darren’s control over her turns her on.  Joyce will show Darren a world he never knew existed.

This movie takes its time to develop the romance between Darren and Joyce but therein lies the problem.  There is so much character development, there isn’t much story.  Seeing the role reversal of the woman seeking dominance through domination is a twist on the modern story. Normally a wealthy man seeks a partner, but this wealthy woman wants to find someone to dominate her on her terms.  This makes the movie intriguing, it is still missing a true story.  It’s not until the last minute the story starts and ends with a cliffhanger.  Even though this movie is sexy, you can wait for it.

I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars

Just follow my lead – Darren

Sure, go on and talk to your little friend – Diana

I have slow Wi-Fi – Joyce

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