MOVIE REVIEWS ...

Dan and I saw it this weekend and I have to say that it was VERY DEPRESSING.  Bradley Cooper does do an amazing job but the movie itself is a horrifyingly honest depiction of war and what it does to human beings.  In the words of John Lennon, we seriously got to give peace a chance LIKE YESTERDAY. However, I am afraid that that will never happen because there is too much money to be made from war, because the people who decide to go to war NEVER send their loved ones, nor did most of them serve in their country in it's time of need, and lastly, misguided, fundamentalist beliefs that have nothing to do with God and everything to do with narcissistic, dualistic thinking. 

This movie was a major downer.  It depicts the insanity of fighting for an ideal that doesn't exist.  The suffering, death and brutality of human beings who've forgotten that they are human beings and who have lost sight of the original ideal for which they believed in enough to die for. 

I won't give away everything, but the movie is the true story of Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle who had 160 hits to is credit and was known as a legend.  A good man destroyed by war and his fight back to his own humanity. 

Like The Passion of the Christ, American Sniper is a great movie that I doubt I could see again.  Too heartbreaking.  On a scale from one to 10, definitely a 10. 

My favorite movie so far is Birdman.  Michael Keaton won both the Golden Globe and the Critic's Choice Award and he was AMAZING.  On a scale of 1 to 10 I give his performance a 55.  In my opinion, a very good flick.  Michael Keaton was nothing short of brilliant and Emma Stone was REALLY good. 

We also saw The Imitation Game.  For some reason, this film didn't grab me.  To be fair I should probably see it again because I was so sleepy that I was fighting to keep my eyes open.  It was the true story of a brilliant guy who develops a machine that can translate messages from the Nazis.  He's an odd character who isn't very likeable, but he also suffered tremendously because of his homosexuality.  It is amazing how far we've come in that regard, still not far enough, but holy moly, being gay in the 1940's was akin to being a serial killer. 

The Theory of Everything is the true story of Stephen and Jane Hawking.  Let me say right now ... Jane Hawking ...  SHE is an amazing woman.  He, of course, is a genius, but what she took on and dealt with is nothing short of miraculous.  Both Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones performances were so heartbreakingly true to life that I FELT Jane Hawking's sorrow and regret, as well as her love and courage.  A very good film. 

THE WORST MOVIE I've seen this year is without a doubt INHERENT VICE with Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson and Benicio del Toro.  A great cast in a TERRIBLE movie.  DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY.  The plot was all over the place, I had no idea what was going on, there were all these different story lines that made no sense and it was WAY WAY TOO LONG.  I actually wanted to leave that is how bad it was and Danny felt the same way.  That is three hours of my life I will never get back.  The trailers made it seem like a really funny movie.  IT WASN'T.  On a scale of one to 10, I give it a zero. 

I haven't seen Boyhood, Still Alice, A Most Violent Year (which I'm DYING to see) and The Grand Budapest Hotel which looks really funny and has won lots of awards. 

Stay tuned for my Oscar Best and Worst.  The Academy Awards are scheduled for February 22 ... the Superbowl of T.V. watching for yours truly. 

Until then ....

Smooches!