Argo

Argo is a very compelling thriller of a true story based in our American history. 

Taking a review from Amazon:
Based on real events the dramatic thriller "Argo" chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis focusing on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played-information that was not declassified until many years after the event. On November 4 1979 as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point militants storm the U.S. Embassy in Tehran taking 52 Americans hostage. But in the midst of the chaos six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of Canadian Ambassador Ken Taylor. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed the Canadian and American governments ask the CIA to intervene. The CIA turns to their top "exfiltration" specialist Tony Mendez to come up with a plan to get the six Americans safely out of the country. A plan so incredible it could only happen in the movies.”

Christy:
This movie, was an outstanding performance of story, acting, and keeping the viewer invested in its’ characters!  I absolutely enjoyed this movie!!  Ben Affleck did a superb job of directing, producing, and acting it, as well as did other well known actors such as Alan Arkin and John Goodman.  It’s by no accounts a boring historical docudrama - but a story of something that was so “out there” in terms of a hopeful rescue that even the government considered it the “worst of the best scenarios .”   I was glad when this movie won best picture and hope you'll make time to watch it – you won’t be disappointed.

Eric:
I was on the edge of my seat this whole movie!!!  Not having much prior knowledge of the events of this hostage crisis, I wasn’t really sure what to expect or how it would all play out.  The entire movie was so engrossing, I felt like I was with them every step of the way and crossing with them through every checkpoint!!!  It was SO INTENSE!  I was wanting it to speed up just so I could see how everything would turn out.  I truly feel like a different person after watching it.  It was THAT moving to me.

 

Flight

I can’t stop thinking about this movie!  I love Denzel Washington in everything he does and this one is no exception – he gives an incredible performance.  He plays an airline pilot that is an alcoholic.  When the plane he is piloting goes into a nose dive, he miraculously saves the plane and almost everyone on board, and is an instant hero!  But when his toxicology tests return with alcohol and cocaine in his system, things start to unravel.  After the first scenes with the plane, this movie turns into an intense character study.  He’s in denial the whole film and is claiming that what was in his system had nothing to do with the crash – that there was a mechanical failure - which was proven to have caused it.  But then, the drugs were in his system and there were deaths on the flight he was piloting, whether that was actually the cause or not.  He’s an incredible pilot, but would I want to be on a plane with someone flying in that condition?  NO!!!  Should he lose his job?  Yes!  Should he go to prison?  I don’t know…  There are so many different ways to view all of the events in this one!  I was drawn into this movie – it’s definitely one that I’ll be watching again!

Flight

Flight isn’t about a plane crash and it really isn’t about the survivors or how it happened, it’s about the pilot and his actions.  Proven to be a hero who saved so many lives, the pilot is set upon a pedestal only to find his world come crashing down around his feet and he is tumbling with every role.  Denzel Washington plays the pilot, Whip, who is a top rated pilot, but he holds a very dark secret.  He is an alcoholic and has been one for a very long time.  The movie really takes off after the crash – Whip is forced to face the sting of an inquisition and the truth about his actions that day.  The movie focuses on his addiction of drinking and drugs.  But when faced with the truth after years of addiction – he must decide – does he keep lying to keep his job or does he finally let go and tell the truth.  It is an unforgettable movie in some parts and in others it is a deep story of one man’s despair.  A very weighty movie by a very good actor and one that I would recommend.

The Raven

The Raven was a decent movie – it was kind of a cross between Sherlock Holmes and an English lesson about Edgar Allan Poe’s writings.  John Cusack plays the master of suspense himself, Edgar Allan Poe.  A mad man has taken Poe’s most famous writings and has turned them into reality – he is killing people in the same manner as Poe’s characters died.  The police need his help in solving these crimes and the stakes get higher as Poe’s girlfriend is kidnapped and sure to die if not found in time.  It was a slower pace movie but they did interweave true facts about Poe into this thriller and it kept you guessing who the murderer was.  If you are a Poe fan, you will enjoy the historical aspect of this movie and if you like “whodunits” you will like it too.

Here Comes The Boom

This movie felt like a cross between The Three Stooges and Rocky.  When a school decides they need to make cuts, the music program is one of the first things on the list.  Kevin James plays a burned out biology teacher who, after seeing the passion the music teacher has for music, his job and his students, decides to help raise the money needed to keep the program.  After trying a few odd jobs and having trouble getting anyone else interested in helping, he decides that becoming a mixed martial arts fighter is the best way to raise money fast (even though he has NO experience in MMA!)  If you make it to the big time, you get $10,000 for losing and $50,000 for winning.  What could go wrong???  Some parts were good, some were funny, some were stupid, some were emotional – a little of everything, I guess.  In the end, he finds out that it doesn’t matter if you win or lose or even reach your goals, all that matters is how much passion you have and if you’re willing to fight for what you want.  If you want a funny, feel good movie, this one wasn’t bad.

The Good Doctor

This is another movie I hadn’t heard of, but thought sounded interesting.  Orlando Bloom plays a young doctor who is just starting his residency.  He’s treated like kind of an outsider and seems pretty lonely – and the “dream” of being a doctor doesn’t seem all it’s cracked up to be for him.  While treating a young woman for a kidney infection, he forms a bond with her and realizes how much attention he can receive – from her and from the staff.  Things are looking good for him, but quickly go downhill when he starts getting obsessed with her and begins tampering with her medication and doing things to ensure she won’t get any better.  The worse she gets, the more attention he gets, the more “tangled” everything gets with trying to cover his tracks and still trying to get the respect he seems to be striving for.  Overall, I’d say I liked it – not a “great” movie and could have probably been better, but it was still pretty intense and really makes you think about what could happen if not everyone is being ethical!  Kind of scary!

Liberal Arts

I don’t know how many people have actually heard of this movie – I saw the trailer before another movie and thought it looked good.  And it was.  It stars Josh Radnor (Ted from How I Met Your Mother) and Elizabeth Olsen (the younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen).  Everyone in the movie seemed to be trying to figure out where their lives should be taking them and where they should be at this stage.  Jesse is a 35-year-old former student who has returned to his college to attend a retirement party for a professor.  While there, he meets 19-year-old Zibby, and they become very close.  Everyone was having second thoughts and wishes – his professor was rethinking his retirement and was having feelings of being old, Jesse is remembering his college days and how great they were, while also wondering if it was a good idea to meet up with Zibby, and Zibby wants to feel more grown up by being with Jesse.  Jesse also gets to see people that are younger and older versions of himself and it allows him to finally realize where his life should be headed.  What started out as just a trip to get away and see his professor turned into one of the most important trips of his life.