DJANGO UNCHAINED (Released to Theaters USA 2012)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì

Django Unchained—a type of spaghetti western a la Quentin Tarantino flick—delivers blood, blood, and more blood. It’s a rough, rowdy story for the adult audience that relies on an unlikely storyline filled with gore and revenge.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Django (Jamie Foxx) and Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) team together as bounty hunters when Dr. Schultz, disguised as a traveling dentist, asks to buy Django. When the traders refuse to sell, Dr. King Schultz kills two of the traders and injures another. The slaves kill the remaining injured trader. Dr. King Schultz then asks Django what he knows about the Brittle Brothers. Django can identify the Brittle Brothers. Dr. Schultz has a warrant for their arrest and offers Django freedom in exchange for help with hunting/identifying the brothers. After capturing the Brittle Brothers, Django becomes an apprentice to Dr. King Schultz to learn the bounty hunting trade. Django has talent for the business and soon earns money. He desires to find his slave wife and buy her freedom. Dr. King Schultz agrees to help Django find his wife and the real story begins.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Quentin Tarantino for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Shannon McIntosh, Michael Shamberg, James W. Skotchdopole, Bob Weinstein, and Harvey Weinstein for making the film possible. Cast include: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Samuel L. Jackson, Walton Goggins, Dennis Christopher, James Remar, David Steen, and Dana Gourrier.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. All the expected Quentin Tarantino story telling techniques are present in this flick. It will not disappoint Tarantino fans.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

THE LEGEND OF TARZAN (Theatrical Release USA 2016)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì 

The Legend of Tarzan—fun and almost exciting at times—did well in its casting of Alexander Skarsgȁrd for the part of Tarzan. It is good to see Samuel L. Jackson as part of this cast. Surprisingly, in a much overly done story, this remake turns into a fairly good watch that adds more depth to the original films about Tarzan. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

An embellishment on the original Tarzan stories. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to David Yates for directing effort. Thank you to Jerry Weintraub, David Barron, Alan Riche, and Tony Ludwig for making the film possible. Cast includes: Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie, Djimon Hounsou, Jim Broadbent, and Christoph Waltz. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Fun and watchable. Good work for all involved. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers

NO TIME TO DIE (Theatrical Release USA 2021)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì 

No Time to Die—interesting presentation—significantly reduces action, violence, and sex scenes from previous Bond 007 movies. This movie runs on an ‘it is what it is’ storyline. It will take time to get used to a new format, but in its own way can be an improvement over the old format. There are some interesting twists in this story almost as if it is testing the possibility that there could be a female Bond or a Bond replacement all together. The movie ends oddly. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline

This spy film is about a weapon that involves nanobots and the attempts to control who has it and who can use it. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Cary Joji Fukunaga for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for making the film possible. Cast includes: Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Lea Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Jeffrey Wright, Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Fiennes. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Be prepared for a ‘not the usual’ James Bond 007 film. Everything is ‘toned down’. It introduces a marital-type relationship and a child into that relationship. It’s worth watching, but much different than expectations for a 007 movie.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

SPECTRE (Theatrical Release USA 2015)

 Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.2|5.0 Starsìììì 

Spectre—Daniel Craig as 007—solidly delivers a good piece of entertainment. There is a little sterileness in some of the action scenes such as the car chase scene between Daniel Craig and Dave Bautista. It almost seems as if that scene was artificially lengthened to make the film meet time requirements. There seems to be some plot holes in the movie where the dots are not fully connected. But the entertainment value maintains. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

James Bond fights the evilness of Spectre. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Sam Mendes for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for making the film possible. Cast includes: Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Dave Bautista, Monica Bellucci, and Ralph Fiennes. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The movie does not run on the usual 007 high-octane mix of sex, glamour, and violence. While the grittiness has been lowered slightly, the movie still delivers. James Bond fans will not be disappointed. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers