2 Guns


It seems sometimes that when I write a review about movies that are similar in story – it always ends up sounding the same or cliché.  But, this was a good movie!  The chemistry between Mr. Denzel Washington and Mark Walberg made this movie a hit and very entertaining.  Both actors bring their charm to their roles and you are rooting for them the whole time.  They are undercover agents who are trying to bring down a drug cartel.  Along the way they need to rob a bank to get to the drug lord – but there is more money in the bank than what they thought.  Nothing goes as planned and the two of them are on the run – from each other and the other groups that are out to get them.  They find out who each other are and that’s when the action kicks into high gear and you find out who’s gonna get their butt kicked!  This is an action/buddy movie and I like those kinds.  There are explosions and some crazy twists –but there is humor intertwined in the movie that keeps it from being too heavy.  Rated R for language, nudity and violence – but still an entertaining movie!

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee

I wasn’t planning to write about this one, but I did watch it and I keep thinking about it, so figure I should.  I’d never even heard of it until a friend recommended it to me because he thought I’d like it – and he was right.  It’s one of those movies that reminds you that everyone has a “story” to their life and reasons why they are the way they are and how they’ve gotten to the point they are in their lives – even if it’s nothing like you would ever imagine just looking at them.  Which leads us to Pippa.  She’s married to a much older man and they’ve moved to a retirement community, where she seems kind of lost and seems to be reflecting on her life.  Maybe it’s a little mid-life crisis/nervous breakdown/looking for “herself” that she seems to have lost through the years type of thing or maybe has never truly found?  Whatever it is, we get to see a glimpse of her “private lives” from birth all the way to where she is now – all of her struggles with her own mother, her daughter, relationships – you feel like you “know” her and experience every up and down along with her as they get bigger and bigger in her life.  I don’t want to say too much, so I’ll stop there.  I’m just glad I watched this one.

After Earth

Well, the critics said to stay away from this one.  My friends said to stay away from this one.  Did I listen?  No.  Should I have listened to them?  YES!!!  I usually like Will Smith and his movies, but this just felt like it was all made so his son could have a movie where he was the “hero.”  Will Smith hardly ever moved out of his chair because he had 2 broken legs and the whole thing was him directing his kid what to do to survive and retrieve some distress beacon to call for help on a future Earth that had been taken over at some point. I thought I was going to like it when it started and it just felt long and boring and like it didn't go much of anywhere!!!  There were “hints” of other storylines and flashbacks trying to explain some things, but nothing ever seemed to develop for me.  I wish I could “unwatch” it, but I can’t!  Maybe it wasn’t THAT bad, but it just wasn’t that good, either.

Fast and Furious 6


If you are a fan of this franchise – this movie won’t disappoint! It’s by far the best of all the movies!  From the humble beginnings of the first F&F movie – this franchise has taken off at jet speed and hasn’t stopped!  Each movie brings more and more fun, crazy action scenes and characters that you come to know.  You can’t go wrong with Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Duwayne Johnson, Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, and the other supporting cast members.  We know that Vin Diesel’s character, Dom, and Paul Walker’s character, Brian, are the glue for these movies.  They made the movies what they are!  The movie does have a twist in it and it will make you catch your breath – so watch all the way through the credits to find out what it is – and it is quite the twist!!

At the writing of this blog, Paul Walker lost his life in a tragic car accident.  He will be missed by the many fans who enjoyed his work not only in these movies, but also in others such as Joy Ride, Into the Blue and Varsity Blues just to name a few.  It remains unknown at this time what the producers of the Fast and Furious franchise will do with his beloved character, but to all of us who knew him as “Brian O’Conner” he will always be remembered and missed.

(Paul Walker 9/12/1973 – 11/30/2013).

Red 2


One-liners are the best part of this movie.  If you liked the first Red, you’ll like this one.  The same characters are back and the action scenes are even more over the top.  I like the new character of Han played by Byng-hun Lee, who is a hit man out to kill Frank Moses, played by Bruce Willis.  He adds some fun to this movie as well as  John Malkovich’s character, Marvin, whose one-liners steal the show.  The dialogue between the characters is swifter and right on the money. This is not a Bruce Willis movie because the other actors show up ready to go toe to toe: Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byng-hun Lee.  Action, fun, and a pretty good second film.