Dallas Movie Screening

Dallas Movie Screenings started out as a mailing list on Yahoo Groups to facilitate finding free screening passes in the DFW area. When Yahoo Groups shut down, we are now posting screenings on our Facebook page at http://www..facebook.com/groups/dallasmoviescreenings
Earlier Reesa's Reviews can also be found at:http://www.moviegeekfeed.com

Logo art by Steve Cruz http://www.mfagallery.com

Website and Group Contact: dalscreenings@gmail.com

Sunday, November 29, 2015

Movies Scheduled 11/29-12/5

Hope we all survived the Thanksgiving feast and the shopping spree of Black Friday. Are you ready for Cyber Monday? I know I am almost done with all my shopping!! So hard to believe 2015 is almost done!

Make sure to enter the contests and try to win passes before asking for passes. I know for me I look at the day and make sure I can make it before I even enter. Sure things come up and maybe at the last minute you can't make it but then you can offer them to the group.

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at damitdaina@hotmail.com.


Sunday Nov. 29th


Monday Nov. 30th

The Winters Tale 7:30 p.m. Cinemark 17


Tuesday Dec. 1st

Sisters 4:00 p.m. Cinemark West Plano
In The Heart of The Sea 7:00 p.m. AMC Movie Stub pass too many to list


Wednesday Dec. 2nd

In The Heart of The Sea 7:30 p.m. UA Galaxy


Thursday Dec. 3rd

Chi-Raq 7:30 p.m. AMC Village on the Parkway


Friday Dec. 4th


Saturday Dec. 5th







Bookmark and Share

Tuesday, November 24, 2015

Legend




The story of the notorious twin gangsters Reggie and Ronnie Kray was previously told in a 1990 movie called The Kray's . The colorful duo ran the underworld of London with their history of robberies, arson, protection rackets, assaults and murders. This new film directed and written by Brian Helgeland is based on the book by John Pearson, The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins. It centers on the relationship between the two brothers, Reggie's naive wife Francis and their fame in the 1960's. Tom Hardy who plays both brothers is what pulls this film together. His remarkable portrayal of two such diverse individuals is a fascinating study. It's unfortunate the uneven movie takes forever to tell the tale.

The Kray's were well known in their London East End neighborhood. In fact the Detective Superintendent Nipper Read (Christopher Eccleston) keeps a constant surveillance on their movements. Reggie even offers them tea while they sit in their car. Ronnie is currently residing in a mental hospital which Reggie manages to “lean” on the psychiatrist to give him a clean bill of health. The doctor advises that Ronnie take his medications to keep his paranoid schizophrenia in check. Ronnie loves the danger and the violence of being a gangster. The more the better. While his brother considers himself a bar owner. At least that is what he tells Francis Shea (Emily Browning) who he meets when she's 16 and married him when she was 22. It's her narration that tells how her attraction to the bad boys was the ruin of her life.

It's sometimes hard to get a handle on the thick accents and localisms. Everyone speak like they have cotton in their mouths. Reggie the obvious brains of the two manages to make a deal with American mafia in the casino business and some stolen bearer bonds. Life was good for the brother's during the 60's. They were celebrities with lords and ladies, socialites, show business personalities. When Reggie gets sent back to prison for a spell, Ronnie gets out of hand ruining the bar business and getting involved with a politician in homosexual scandal. Investigations of the Kray's hit the East End “wall of silence” when witnesses refused to testify.

The movie tells a more personal story of the brother's complicated family life. As angry as Reggie gets by his brother's psycho episodes, he can't help try and to take care of him. As much as Reggie seems to love Francis and tries to go straight in the business world for their future, he can't help fall back to what he knows best. Tom Hardy's Reggie is suave and charismatic, while his Ronnie is mentally unstable without verbal filters. The filmmakers handled their scenes together seamlessly it's hard not to think it's the same actor. The narrative by Francis doesn't seem to work that well as it limits the story to her domestic viewpoint. The uneven film is worth it just to indulge in the amazing work of the up and coming next big thing. Tom Hardy.
(Review by reesa)




Bookmark and Share

Creed




Just when you thought the whole Rocky franchise was over, a new character arises to lead another series of movies. Written and directed by Ryan Coogler and co-written by Aaron Covington the story follows the illegitimate progeny of Apollo Creed who died in the ring with Rocky Balboa. This is another energized boxing movie that doesn't hold any punches. The music swells at the appropriate moments and the fight scenes will keep you at the edge of your seat. The recent boxing movie Southpaw covered the dangers of concussion syndrome from taking one punch too many to the head. None of those realities are even mentioned in this movie to distract from the overall theme of an angry young man coming to terms and acceptance of his legacy.

Michael B. Jordan plays Adonis Johnson Creed who grew up in foster homes and taught himself to fight. He's taken in my Apollo's wife Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad) and brought up with privilege and good education. Despite his financial office job, he still goes to Mexico to box, until one day, he decides to follow his dream. He goes to Philadelphia and looks up Rocky (still alive Sly Stallone) at his restaurant, claiming he kind of “owes” him. Rocky doesn't want to train the young man, but Donny Johnson as the name he goes by, wants to prove himself without the expectation of being Apollo's kid. Rocky gives him advice on training and sends him to another gym to get help. But Donny is, if nothing else, hard headed and persistent. He keeps up until eventually Rocky relents and trains him. This doesn't sit well with the father of another fighter who wanted to get Rocky to train his kid. Why would he come out of retirement for some no body out of LA, who they have nicked named “Hollywood”?

Of course that info of his identity comes out after Hollywood wins a fight. The pressure is on him to represent his father in the ring. The championship fighter in England Pretty Ricky Colan (Tony Bellew) has gotten into a scandal. His manager thinks by fighting Creed will give him some good publicity although Creed only has one major fight, not counting the ones in Mexico, under his belt. Cue the music as Creed begins to train in earnest. Despite the advice of Rocky, Creed still has lots of anger issues. His love interest Bianca (Tessa Thompson), a singer who is going deaf, inspires Creed to never look back and to do what he loves.

Michael B. Jordon who did so wonderfully in Fruitville Station is very buff and angsty as Creed/Johnson/Hollywood. Stallone can still hit the punching bag in rhythm and does a good Mr. Miyagi/Yoda trainer and life coach. The relationship between the two is credible and sometimes endearing when he calls Rocky “unc”. The photography puts you right in the ring with it's POV fighting. The action is way over the top than those Friday Night boxing TV shows, with some brutal sparring. This is a good Thanksgiving holiday movie that you can take the family for some old fashioned feel good manipulative movie magic.
(Review by reesa)




Bookmark and Share

Cooties DVD with Dallas Movie Screenings Quote





Dallas Movie Screenings writer Chase Lee's quote shows up on the back of the Cooties DVD sleeve! Way to go Chase!



Bookmark and Share

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Movies Scheduled 11/22-11/28

Thanksgiving week is here already. I am thankful for all of y'all, plus my family, friends and my job! If you aren't too stuffed on Friday and go out shopping please be careful! Some people are crazy!

Not a lot of movies this week so hopefully if you are not working then you can hang with family and friends!


If you have any questions please feel free to email at damitdaina@hotmail.com


Sunday Nov. 22


Monday Nov. 23

The Good Dinosaur 7:00 p.m. Cinemark 17 and AMC Northpark
Legend 7:30 p.m AMC Northpark
The Big Short 7:30 p.m. Angelika Dallas


Tuesday Nov. 24th

The Good Dinosaur 7:00 p.m. Cinemark Alliance


Wednesday Nov. 25th


Thursday Nov. 26th


Friday Nov. 27th


Saturday Nov. 28th





Bookmark and Share

Thursday, November 19, 2015

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2



It's finally over! The Suzanne Collin's trilogy of books published between 2008-2010 and made into four movies has finally concluded. The wildly successful young adult series with it's violent dystopia theme involving young people chosen from the 12 districts ruled by the Capitol to fight each other to the death. The purpose being it keeps the district in check and lets them know who is boss. There was a 13th district and they tried to rebel, so the games were initiated to remind everyone of their punishment. If you can buy that, then the rest of the story will be easier to swallow.

Directed once more by Francis Lawrence who did the last two films was written by Danny Strong and Peter Craig. It follows the events of Mockingjay Part 1, which was with all trilogies somehow managed to be stretched into another movie. Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) now the leading inspiration of the full scale revolution against the Capitol believes the only way to stop the madness is to kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland). She tries to leave the rebels on her own, but the Rebel President Coin (Julianne Moore) and Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman) decide her idea will be controlled by them. They send a squad to accompany her with a film crew to show the face of the revolution fighting her way to the Capitol. The whole effort becomes a Hunger Games on steroids as the Capitol gamemasters have filled the city with mines, traps and nasty creatures underground. It's the perfect video game scenario as the team must move across the landscape avoiding capture. To make the story more interesting they send along Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) who has been brainwashed into believing that Katniss, his former fiancee, must be killed. This makes things uncomfortable for Gale (Liam Hemsworth) her other love interest. Katniss will eventually have to decide which one to choose in her Twilight-eque type of dilemma. Outside of this quandary of boring romantic partners, Katniss remains a solid female empowerment figurehead. The women in this alternate universe will hopefully inspire young women that they can also be strong, resourceful and tough. Jennifer Lawrence continues to prove that she is truly the next big thing.

Most of the cast from the other movies have a little moment or two like Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Stanley Tucci, Genna Malone, Sam Clafin, Natalie Dormer, Willow Shields, and Jeffery Wright. They seem to flutter by in a farewell sort of montage. The quick end to the eventual victory by the rebels seems to be somewhat anti-climatic if you are not familiar with the books. It's not a stand alone movie, which is why a marathon viewing of the other movies is necessary to understand the who, what where and why. But in all, it was a somewhat satisfying ending to franchise.
(Review by reesa)



Bookmark and Share

Secret in Their Eyes




The cast alone should be a drawing point for this new film based on the 2009 Argentinian Best Foreign Film Oscar winner of the same name and the book by Eduardo Sacheri called The Question in Their Eyes. Director and writer Billy Ray (Breach, Shattered Glass) changes a few things to accommodate and make it more current for American audiences. The original film was during the 1970's Argentina's Dirty Wars, while this one starts in 2002 while this country is still reeling from 9/11. The acting is of course expectantly accomplished considering the talent involved. It's wonderful to see Julia Roberts back on the screen even without any makeup. But the movie it self moves like a standard police procedural with some ill defined political slant.

Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Ray an FBI investigator attached to an LA counter terrorism unit. His partner is LA detective Jess (Julia Roberts) and the brand new DA assistant is Claire (Nicole Kidman). They are tasked with the job of watching a mosque for possible sleeper cells. Things go awry when a body is found in a dumpster in the building next door to the mosque. The team goes to check it out when Ray finds that the body is Jess's daughter. The movie goes back and forth in time beginning with Ray in present time finding what he believed was the prime suspect in the murder. He brings the information to Jess and Claire as he's no longer with the FBI having quit shortly after the events previously. For 12 years he's been scouring the face shoots of the thousands of faces in penal system to find the guy that got away.

Claire now the DA used to have a thing for Ray, and vice versa. She was engaged at the time and they never really resolved their relationship and it still lingers. Their unrequited love seems like a distraction in the scheme of things. Jess has also been promoted, but she looks even more worn and weary over the years. You can only tell Ray has aged by the gray in his hair. Which is one of the reasons the tossing back and forth between the decades makes the movie confusing. Chitwetel Ejiofor is intense and focused, Nicole Kidman is professional and somewhat distant, Jess used to be fun before the tragedy, but looks hollow and empty. Their performances are not to blame for the story which at times seems frustrating and depressing. It's obvious all characters are in need of closure in a case that has kept them in limbo all these years. But at what price?
(Review by reesa)




Bookmark and Share

By The Sea



The whole concept of watching a couple having a meltdown is a hard sell no matter what. If you want to see fighting just stay home with your spouse one night. The curiosity factor is the only thing left for this vanity project directed, written and produced by Angelina Jolie-Pitt which she stars with her husband Brad Pitt. It tries to be a 1970 French film with it's luxurious scenery, costumes, and lingering shots of angst. But in the end it's 2 hours of your life you can't get back.

Angelina and Brad play Vanessa and Roland who have come to this seaside village from New York City so he can write. Vanessa is all sorts of elegant and disconnected. The simple scene of Roland searching for a light for his cigarette in the car while driving, and she doesn't even help tells all about their relationship. Roland goes to the local cafe while he tries to find inspiration for his next book by asking people about how they fell in love. He makes friends from the cafe proprietor Michel (Niels Arestrup). Lots of conversations in French with subtitles about love and loss. Meanwhile Vanessa broods in their elegantly appointed hotel suite. She ventures outside to the local grocery store for fresh baguettes and an espresso machine. She wears long sleeve blouses, skirts and huge sunhats. Looking all glamourous and aloof. Most people smile at children, but nope, not her.

A young newly married couple move into the next apartment, Francios (Melvil Poupaud) and Lea (Melanie Laurent). Vanessa basically starts to stalk them when she discovers a peephole from their rooms to the one next door. It becomes an obsession. As Vanessa becomes increasingly distant from Roland, he begins to drink more and his writing block is stuck in place. Even more frustrating is when Vanessa accuses him of wanting the girl next door. Vanessa hinge is definitely loose as she tries to sabotage her marriage and maybe damage the young couple. It's tirelessly self involved.

At this point one begins to focus on the set decoration, the cars, the clothes, and those amazing false eyelashes. There's lots of nudity and any questions on how Angelina's post mastectomy body has turned out is finally answered. Any woman who has survived this will be envious of the results. The acting of course is superb as to be expected with remarkable actors. It's just a tediously relayed story that one is happy to see finally end, at least on a promising note.
(Review by reesa)



Bookmark and Share

Sunday, November 15, 2015

Movies Scheduled 11/15-11/21

I don't have extra movie passes and also have enter the contests or grab passes just like y'all do. If it is a movie on a work night or a movie I just don't want to see, I don't get passes. I let those who can get and want to see that movie. I don't mind people asking me questions but not asking me for passes. We send out emails letting y'all know how to get passes and sure you may miss out on the gabbing of passes but please try. Don't always ask for passes and if you do ask try to do it before the day of. We may be in line for the movie and unable to approve your email.

If you have any questions please email me at damitdaina@hotmail.com

Sunday Nov. 15th


Monday Nov. 16th

The Night Before 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark and Cinemark 17


Tuesday Nov. 17th

Hunger Games: Mockingjay part 2 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark
Brooklyn 7:30 p.m. Magnolia
Asian Movie Madness:Vengeance of an Assassin 8:00 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse


Wednesday Nov. 18th

Sisters 7:30 p.m. Regal MacArthur
Creed 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark


Thursday Nov. 19th

Creed TBA


Friday Nov. 20th


Saturday Nov. 21st



Bookmark and Share

Friday, November 13, 2015

My All American




The writer of the classic sports favorites Rudy and Hoosiers, Angelo Pizzo wrote the screenplay for his directorial debut based on the book Courage Beyond the Game: The Freddie Steinmark Story by Jim Dent. The difference between his earlier work and this one is the strive to make it totally accurate and not just "based" on real life. Pizzo used former players of the 1969 team as on-set consultants as well as 2009 quarterback Colt McCoy. They remained true to the University of Texas Longhorns football program capturing the spirit, excitement and camaraderie with not a dry eye in the house at the end.

Freddie Steinmark (Finn Wittrock) played football in Colorado from an early age coached by his dad Fred (Michael Reilly Burke) and encouraged by his mom Gloria (Robin Tunney). They filled their son with confidence to be the best at the sport despite his small size. Although he was shorter than most young men who play the sport, his speed and energy level matched pound for pound even the most potentially gifted players. One being Bobby Mitchell (Rett Terrell) who joined their school from California who Freddie beat in running drills. They become fast friends and later join the UT in Austin team on full scholarships. Coach of UT Darrell Royal (Aaron Eckhart) watched Freddie's tapes from high school and was impressed. The young men begin training in earnest to get on the 100 man team after being whittled down from 200.

Freddie's high school sweetheart Linda Wheeler (Sarah Bolger) also attends UT. Freddie remains true and steady with her having a strong family and religious upbringing. His sense of center makes him a valuable asset to the team. The coach is so impressed with his work that he makes Freddie the leader of the offensive team. He may be small but he manages to tackle like a freight train. The Longhorns were only 6-2 coming into the new year, and Coach Royal wants to make it to the top. He instigates a new field plan, but team captain and quarterback Bill Bradley is not doing so well and is replaced by James Street (played by his son Juston Street). The team goes on a winning streak.

After a couple of years in which we are see touches of history, the Vietnam War, Nixon, and long hair, Freddie perseveres. He works hard at school and on the field. He so full of positivity that even Coach Royal feels good talking to him. It's not long into their latest season that Freddie is feeling pain in his knee. But he soldiers on, wanting to play the big game between UT and their arch rival Arkansas. The coach has to take him out of the game at one point, but lets him in at the end for the win. Then he sends him to the doctor where only bad news happens.

The best and the brightest seem to the burn fast and quick. The movie pulls on the heart strings and it's definitely a 5 hankie story. Even if you know that Freddie succumbs to bone cancer, the story of how he got there and the impact he made to the team, his family and friends is raw and inspiring. OK, there are lots of filler scenes with Freddie and Linda making future plans that you know is not going to happen. Religious heavy handedness is in there like a 2x4. But the movie gives life to a little known moment in Texas Longhorn history for football fans it will be a pleasure.
(Review by reesa)


Bookmark and Share

Thursday, November 12, 2015

Spotlight






The highly anticipated film, Spotlight, tells the intensely fascinating story of the journalistic team by the same name, who work for the Boston Globe doing long term investigative reporting. When the old leadership is replaced by a younger, hungrier guiding force in editor Marty Baron (Liev Schreiber), who also happens to be Jewish, the team is strongly encouraged in 2001 to dig deeper in to allegations that the problem of pedophile priests might be deeper than just the one or two incidents of memory. The problem posed by this mission is that in Boston, the Catholic Church has had it's hand in and exerted a strong influence on quite a few organizations for many many years. These range from the police force, legal agencies,  local government, education, and even the press. So the task ahead of Spotlight is not one to be taken lightly, as the Globe  has a Catholic majority readership as well.

Their detailed investigative work would eventually fracture the city and bring a highly regarded, long established institution to its knees. Their Pulitzer Prize winning work would expose decades long occurrences and a multitude of cover ups by the very groups the church wielded power over, leaving scores of wounded and damaged souls in its wake. The work of Spotlight would bring  national attention not only to Boston, but the ripples created would set off a world wide awareness of a much deeper problem of incidence, coverup, and prosecution avoidance climbing up to the highest levels of the Mother Church.  The script is tight, the performances spot on and the story is told through the hungry eyes of the reporters who, little by little, turn  over rocks and boulders in the search for the full depth of truth below the tip of the iceberg.

The film stars Rachel McAdams (victims reporter Sacha Pfeiffer), Michael Keaton ( Spotlight leader Walter Robinson), Mark Ruffalo (reporter Mike Rezendes), Brian D'Arcy James (a reporter who has the story hit a little too close to home) and Stanley Tucci, (as victims advocate lawyer Garabedian)  This film straightforwardly handles the material tastefully, and portrays the victims with respect  as their stories are told through anger, remorse, shame, detachment and utter brokenness, including a meeting with an older predatory priest sheltered away at his sister's home who unwaveringly confesses quite matter of factly.  The depths of the coverup and ultimate exposure of the strategies used to silence the victims will leave viewers dismayed and perhaps angry. As the film ends, the extreme pervasiveness of the universal problem is revealed on four title cards. This is reporting that changed the world and the Catholic Church forever. The power of the press was the vehicle for the power of the truth in breaking down a corrupt entity exerting a twisted power over its people.    What make it all the more interesting is that the reporters are mostly Boston born and raised, fully aware of the local Catholic influences. They are humans dealing with other humans; Professionals charged with a task that in the beginning they are not sure they wish to tackle until they begin to realize that this is something they must pursue with every investigative tactic and research skill that they possess. 
(Review by Cheryl Wurtz)





Bookmark and Share

The 33



In 2010 a mining disaster in Chile captured the world's attention when the 33 men trapped in the mine are subjected to being sealed inside forever. The miner's families descend on the mine site and their plight is brought to light to the Chilean government. Soon mining companies from around the world send equipment and men to save them. The long and seemingly dire experience becomes a moment in time that fills one with hope as the men underground must work together to survive and not give up. Director Patricia Riggen (Girl in Progress) with a screenplay by Mikko Alanne, Craig Borten and Michael Thomas, story by Jose Rivera is based on the book Deep Down Dark by Hector Tobar. The tale of the extraordinary ordeal is well constructed with the mine collapse and the struggle of the miners inside and outside the mine the action is mired down with the little dramas and hand wringing of the families above ground.

Antonio Banderas plays Mario Sepúlveda, nicknamed “Super Mario” by the media. He assumes leadership of the survivors who have managed to make it to the safe level to await rescue, which is 3 miles underground. In typical cooperate ineptitude the supplies have not been filled and the ventilation shafts were never finished. The radio is useless, the medical supplies are empty and a huge rock is separating them from freedom. The group has to ration whatever supplies are on hand. The company rep, Don Lucho (Lou Diamond Phillips), who is responsible for the miners, is hit with a huge sense of guilt and can't seem to function rationally. The various men have outbursts of violence and despair even gorging on the little food they have left.

Above ground, the mining company keeps the families from getting too close while they discuss sealing up the mine. The Minister of Minery, Rodrigo Santoro (Laurence Golborne) pleads with the Chilean president to intervene. Soon exploratory boreholes are being drilled, except the nature of the rock keeps the drills from going straight and misses the chamber of the miners. Gabriel Byrne plays André Sougarret the head engineer, with James Brolin as Jeff Hart the U.S. drilling engineer who work tirelessly while counting the days the men are underground. When they finally hit the chamber some 17 days after the accident, Mario sends up the message that all 33 are alive, but the rescue has just begun. The rock is unstable. For now they can only send food, water and clothing before they can find a way to get them up.

There is something to be said about the human spirit and the way everyone responds to helping one another in times of crisis. Then there is the media circus that exploits everyone involved. The movie gets bogged down by the manipulative moments of the families worrying and suffering for their loved ones below. Juliette Binoche is a sister of one of the miners who flits in and out challenging the equally visually blessed Rodrigo. The story tries to feature a few of the miners, but most of the time they get all mixed up in the dark and grime. You can rest easily when they finally make it above ground after a record 69 days.
(Review by reesa)


Bookmark and Share

Love the Coopers





Nothing says the holiday's like the perennial Christmas movie with it's multi character cliche stories all coming together for that feel good ending. Directed by Jessie Nelson who did Corrina, Corrina and I Am Sam from a script by Steven Rogers who did P.S. I Love You and Kate & Leopold, Love the Coopers is from the Christmas card sent by the Cooper family during the holidays. The tale bounces around from the perspective of the unknown narrator voiced by Steve Martin relaying the story about older parents having their annual get together with their adult children and their kids. It's not as quirky and as funny as Love Actually which should be yearly required viewing during the holiday season.

Diane Keaton and John Goodman play Charlotte and Sam Cooper. They have been married for 40 odd years, and are planning to announce to the family they are separating. The last straw was Charlotte's unwillingness to go on a trip with Sam. They still do things together like singing carols at the old folks home where Sam's slightly addled Aunt Fishy (June Squibb) lives. They take her and their granddaughter Madison (Blake Baumgartner) around the town doing shopping and visiting Santa. We also meet Madison's father Hank (Ed Helms) who lost his job taking family photo's at Sears and his son's Charlie (Timothée Chalamet) and younger brother Bo (Maxwell Simkins). Hank is separated from his wife Angie (Alex Borstein) and is stuck looking for work. Bucky (Alan Arkin), Charlotte's father. is smitten by diner waitress Ruby (Amanda Seyfried) who breaks his heart when she decides to quit her job. Eleanor (Olivia Wilde) cute meets a soldier at the airport who is stuck from travelling home for the holiday's due to the bad weather. She is trying to kill time before she goes to her house avoiding the “antisappointment” she feels her parents will have with her. She asks soldier Joe (Jack Lacy) to be her boyfriend for the day. Mean while Charlotte's single sister Emma (Marisa Tomei) gets busted for shoplifting a tacky brooch. She is escorted in cuffs to jail by Officer Williams (Anthony Mackie) in what could be the longest ride ever. She manages to counsel the officer on his life choices.

Filmed in Pittsburgh, PA, the quaint older wooden homes filled with light and hard wood floors looks comfy and cozy as snow falls outside. Sam and Charlotte have a good life and a beautifully appointed home that everyone would be glad to come back and hang out. As with most families, life tends to make people drift apart, communications become stilted and misunderstood as everyone is mired in their own self involvement. Charlotte just wants to have one last wonderful Christmas memory before Sam leaves her which of course is not going to happen because it's the movie plot. The actors all bring their competence to their roles, and the slapstick moments will bring smiles. We get it, families are dysfunctional, but in the end it's all we got. But in this ending it just feels like an leftover strewn dinner table and someone's gotta clean it up.
(Review by reesa)


Bookmark and Share

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Movies Scheduled 11/8-11/14

Good morning everyone. Yes I just got up so please forgive me if I have any mistakes in this weeks email.

Please know I am just like y'all and have to enter the contests and everything. I don't have extra passes and I don't get passes unless I can go. I don't mind answering questions at all and trust me we try to get all the contests out to you guys as soon as we see it.

If you have any questions please email me at damitdaina@hotmail.com


Sunday Nov. 8th


Monday Nov. 9th

Love the Coopers 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark
Spotlight 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark
AGFA Secret Screening 8:00 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse


Tuesday Nov. 10th

The 33 7:30 p.m. Angelika Dallas
My All American 7:30 p.m. SMG Royal


Wednesday Nov. 11th

Creed 7:30 p.m. Regal MacArthur
Love the Coopers 7:30 p.m. Angelika Dallas


Thursday Nov. 12th

Brooklyn 7:30 p.m. SMG Spring Valley


Friday Nov. 13th


Saturday Nov. 14th

Kung Fu Panda 3 11:00 a.m. AMC Firewheel




Bookmark and Share

Thursday, November 5, 2015

Miss You Already




This insightful dramedy about two dug in best friends who go through a shocking discovery for one of them brings the intangible to the screen. This saddening story still has the light when it brings the reality of how a sickness can hit even the most “normal” relationships. I was so encompassed by this film that I started believing that this was not fiction but reality. Collette and Barrymore are the most powerful and convincing friends that I have ever seen on screen. Their characters are together for every shaking event in their lives. When Collette’s Milly discovers she needs chemotherapy she says a great line about how men, babies, and E.T. are bald but not her. It’s a nice little line that got the audience tickled perhaps from remembering that 80s film. The scene when she uses an animation video to explain to her children about what chemotherapy involves is cute but stakes you in the ground. We see the video explain that she might throw up and that she will lose her hair while we think about children watching this for real. After seeing this piece, we have to realize all the nuances of when a dear friend or somebody else goes through cancer treatment. The film expertly brought in every painstaking effect that a harmful illness can have on those you love so much. We see the comedy lines but we also see a needle that is the largest I’ve ever seen go through this outgoing Milly. In the scene when Milly is in her first days home, we see that the kids are messing around and that the laundry is not done. There are too many things going on and nothing is ready. I feel that the story went that direction to show the slow debilitation of Milly and how she was losing her grip on her everyday life. Probably, the funniest line in the film comes when Milly’s mum says she pureed some vegetables and Milly says she did too when pointing to her vomit. It’s disgusting but it is witty. That is one of the classic comedic relief segments in the story. The universality of this gripping dramedy is blatantly there. Even in the film, a taxi driver who takes Milly and her best friend, Jess, 250 miles from London states that his wife had breast cancer as well. This underrated gem on IMDB will prove worthy in any emotion-possessing person’s eyes.
(Review by Wyatt Head)




Bookmark and Share

The Peanuts Movie




The late Charles M. Schulz's daily syndicated and Sunday comic strip ran from 1950 to 2000, and continued with reruns afterwards. The adventures of a boy named Charlie Brown embodied by his meek, nervous and self conscious demeanor spoke to everyone because despite his failures, Charlie Brown never lost hope that things will get better. The cartoon was not only responsible for the four panel strip now standard in today's daily comics, it also broke the barriers of adding diversity in it's stories and characters. There were memorable supporting players like Lucy, her brother Linus, piano prodigy Schroeder, and Pig-Pen. But the most popular was Charlie Brown's beagle Snoopy and his little bird buddy Woodstock. Television specials, movies and even musical theater productions brought the lovable series to a wider audience including the instantly recognizable jazzy signature theme song by Vince Guaraldi. Trombone Shorty provides the “wah-wah” voices for the adults in the movie.

Director Steve Martino (Ice Age:Continental Drift, Horton Hears a Who!) and screenwriters Bryan Schulz, Craig Schulz (the son and grandson of Charles M. Schulz) Cornelius Uliano update the continuing saga of Charlie Brown for today's younger audience. In the story, Charlie Brown (Noah Schnapp) is smitten by the new red headed girl (Francesca Capaldi) who moved in across the street. He does everything in his power to make the right impression on her, but since he's Charlie Brown, stuff inevitably happens. He even consults with Lucy at her nickel advice stand. She gives him a book on ten ways to be a winner. He tries to be a magician at the talent show, tries to bake cupcakes for the dance, tries to dance but ends up causing the fire sprinklers to be set off. Like his constant challenges at flying a kite that is eaten by the kite tree, everything that Charlie does is stymied by bad luck to the point where people come to expect it from him.

His dog Snoopy (Bill Melendez) tries to help, but he's distracted by battling the imaginary Red Baron. This current movie touches on the origins of Snoopy's obsession with the World War I enemy pilot who has captured the beautiful Fifi (Kristin Chenoweth) who looks like Snoopy only with pink pompom ears and tail. Snoopy sits on top of his dog head while writing his story, that is taking form in this alternate universe.

The brightly animated engagingly acted by real children's voices is filled with lots of slapstick humor that is entertaining without being mean spirited. The simply drawn characters are easy and familiar like “happiness is a warm puppy” kind of way. Outside of the aerial battles of Snoopy's Red Baron, there is no harm nor foul that comes with it. The lesson learned will be understandable to most kids and appreciated by most parents. This is probably the most perfect movie for families and a nice way to introduce the franchise to the younger set.
(Review by reesa)





Bookmark and Share

Spectre




The twenty fourth James Bond film may be one of the most expensive films ever made. Anticipation of the new addition is an unfortunate example of how high expectations can be a let down with a fizzle. The last Bond movie, Skyfall was a critical success and left the audience satisfied. It was beautifully photographed and the story brought more depth and insight into the 007 universe. So it's a bit disappointing that the follow up doesn't measure up. Directed by Sam Mendes who did Skyfall, it was written by John Logan, Neal Purvis, Robert Wade and Jez Butterworth. It follows shortly after the events in the last movie with the destruction of the M16 building and a new “M” in charge.

In a typical Bond opening sequence finds 007 on a mission in Mexico City during the Day of the Dead festivities. There is mayhem involving a battle on a helicopter buzzing over the massive crowds running for cover. Bond (Daniel Craig) steals Marco Sciarra's octopus ring in the process and thwarting a plan to bomb an arena. Meanwhile the new M (Ralph Fiennes) has to contend with the merger of M15 and M16. The smarmy head of the Joint Intelligence Service is Max Denbigh with the code name of “C”. He's working on a project called “Nine Eyes” which is an intelligence cooperation agreement with nine countries. Once it goes “live”, everything happening in the world will be watched. C tells M the world will be safer and the need for the license to kill agents and their covert operations will be a dinosaur. He plans to shut them down.

Bond gets grief for the incident in Mexico City and is put on leave. He politely agrees but manages to recruit the help of the new Ms. Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and the new “Q” (Ben Whishaw). Bond infiltrates the meeting of the new evil organization, Spectre. The head is Ernst Starvo Blofeld, previously known as Franz Oberhauser (Christop Waltz), a man believed to be dead. Bond's investigations are not official. Q had injected Bond with some nano technology that will help track him no matter where he is in the world. They introduce this new gadget, but it doesn't seem to do anything else in the movie. M tells him to stay in England. But Bond is on the trail of the “pale king” who has a daughter Dr. Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). He gets Bond to protect her in trade of some information. Spectre bad guys are hot on their tail as their surveillance is everywhere. By now you pretty much know who is doing what with who and all that is left is for Bond to come in and make things right.

Most Bond movies are full of armies of bad guys doing the bidding of some megalomaniac intend on ruling the world. Bond is also ready with all the new toys that get bigger and more ridiculous, but cool just the same. In this film the tech is at a minimum. Bond has many hand to hand combat moments and the obligatory rush to save the girl ending. Daniel Craig is dapper, efficient and very focused on his task. There are of course Bond girls that get his attention too. After all he's a hetero macho man. He does manage to utter “Bond, James Bond” and drink his favorite martini's dry not stirred. That's pretty much what one comes to expect from the franchise. Just hope the new Bond (Idris Elba cross your fingers) will reboot the formula.
(Review by reesa)



Bookmark and Share

Suffragette






The history of the fight by women for the right to vote should be required viewing by middle and high school students who take for granted the freedoms they enjoy today. The fictional story of one woman's struggle with enlightenment is told by director Sarah Gavron and written by Abi Morgan. The formula paced film shows how horrible life was for women no matter if you are rich or poor, educated or uneducated. Women were considered delicate creatures meant to be protected. Major decisions of the world should be left to their fathers, brothers, and husbands. Imagine that happening now despite some efforts by right wing religious groups that want to keep women barefoot and pregnant.

Carey Mulligan is luminous as Maud Watts, the unsuspecting industrial laundry worker who has spend her entire life doing back breaking work for a few shillings a week. It's 1917 when she witnesses some violent right to vote activists hurling rocks at store windows. One of the woman is Violet Miller (Anne-Marie Duff) who also works at the laundry. Maud hurries home to her husband Sonny (Ben Whishaw) and her son George (Adam Michael Dodd). Violet tries to encourage Maud to come to the meetings to hear Emmeline Parkhurst (Meryl Streep) the real life character who was the leader of the British suffragette movement. She founded the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU) dedicated to “deeds, not words”. Helen Bonham Carter plays Edith Ellyn who runs the cell of suffragettes who operate in secret carrying out more physical confrontations like bombing mail boxes and cutting telegraph lines. Maud gets caught up in their missions after she testifies in Violets stead in front of the Parliament about what the vote would mean to her. She is heartfelt, but the men in power deny that a change needs to be made. On top of it all, she gets arrested and her husband now feels she has shamed him.

Inspector Steed (Brendan Gleeson) brings some new tech for that time of secret photography to target some of the women who are more radical. He tries to get Maud to turn on her sisters in exchange for getting her out of jail and safely back with her husband and child. But after her husband kicks her out of the house she realizes that if she doesn't agree with the laws that allow a husband to control her life and that of her child, then she should help change those laws. With nothing else to lose, she becomes a active member of the cause to bring the right to vote to the forefront. They decide to try and bring their message directly to the king.

The extreme violence by the police on the women protesters and their treatment in jail is a big 2x4 to the side of the head. Yes, we know, times were rough and most men depicted were dogs. Maud is even more encouraged to fight when she sees Violet's daughter being molested by her boss at the factory. She believes that there should be a better life. Steed and Maud have a meaningful conversation and you can see Steed may agree with her intellectually, but the stodgy cop stands firmly to the laws even if it's the wrong side of the history.

The ending credits lists when women were given the right to vote around the world. It's sad to note that the US didn't enact it until 1925. More recently Saudi Arabia allowed women's voting rights in 2013. The struggle for equality still goes on not just for women but for all people.
(Review by reesa)




Bookmark and Share

Sunday, November 1, 2015

Movies Scheduled 11/1-11/7

It is already November. Wow the year just flies by!! Hope you turned your clocks back today.

Try not to wait until the day of the screening. We may be in line waiting for the movie ourselves that we will not be able to approve your msg.

Still not a lot of movies this week. I don't have passes to the movies so if the time is off just go by the time on your ticket.

If you have any questions please email me at damitdaina@hotmail.com


Sunday Nov. 1st

Charlie Brown 10:00 a.m. Angelika Dallas


Monday Nov. 2nd


Tuesday Nov. 3rd

Suffragette 7:30 p.m. Angelika Dallas
The Importance of Being Earnest 7:30 p.m. Cinemark 17


Wednesday Nov. 4th

Spotlight 7:30 p.m. Regal MacArthur Irving
Spectre 7:30 p.m. Cinemark 17
The 33 7:30 p.m. Angelika Dallas
Brooklyn 7:30 p.m. Angelika Plano
Spectre 7:30 p.m. AMC Northpark


Thursday Nov. 5th


Friday Nov. 6th


Saturday Nov. 7th


Bookmark and Share