THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN (Theatrical Release USA 1995)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì

The Tuskegee Airmen details African American military service during WWII. The Tuskegee Airmen film performs at a similar level as the 2012 film, Red Tails. The movie serves as a great story that educates without preaching. Bravo for a very good military story directed by Robert Markowitz.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

World War II births the 332 Fighter Group, an all-black fighting group serving the United States Army Air Corp.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Robert Markowitz for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producer Frank Price for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Hannibal Lee (Laurence Fishburne), Walter Peoples (Allen Payne), Leroy Cappy (Malcolm Jamal Warner), Lieutenant Glenn (Courtney B. Vance), Benjamin O. Davis (Andre Braugher), Major Joy (Christopher McDonald), Colonel Rogers (Daniel Hugh Kelly), Senator Conyers (John Lithgow), Billy Roberts (Cuba Gooding Jr.), Lewis Johns (Mekhi Phifer), and Young Hannibal (Christopher Bevins).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. This well-told and worthy film deserves its kudos for educating as well as entertaining.

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Ben Meyers

AKEELAH AND THE BEE (Relelased to Theaters USA 2006)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

Akeelah and the Bee—earnest, genuine, and a pleasure to watch—works its story from a Los Angeles ghetto. This is an above average family film that encourages scholarship and development of natural talent.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

The story begins with South Los Angeles rap music and memorable set-up scenes from the Los Angeles ghetto. Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer), an 11-year-old girl, walks down the sidewalk as a narrator informs the audience of the humble beginnings of the spelling bee at Crenshaw Middle School. The scene moves from the dilapidated middle school into Akeelah’s class room to show a teacher handing graded papers to her students. The grades are not good. The teacher reprimands her students that they need to study harder in spelling, stops at Akeelah’s desk, and asks her if she studied for her spelling examination. Akeelah says, reluctantly, “No,” and the rest of the students start laughing at her. The teacher sets the paper on Akeelah’s table and says that she wants to see Akeelah after class. Akeelah looks at her grade and it’s an “A+.” She silently sighs in relief and the next scene shows Akeelah’s teacher talking to her about how great Akeelah is doing, that there will be a spelling bee next week, and she recommends Akeelah sign up for it.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Doug Atchison for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Helen Sugland, Michael Burns, Michael Paseornek, Tom Ortenberg, Marc Butan, Mark Cuban, and Todd Wagner for making the film possible. Thank you to Music Composer Aaron Zigman for scoring the film. Cast include: Keke Palmer, Laurence Fishburne, Curtis Armstrong, J.R. Villarreal, Sean Michael Afable, and Angela Bassett.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes. It’s a refreshing look at winning. The film serves as clean entertainment for both the child and adult audience while providing an educational look at spelling bees from a middle school perspective to the national perspective.

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Ben Meyers

BOBBY (Released to Theaters USA 2006)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì  Bobby—high quality movie—works with an ensemble (all-star) cast. The primary focus is exploring lives of persons who were present at his final speech. This technique makes the watch exceptionally interesting and intriguing. WOW! What a storyline. This is more than worth watching and tells an important story well. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images  Storyline  The final hours of Robert F. Kennedy's life and the lives of persons who were present during his final speech are intertwined into one story. Additional Thanks Thank you to Emilio Estevez for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Edward Bass, Holly Wiersma, and Michel Litvak for making the film possible. Cast includes Harry Belafonte, Joe Bryant, Nick Cannon, Emilio Estevez, Laurence Fishburne, Dave Fraunces, Jeridan Frye, Spencer Garrett, Brian Geraghty, Heather Graham, Anthony Hopkins, and Helen Hunt.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Yes. This is an important, educational watch and tells its story well by telling several stories as one. It has an ensemble cast that enhances the value of the movie. This movie is a good addition to the home video library. Director Emilio Estevez's large vision for this movie is completely realized. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

CONTAGION (Released to Theaters USA 2011)

 

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.1|5.0 Starsìììì  Contagion—disorganized—relies on the usual formatting style of this movie's genre. The 1995 film, Outbreak  is a better story than this one. Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images  Storyline A United States business woman gets sick after a trip to Hong Kong. Her sickness becomes a pandemic in the United States and medical personnel need to solve it.  Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Steven Soderbergh for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, and Gregory Jacobs for making the film possible. Cast includes Marion Cotillard, Matt Damon, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Jennifer Ehle, and Sanaa Lathan.  Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? . Yes. This is a good watch overall and has a believable portrayal; however, the 1995 movie Outbreak comes from the same genre and has higher entertainment value than this film. Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

FANTASTIC FOUR: RISE OF THE SILVER SURFER (Theatrical Release USA 2007)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì 

Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer—better than the last film—has actors reprising their roles. The movie is watchable, but not recommendable. The animation of the silver surfer on his surfboard is worth mentioning. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

A humanoid-type silver surfer appears in earth’s atmosphere. The Fantastic Four Team discovers that planets the surfer has previously visited have all been destroyed. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Tim Story for directing effort. Thank you to Executive Producers Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Kevin Feige, Stan Lee, and Mark Radcliffe, for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Julian McMahon, Kerry Washington, Andre Braugher, Laurence Fishburne, Doug Jones, Beau Garrett, Brian Posehn, Zach Grenier, Dawn Chubai, and Chris Gailus.

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Maybe. This movie runs on a better storyline than previous series’ films. It has a better storyline and presentation. 

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

BATMAN VS. SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE (Theatrical Release USA 2016)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì 

Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice rates in the same quality range as the first movie, Man of Steel. It easily sets the stage for the sequel Justice League. Jesse Eisenberg seems an odd pick for the role of Lex Luthor. The menacing aspect for Luthor seems to be difficult for him to pull out of his basic personality; but special effects, animation, and presentation override this small consideration. The story itself does not have the quality of other DC movies like Dark Knight but superhero fans will not be disappointed in this watch. Watch for Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

Batman engages battle with Superman while the real enemy Luthor pursues his own evil agenda. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Zack Snyder for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Charles Roven and Deborah Snyder for making the film possible. Cast includes: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Jeremy Irons, Holly Hunter, and Gal Gadot. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. The movie is a suitable choice for entertainment and meets superhero movie fans’ needs well. 

Video Critique Available Here:

 

Ben Meyers

MAN OF STEEL (Theatrical Release USA 2013)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.9|5.0 Starsììì 

Man of Steel—huge improvement over the original 1978 film Superman with Christopher Reeve—accesses the acting talents of Henry Cavill for the role of Superman and Russell Crowe for the role of Jor-El. Both choices are outstanding. The presentation, writing, special effects are on par. The acting works from the good to very good. Superman fans should be well-pleased with this production’s enhancements. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline.

Superman once again fills his role as fighter for the good of Earth’s inhabitants. 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Zack Snyder for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Charles Roven, Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, and Deborah Snyder for making the film possible. Cast includes: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Kevin Costner, Diane Lane, Laurence Fishburne, Antje Traue, Ayelet Zurer, Christopher Meloni, and Russell Crowe. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. Be aware the film especially appeals to Superman fans. 

Video Critique Available Here: 

Ben Meyers

ARMORED (Theatrical Release USA 2009)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 1.5|5.0 Starsì

Armored starts like any good movie should and plays well like any high three-star entertainment piece. Then Mike Cochrane (Matt Dillon) and Ty Hackett (Columbus Short) go to a hot dog stand and the viewer begins to realize there is not going to be much story to this movie. It almost seems like it wants to be a documentary. Then, to make things even worse, after the characters start discussing a bank robbery, the movie moves to a laughable warehouse scene where money is moved from two armored trucks into a hole in the wall with a homeless man secretly watching the monetary transfer. After the homeless man is injured, Ty Hackett gets a conscience and tries to make a getaway with the homeless man. The homeless man is dispatched and Ty Hackett tries to make a getaway in one of the armored trucks. The rest of the movie then proceeds to meander toward its final resting place in a process that includes approximately twenty minutes viewing Ty Hackett’s perils in a crashed armored truck beleaguered by his former outlaw buddies—Mike Cochrane, Baines (Laurence Fishburne), Quinn (Jean Reno), Palmer (Amaury Nolasco), and Dobbs (Skeet Ulrich). While Duncan Ashcroft (Fred Ward) and Eckehart (Milo Ventimiglia) play strong performances, Armored is a total waste of viewer’s time and a waste of good actors like Fishburne, Reno, Dillon, and Short. This is not the expected thriller, but more of an action drama with a script that couldn’t find itself. Director Nimród Antal couldn’t improve it. Hopefully, Antal will perform better with Predators.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Ty Hackett (Columbus Short) faces eviction from the family home and possible loss of his kid brother, Jimmy (Andre Kinney) to child services. He decides the solution to his financial challenges is to help friends rob the Federal Reserve.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Nimród Antal for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producers Russell Hollander and Debra James for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Mike Cochrane (Matt Dillon), Quinn (Jean Reno), Baines (Laurence Fishburne), Palmer (Amaury Nolasco), Duncan Ashcroft (Fred Ward), Eckehart (Milo Ventimiglia), and Dobbs (Skeet Ulrich).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

No. This production does not present well on screen.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers