Gabrielle Union
#BreakingInMovie, #LifeOfTheParty, and more – Movie Reviews
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Breaking In – Review
Breaking In – Budget of $6 million – 1 hour and 28 minutes
After her estranged father is killed in a hit and run, Shaun goes to his vacation home in Wisconson to settle his estate by selling his home. She has not spoken to him in years but she knows he is not perfect. Her two children, Jasmine and Glover travel with her but her husband will be joining the next day. As the three walk around, they see a few things out of place. A broken picture, cut wires, malfunctioning alarm system but ignore it because no one has been in the home for months. Also, they notice the vacation home is now a fortress with a sophisticated alarm system, retractable window shades, and cameras everywhere. While Glover is playing with a drone he is grabbed. When Jasmine goes to find him, she is grabbed. While Shaun attempts to order pizza in the driveway, she is attacked but fights back. After the fight, she sees her children locked inside the fortress at the mercy of strangers. She must find out what they want to save her children.
This movie shocks from beginning to end. You will see Shaun risk life and limb, like most mothers, to save her children. However, she doesn’t make typical movie mistakes. Like wearing heels in the forest or calling for her kids in the dark. She is smart and uses her knowledge of the house to her advantage. The irony is the house meant to keep them safe is the same house that becomes a prison. So how far would you go for your children?
I give it 4 out of 5 stars
I am your mother. Is there a difference? – Shaun
So what does that make you, slightly paranoid – Glover
I’m your big sister. It’s my job to worry about you. Not your job to worry about me – Jasmine
Fear, I can manage. Desperation is a whole other thing – Eddie
Life of the Party – Review
Life of the Party – Budget of $30 million – 1 hour and 45 minutes
Deanna has dropped her daughter Maddie off at the sorority house for Maddie’s senior year. The school would have been Deanna’s alma mater but she left her last year. When she got pregnant, she and her husband Dan decided only one of them could afford to go, him. While she regrets not finishing, she is proud to see her daughter go the distance. As Deanna and Dan pull off, Dan says he wants a divorce, marrying a real estate agent, and selling the house. In tears, Deanna goes to her parents’ house and looks through old photos. She sees a photo of her in the archaeology club and gets an idea. Deanna goes to Maddie’s sorority house to tell her about he divorce and enrolling in school. At first a little nervous, Maddie sees this is a good thing for her mom and cheers her on. Now Deanna has to navigate through the complicated world of college and divorce while maintaining a relationship with her daughter and getting her degree.
This is a love letter to mom’s who wondered if they could finish. You will get the answer to your question. However, it’s not without some well-earned bumps in the road. While Deanna is trying to move forward, she is being dragged down by her ex and Mean Girls. However, what makes this movie different is the relationship between Deanna and Maddie. In most movies, Maddie would not accept her mom until the end. But in this movie, Maddie takes a deep breath and accept her mother going to her school within 2 minutes. This mature look at college women is a great contrast to the girls in Deanna’s class.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars
You are like my sexual Dumbledore – Jack
Wow, that’s a lot of text – Deanna
Mom, what are you doing – Maddie
Overboard – Review
Overboard – Budget of $12 million – 1 hours and 52 minutes
Widowed, mother of three Kate is working two jobs while in nursing school. She tries to balance motherhood between studying, delivering pizzas, and cleaning carpets. One day she is called to clean a yacht’s carpeting after a hard night of partying. When she starts to clean, she bumps into Leonardo. Leonardo is a playboy and heir to a construction fortune. When Kate refuses to get him some fruit, he fires her; then throws her and her equipment off the yacht. Kate is fired from her carpet cleaning job and her mom can no longer watch her kids. Kate feels her dream of nursing going down the drain. Then she reads a news article saying that Leonardo washed ashore and has amnesia. Kate’s best friend Theresa comes up with a plan to trick Leonardo into thinking Kate is his wife so he can do all the heavy lifting while she studies. Theresa sees it as payback for getting her fired. With apprehension, Kate decides to do it. Now Leonardo believes he is a married, sterile, recovering alcoholic, poor, construction worker. However, his sister Magdalena wants Leonardo to stay gone. She hopes to convince his father that Leonardo has died so she can inherit the company. It’s only a matter of time before Leonardo learns the truth about Kate, Magdalena, and himself.
With a nod to the remake, this version has a role reversal (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). Even with the reversal, it’s still as funny and heartwarming as its predecessor. Leonardo and Kate come off as convincing adversaries and a couple. This movie had genuine laughs about everyday life. And it was great to see that even with Leonardo loss of memory, he did not lose his taste in food, style, and music. Now be warned, there are some subtitles. But hearing the jokes in Spanish actually makes the comedic timing better. So sit back and enjoy for an easy going, not vulgar laugh.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
I am not being selfless. I am thinking of myself less – Leonardo
#SleeplessMovie – Review
Sleepless – Budget of $30 million – 1 hour and 35 minute(s)
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Vincent and Sean believe they have successfully stolen 25 kilos of cocaine and can coverup their crime. They can cover it up because they are police detectives. Once they arrive on the scene … again … they are intercepted by Jennifer and Doug, Internal Affairs Bureau Officers. Jennifer’s team discover the spent rounds are government issued, so they know police officers are behind the robbery. Jennifer has been looking into Vincent and Sean for a while; but don’t have the evidence she needs. Vincent leaves knowing that Jennifer will be a problem, but does not know the extent of her knowledge of their crimes. Vincent leaves the crime scene to pick up his son, Thomas, and heads to Thomas’s basketball game. On their way, Thomas is kidnapped and Vincent is stabbed. Directly after the kidnapping Vincent gets a call from Stanley. Stanley tells Vincent that he made a mistake. Stanley was just a middle man and the drugs belong to the Novaks, the biggest and most ruthless drug lords in the business. If Vincent doesn’t return the stolen drugs within 4 hours, his son will die.
“When bad decision go horribly wrong” should be the title of this movie. There are only a few moments of tension but its the same moment over and over again. You feel like your are having deja vu. Jamie Foxx doesn’t appear to be fully committed to the role because his “threatening” scenes are often comical. In this remake of the French movie Sleepless Night, it’s Michelle Monaghan and Scoot McNairy that are fun to watch (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). By being polar opposites, but completely merciless, they carry the film. There are some decent action sequences but nothing new or spectacular. Then, they try suspense by giving everyone an angle, but you can figure out the “bad guy”, “who is who”, and “the real end game” halfway through the movie. If you really want to see an action movie and have 1.5 hours to spare, see this one matinee. Otherwise, wait for Redbox.
I give it 2.5 out of 5 stars
Is there something you want to tell me – Rob Novak
Dad, what’s going on – Thomas
Find him – Dena
Thank you. I feel so much better now – Jennifer
You want Cagney and Lacey to have it or do you want it to get solved – Vincent
Ladies and gentlemen, Nevada’s finest – Doug
Yes I know – Stanley
I’ll fix it man. Calm down – Sean
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#AlmostChristmas – Review
Almost Christmas – Budget of $17 million – 1 hour and 51 minutes
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Ten months ago, Walter Meyers lost his wife of 30+ years. Now, 5 days before Christmas, the Meyers family is getting back together to celebrate the holidays. Walter, the patriarch of the family, is a retired mechanic and auto body shop owner. He misses his wife and is reminded of her presence in every part of their home. Christian Meyers, the eldest son, married father of 2, is running for congress. He has vowed to not let his campaign interfere with family time. His campaign manager, Brooks, has other ideas. Dr. Cheryl Meyers, DDS, eldest daughter, is married, but annoyed her husband, Lonnie, hangs onto his basketball past. Rachel Meyers, youngest daughter, divorced mother of 1, is changing careers again. She refuses help from anyone and constantly fights with her older sister. Evan Meyers, college student hoping to turn pro, has been given the green light to stop taking pills and get back on the field. But the passing on his mom is bring more pain than he can bare. Aunt May, Walter’s sister in law, is doing all that she can to keep the family together and fill a hole caused by her sister’s passing. With Rachel and Cheryl always at odds, Evan trying to ignore is emotional pain, and Christian’s bad political decisions, it’s hard to believe this family will make it to Christmas together.
Although this will not be a Christmas classic, it is definitely better than Love the Coopers. There are lots of laughs with the help of Mo’Nique and a great assemble cast. Now, the script is 100% predictable, but the love of family shines through. The Meyers are your family. Even though they fight and bicker, they are family through and through. This is a great film to see in theaters but keep young children at home. The language is a little raunchy for a holiday movie.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
Change the locks – Walter
Who wasn’t raised by a black woman. I know I was – Brooks
This girl – Malachi
I’ll go get grandma – Cheryl
You ungrateful bastards – Aunt May
Do you want to be on the team or own the team – Cameron
Wait, you have a boyfriend – Rachel
It was an accident – Evan
Mom, focus – Niya
I can’t do this – Christian
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#TheBirthofaNation – Review
The Birth of a Nation – Budget of $10 million – 2 hours and 0 minutes
Note: This will only discuss the film. Not the controversy of its director.
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At a young age, Nat Turner was told that the marks on his chest stood for wisdom, courage, and vision. He would be a great prophet and should be followed. Hearing this prophecy, Nat’s parent did everything to protect him. But soon, the master’s wife, Elizabeth, learns that Nat can read. Instead of punishing him (as was the custom), she allowed him to live in the big house to teach him. However, she would only let him read one book … the Bible. Before the master died, he let it be know that Nat should go back into the fields; and his wife obliged after her husband’s death. Years later, Nat is working in the fields and preaching the gospel. When Rev. Walthall hears about a slave preacher, he convinces Sam (Nat’s new master and the old master’s son) to sell his services. Nat would go from plantation to plantation and teach the gospel to slaves. They hoped that hearing the word of God from their own kind would keep the slaves calm and in their place. During his travels, Nat sees how horribly slaves are treated and it weighs heavy on him. But when he is whipped, his wife is gang raped, and Sam allows a female slave to be pimped, Nat is broken and decides to fight back. What is to come is a bloody and brutal battle with a likely outcome.
With any movie featuring slavery, some things you see and hear are hard to swallow. But the honesty of the harsh punishments mixed with faith and love are necessary to drive this story. The movie calls into question some version in the Bible that deal with slave/master relationships and callings from God. It’s difficult to watch his movie and not see parallel’s in today’s issues. The set design and wardrobe are amazing and work perfectly together to propel the story line. There are often questionable imagery, like bleeding corn, that confuses or seems misplaced. This is a great movie at full price but be prepared to be disturbed.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
I didn’t do nothing. That girl was brought into the world as beautiful as can be – Nancy Turner
I am but a servant – Rev. Walthall
Leave it to the Lord – Cherry Turner
He’s still here – Nate Turner
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