12 Strong

This is another true story that is at the movies right now, and this is way better than I thought it was going to be.  This time of the year can be the junkyard of movies, but this is worth a ticket.  A very good cast led by Micheal Shannon and Chris Hemsworth give us a story worth telling.

This is the recently declassified story of 12 soldiers who carried out the first real attack on the Taliban in the Middle East after 9/11.  Not only are the circumstances very interesting surrounding this mission, but it had to be carried out - on horseback.  And against all odds.

This gets a ton of points from me right out of the gate as it's a story we don't know, and have not seen before.  The script is smart, and slick, that lets the action and pictures tell the story, plus it does develop characters well for a movie like this.  I was concerned about this initially, as I wanted it to be good as we honor some very brave soldiers, and it is.  

12 Strong.  Lots to like here. Makes you feel good about many things.

Den Of Thieves

Here comes Gerard Butler in a new police thriller that forgets all that is possible, probable and doable in today's world. Right up front, even though this has a ton of problems, this would have been way better, as is, 30 minutes shorter.  This was a pretty good idea that gets in its own way.

It's the story of a bunch of really bad guys who want to rob The Federal Reserve Bank in California, and an equally bunch of really hard nosed cops who want to stop them.  There is some to like here, and I think this will find a following, but so much of this is so far fetched, so ridiculous, and much of this could never happen in today's world, what were these storytellers thinking?

Plus, there are a few story lines that have nothing at all to do with the plot, I have no idea why they bogged us down with them.  This is action based, and the action is not that great to be honest.  This just stumbles time after time, and becomes its own worst enemy.

Den Of Thieves.  Wait, stream or rental.

The Post

When you toss two huge stars together and have Steven Spielberg directing it, you should have a great movie. But here, you only have a good one.  Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep star in the new flick, The Post.

It's based on a true story that takes place in the early 1970's, with the landmark case of the Washington Post printing deeply classified Pentagon papers, essentially proving the Vietnam War was a sham, and the government had been lying to the public for 35 years.  There's a court case too, and it's basically a First Amendment movie.  There is nothing really wrong here, there just should have been a lot more right.

Hanks and Streep are fine, and there a moments in this that are really moving.  It's a period piece and we are transported back in time nicely.  There's just something missing.  I think it's the lack of really strong dialogue, instead of a bunch of average speak.  It's a bit too long and a bit to - average, with a ton of potential, but that's where it ends.

The Post.  Rental, or stream in a couple months.


The Darkest Hour

This is simply fantastic.  And right up front, Gary Oldman gives one of the best performances I have ever seen.  He stars as Winston Churchill in the incredible movie about the early and dark days of WWII in England, and his defiance of Hitler and even members of his own government.

Oldman should win about every award there is for this.  It's one thing to transform and invent a fictional character for a movie.  It's quite another to take on the awesome responsibility to play maybe the most important historical figure of the 20th century.  Oldman is amazing, and totally unrecognizable as he becomes Churchill.   In this, Churchill is real, good, fallible, and human.

The script is incredible, and the amount of dialogue that Oldman delivers is insane.  And he delivers it with unmatched skill.  His performance alone is not to be missed.

The Darkest Hour. Fantastic.

The Commuter

Liam Neeson recently said he is done making action movies, but that must have been before he and Vera Farmiga made this one.  His formula over the past few Mid-Winters with action flicks has proven to be a winner for him.  And despite the formula, and your possible eye-rolling, I enjoyed this.

This is the story of a an ex-cop (Neeson) that has financial problems, that works in New York City and rides a commuter train every morning.  He meets up with the very beautiful, but strange woman (Farmiga) who makes him a proposition one morning on the train.  He gets 100K if he finds a certain person on the train and gives them up to her and her "peeps."   He reluctantly does, but later learns that he is in a world of trouble, and so is his family.

This drags badly out of the box, and is a bit too laggy after the movies main climax.   BUT for the moments in between this is fun, moves nicely and holds us very well.  Is this great?  No, but it's January enjoyable, and for the most part is done quite well. Special effects are good, this is filmed well, and Neeson again, is the same guy in another action movie, but I'm good with it.

The Commuter.  Worth it now, or a stream later.  Matinee good way to go, or bargain day.

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