What Have We Done With Our Lives? "Lucy," the Movie Delves into This Question and More.

Scarlett Johansson displays her propensity for acting in "Lucy," a science fictions suspense ride that touches on the many possibilities of the human brain and the nefarious underworld of illicit drugs.

Lucy (Scarlett Johansson) defines what it's like to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Her knuckle-headed beau, Richard (Pilou Asbek) unwittingly gets Lucy involved with the evil Mr. Jang (Min-Sik Choi). Lucy is beaten, drugged and forced to be one of Mr. Jang's drug mules via having a highly potent synthetic bright blue drug surgically implanted on the side of her stomach. The drug which is harbored in clear plastic accidentally gets broken while still inside Lucy's body. The massive amount of the drug triggers every vessel in her brain and as the story unfolds, her cerebral use begins its assent to 100 percent capacity.

Professor Norman (Morgan Freeman) gets to witness his many theories on how the human brain can actually function at full throttle use. "Lucy" is not just about a women of the same name seeking to avenge what Mr. Jang and his henchmen have done to her but, a journey of the mind, a venture combining fact with fiction.

Screen writer and director Luc Besson claims life was given to us a billion years ago and "The Grand Design," a book written by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow claim our current brain, the homo sapient one has been in humans for more than a 193,000 years. Regardless of when our current brains came about, there's approximately 188,000 years of existing, yet undocumented human thinking history.

"Lucy," a three star feature is a well worth viewing.

"Jimi: All Is by My Side" is Well Worth a Watch.

Released in theaters in September 2013, the DVD released hit the public on January 13 and hip hopper Andr'e Benjamin nails the part of Jimi Hendrix.

"Jimi: All Is by My Side" earned a three star rating because of the acting. The choice of the actual Jimi Hendrix songs used in the movie was fantastic. If you want to hear his smash hits such as "Purple Haze" and "Hey Joe," this is not the movie for you, but if you like his hard blues tunes, it's for you. The movie is about a year in in the life of 60s rock 'n' roller Jimi Hendrix; 1966-1967.

As I learned in both of my screen writing classes, no movie biography is required to adhere to any truths of the actual life of the person or people in the story. Yes it's true Jimi Hendrix was an iconic rock 'n' roll guitarist who also sang in the three piece band, The Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The Washington Post movie review as well as the movie itself claims Linda Keith, portrayed by Imogen Poots was the sole motivator of Hendrix's pursuit to get serious about making a name for himself, maybe so. (http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/jimi-all-is-by-my-side-movie-review-behind-the-music-with-hendrix-as-a-star-is-born/2014/09/25/f99f6b9a-4418-11e4-9a15-137aa0153527_story.html)

The movie is basically about Hendrix seeking his own sound while maintaining a career and dealing with narrow minded American perception of the many genres of music. When he gets to London he appreciates the freedoms of combining blues with 60s rock 'n' roll sounds.

Hayley Atwell (Kathy Etchingham) is the main woman in Hendrix's life who inspires love, jealously and illustrates the complications of being in a famed relationship. Ida, played by Ruth Negga introduces drugs into Hendrix's life and aides his wisdom and knowledge in the various gimmicks in life and political injustices that will never end on Earth. The two women provide a story everyone seems to feast on, love, lust and gossip.

The unsung heroes in "Jimi: All Is by My Side" include Kenny Aronoff, the actual drummer, Leland Sklar, the bassist and Waddy Wachtel who wailed on the guitar.

The Movie "Gone Girl" is A Hit With the Entertainment Senses.

The perception from the synopsises on the DVD jacket is just a glimpse of what "Gone Girl" is all about.

The movie was nothing what I imagined and pleasantly so. Yes the basics from the previews are true, Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) has a wife that is suddenly and mysteriously gone, hence the title "Gone Girl" releseased on DVD January 13. As the story unravels, Dunne was not the best husband in the world, but was he involved in her disappearance and possible murder which the previews advertised?

It's really hard to write a summary of the story without giving away the whole story, but here's the gist, Amy Dunne, Nick's wife is adored by everyone that crosses her path and understandably so. Without a body, the police are reluctant to arrest Nick for the disappearance and possible murder of his wife which gets the general public in an out roar.

The story gets very interesting when the police learn that the house and money were all Amy's. The character Desi Collings played by Neil Patrick Harris sheds intricate details of the story as does the young woman Andie Fitzgerald. (Emily Ratajkowski) The details are so intriguing and gripping, they make this movie a must see in my eyes.

Screen writer Gillian Flynn who also wrote the book has a penchant for originality and this four and a half star thriller becomes a mind tease fit for any brain enticed by cerebral pleasure.

"Party Games," a Fear Street Novel Is a Cool Teenage Tale of Ghosts, Greed and Twisted High School Pranks

 

Geared for teenagers, the novel "Party Games" literally works for all ages, including elementary school aged children.

Goosebumps writing guru R.L. Stine converts the mayhem of murder, occultism and many other twisted adult themes into a smart package appropriate for even children to open for a PG rated scare. "Party Games" is number 52 of Stines Fear Street novels. Until I borrowed this novel from the young adult section of my local library, I knew nothing of the Fear Street books.

Some of the happenings in "Party Games" are a bit vague and needed some more explanation for me, but having never read any of the first 51 Fear Street novels, Stine's brilliant writing doesn't require the reader to have read the previous books. An example of this was the burial pit in the middle of the woods. Did ancient Fear family members hunt down their servants for fun, then bury them in the woods?

"Party Games" takes place in a town called Shadyside which has an eccentric wealthy family know as the Fears with a torrid history. Some say the Fear ancestors were witches, maybe even sorcerers with evil powers.

Brendan Fear is the ideal male for Rachel Martin, the two are both high school students and when Martin is personally invited to Fear's over-night 18th birthday party, she is more than willing to go to his parents mansion on a nearby island. The night before Martin is to go to the party on Fear island, she finds a dead decaying rat at the foot of her bed as she climbs into bed.

While at the party Martin finds out that a few other girls found dead animals at the foot of their beds the night before boating to Fear island. Brendan Fears party starts out with the young adults eating pizza, sipping from the keg and basking in extremely loud music. The conflict begins when Brendan's game of 'Total Panic' begins.

With no Wi-Fi, land lines or cell phone coverage on Fear island the tension mounts when various party-goers start disappearing and Martin encounters the ghost of a Fear ancestor, Victoria Fear sowing herself together. Victoria in life was a taxidermist, people who stuff dead animals for display. Martin indeed terrified by the grey face of Victoria and her patchy white hair cascading down her hollowed cheeks, has trouble convincing the others she saw Victoria's ghost, if indeed she really saw the ghost.

Just when the reader thinks the horror is over the story does a 180 degree turn into a mean tale of greed and an unpredictable conclusion. This is the first Stine book I've read, and it's easy to see why he is a New York Times best selling writer. "Party Games" was a three star refreshing read and illustrated to me why the Goosebumps novels are so popular.

"Party Games" was released on September 30 and the book jacket states a Goosebumps movie is coming out with Jack Black staring as Stine.



The Movie "No Good Deed" Borders on Being No Good at All

 

The basic premises for a truly realistically scary flick are prevalent in "No Good Deed" as women are actually killed by disturbed violent and jealous male lovers.

Colin, well acted by Idris Elba, a convicted killer of women unrealistically escapes from a prison transport van. As a fugitive he wrecks his stolen car near the house of Terry, well acted by Taraji P. Henson. Of course she is alone while her husband is a away and he slyly gains her trust and gets invited into the house.

When Terry discovers he's a sadistic prick who should have never been born, it's too late and the predicable physical conflict begins. She manages to knock him out cold, and as too many of these types of movies play out, she runs away instead of permanently disabling him. Of course he recovers and wreaks more havoc, and for a second time she renders him helpless for a short time and because there is still not enough pages in the script, runs off again instead of finishing the job.

"No Good Deed" takes are real turn to ridiculous town when Terry briefly argues with her husband on the phone when she should be calling the police (911). This DVD is one and a half stars at best.



Lust and Love Collide Well in Young Adult Flick "Two Night Stand," Yet is Missing Something.

 

 

To use the parliamentary language of our time, two young hotties use the Internet to hook-up and get each other off.

Megan, nicely played by Analeigh Tipton is coaxed into getting into a one night stand by her friend Faiza (Jessica Szohr) who is in a serious relationship. Megan Skypes Alec (Miles Teller) on her lap top, and tactfully but bluntly conveys that she just wants to have sex. Alec obliges her request, and invites her to his place.

The two youthful souls live in Minnesota during winters peek. The next morning, Megan wakes up and is dressed and ready to leave while he sleeps. A vast snow storm has stranded her at his place. Now the two are forced to actually talk to one another.

It's a tale as old as Hollywood itself; Man and women meet, rendezvous in coitus ventures, laugh together, fight, then break up despite being perfect for each other, and the writers maybe bet on which percent of its audience members actually believe the two won't ever get back together.

"Two Night Stand" released on DVD January 6 and theaters on September 25 is targeted for the younger crowd, I'd say between 12-30 year-old's, and despite it's predictability there is an unexpected little twist toward the conclusion. To be honest, I didn't like or hate this movie, so I had to rate it right in the middle; two and half stars out of five.



"Horns" is A Sharp and Highly Original Love Story

This vastly one of a kind movie strikes the senses with curiosity, intrigue and displays how love is as old as time itself.

First spawned to the public at Toronto's 2013 International Film Festival, and then to the U.S. on Halloween, then yesterday on DVD. Screen writer Keith Bunin brilliantly transformed Joe Hill's book into a bizarrely fantastic romantically dark modern day Romeo and Juliet mysterious love fest.

Daniel Radcliffe, aka, Harry Potter displays his acting prowess in this four star flick. Ig Perrish (Radcliffe) hooks up with his childhood crush, Merrin Williams, marvelously portrayed by Juno Temple. Williams and Perrish's naked bodies collided in ecstasy. Their cerebral thoughts and words weaved wonderfully into their physical attraction toward each just as well.



The story wastes absolutely no time in racing to conflict. Williams (Temple) is found raped and brutally murdered in the woods. Perrish (Radcliffe) is the prime suspect and his best friend Lee Tourneau characterized by Max Minghella whose a lawyer has managed to keep Perrish out of jail. Evidence left at the scene of the crime points to Perrish. He immediately becomes the small towns out cast and the media will not leave him alone.

"Horns" gets a bit goofy when Perrish grows horns and everyone in his presence has to display their dark side, no matter how twisted or perverted it might be. While the media and the law are trying to get Perrish to admit to Willaims murder, he continues to announce his innocence and find the actual killer.

Though Williams is dead at the beginning of the story, the flash-backs of her and Perrish transforming from adolescence to adulthood is displayed with aplomb. As the conclusion of "Horns" begins to form, the question still remains. Perrish, a heavy drinker wonders if he might have indeed killed Williams in a black-out stupor.

Before the viewer knows for sure who killed Williams, three main suspects including Perrish are among those who indeed stole Williams life. Besides finding out for sure who the killer was, the story unravels even more secrets and has a very enriching conclusion.