THE GENTLEMEN (Released to Theaters USA 2020)

Ben Meyers’ Rating: 3.7|5.0 Starsììì  The Gentlemen—odd, complicated story—is a movie that even with a plotline read is difficult to follow. It drags its audience through a crime-driven, murder-solution, unwholesome and low thinking, drug-oriented life-style. It may work in films where one can learn what not to be. But in this film, one comes away thinking 'why do we care?' The movie begs the question, 'Why was this film financed and given the green light?' Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images  Storyline   A USA man wants to unload his marijuana business, located in England, which activates a chain of unwanted con men who want a 'piece of dirty pie'.     Additional Thanks Thank you to Director Guy Ritchie for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Guy Ritchie, Ivan Atkinson, and Bill Block for making the film possible. Cast includes Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong, Eddie Marsan, Colin Farrell, and Hugh Grant. Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?  Maybe. It is what it is. It works outside the general mafia-styled movie and does not entertain. It plays too deeply into the gross realities of its world and drags it audience through the mud with it. Its complicated plotline does not allow its audience to comfortably and easily understand its storyline but superficially talks about the worst parts of this world with exceptionally graphic violence. It allows no room for audience comfort. A misnomer to title this movie "The Gentle-Men." Video Critique Available Here: Ben Meyers

 

INTERSTELLAR (Theatrical Release USA 2014)

 Ben Meyers’ Rating: 4.3|5.0 Starsìììì 

Interstellar—fabulously written—has an exceptionally creative and interesting storyline. The movie accesses the talents of Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, John Lithgow, Michael Cain, Timothée Chalamet, Matt Damon, Makenzie Foy, Casey Affleck, and Jessica Chastain. Watch for short cameos of David Oyelowo, William Devane, and Ellen Berstyne. Director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and The Prestige) works magic with a story that, under different direction, would have been lost in the realm of unintelligible. Instead, he worked the very good writing and good cast into a highly watchable movie that provides a welcomed stretch to the imagination. 

Film Poster Courtesy of Google Images 

Storyline 

A little girl encounters a ghost in the family library and finally discovers who it is.

 

Additional Thanks 

Thank you to Director Christopher Nolan for directing effort. Thank you to Producers Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan, and Lynda Obst for making the film possible. Cast includes: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Bill Irwin, Ellen Burstyn, Michael Caine, and Matt Damon. 

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe? 

Yes. This is a wonderfully written story and supports itself on great acting. 

Home Video Available Here:

 

Ben Meyers

THE NEWTON BOYS (South by Southwest Film Festival, Austin Texas USA 1998)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 4.0|5.0 Starsìììì

The Newton Boys—based on a true story—can be a little slow, but has enough comedy in it to push it into the ‘good watch’ category.  The film uses the talents of Matthew McConaughey, Ethan Hawke, Vincent D’Onofrio, and Skeet Ulrich to tell its story. It doesn’t have the flare that O Brother Where Art Thou (set roughly within the same time period) has, but it’s interesting to see another film that operates within that time frame and gives additional information of years when Charlie Chaplin was at the peak of his career, the Three Stooges were just coming on the screen, and Walt Disney, in about 5-7 years, was about to be the biggest name in children and family cartoons. This film is a little piece of history that is worth catching. Watch for the live interview of one of the Newton boys at the end of the movie.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Willis Newton (Matthew McConaughey) finds robbing banks becomes much easier when one stays up-to-date and one step ahead of current technology.

Additional Thanks

Thank You to Director Richard Linklater for directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer John Sloss for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Joe Newton (Skeet Ulrich), Jess Newton (Ethan Hawke), Ma Newton (Gail Cronauer), Orphan Singer (Jena Karam), Orphan Singer (Casey McAuliffe), Orphan Fiddler (Regina Mae Matthews), Waiter (Lew Temple), Brentwood Glasscock (Dwight Yoakam), Slim (Charles Gunning), Farmer Williams (Glynn Williams), Bank Teller (Charles Bray), Tailor (Robert Iannaccone), Avis Glasscock (Chloe Webb), Crooked Banker (Gary Moody), and Louise Brown (Julianna Margulies).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Yes.  It sets a piece of American history, in an entertaining way, into a worth watching film.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers

HOW TO LOSE A GUY IN 10 DAYS (Theatrical Release USA 2003)

Ben Meyers’ rating: 3.4|5.0 Stars ììì

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days—a fair to middling romance—pairs Matthew McConaughey and Kate Hudson in an original story that turns into a romance story for a specific adult audience. The film has some sexual references and partial nudity.

Film Poster Courtesy of Wikipedia

Storyline

Andie Anderson (Kate Hudson) writes an article on “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Ben Barry (Matthew McConaughey) makes a bet that he can make any girl fall in love with him in 10 days. Co-workers put them together to see who will ‘win’.

Additional Thanks

Thank you to Director Donald Petrie for his directing efforts. Thank you to Executive Producer Richard Vane for making the film possible. Additional characters/cast include: Michelle Rueben (Kathryn Hahn), Jeannie (Annie Parisse), Tony (Adam Goldberg), Thayer (Thomas Lennon), Judy Spears (Michael Michele), Judy Green (Shalom Harlow), Phillip Warren (Robert Klein), Lana Jong (Bebe Neuwirth), and Lori (Samantha Quan).

Buy a ticket? Yes? No? Maybe?

Maybe. The film may work for sophisticated adults.

Video Critique Available Here:

Ben Meyers