ZOOLANDER 2 (2016)

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Directed By: Ben Stiller
Written By: Ben Stiller, Justin Theroux, Nicholas Stoller & John Hamburg
Based On Characters Created By: Ben Stiller & Drake Sather
Cinematography By: Daniel Mindel
Editor: Greg Hayden 


Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Will Ferrell, Milla Jovovich, Justin Theroux, Kristin Wiig, Benedict Cumberbatch, Christina Hendricks, Olivia Munn, Jon Daly, Billy Zane, Andy Dick, John Malkovich, Alexander Skarsgard, Moshe Kasher, Fred Armisen, Kiefer Sutherland, Naomi Campbell, Ariana Grande, Kate Moss, Sting

Derek and Hansel are lured into modeling again, in Rome, where they find themselves the target of a sinister conspiracy.

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JULIETA (2016)

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Written & Directed By: Pedro Almodovar
Based On The Short Stories “Destino, “Pronto” & “Silencio” By: Alice Munro
Cinematography By: Jean Claude Carreu
Editor: Jose Salcedo 


Cast: Emma Suarez, Adriana Ugarte, Daniel Grau, Rosy De Palma, Imma Cuesta, Dario Grandinetti, Michelle Jenner, Pilar Castro, Nathalie Poza 


 After a casual encounter, a brokenhearted woman decides to confront her life and the most important events about her stranded daughter.

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MA (2019)

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Directed By: Tate Taylor
Written By: Scotty Landes
Cinematography: Christina Voros
Editor: Lucy Donaldson & Jin Lee 

Cast: Octavia Spencer, Diana Silvers, McKalley Miller, Corey Fogelmanis, Juliette Lewis, Luke Evans, Missi Pyle, Allison Janney, Gianni Paolo, Dante Brown 

A lonely woman befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldn’t get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host.

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LITTLE MONSTERS (2019)

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Written & Directed By: Abe Forsythe
Cinematography: Lachlan Milne
Editor: Jim May & Drew Thompson 

Cast: Alexander England, Lupita Nyong’o, Josh Gad, Diesel LaTorraca, Kat Stewart, Nadia Townsend, Marshall Napier, Glenn Hazeldine 


A washed-up musician teams up with a teacher and a kids show personality to protect young children from a sudden outbreak of zombies. Continue reading “LITTLE MONSTERS (2019)”

KNIVES AND SKIN (2019)

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Written & Directed By: Jennifer Reeder
Cinematography: Christopher Rejano
Editor: Mike Olenick 


Cast: Kate Arrington, Kayla Carter, Raven Whitley, Ireon Roach, Robert T. Cunningham, Jalen Gilbert, Grace Smith, Tim Hopper, Marika Enbgelhardt, James Vincent Meredith 

A mystical teen noir that follows a young girl’s disappearance in the rural Midwest and its effect on teens and parents.

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UNITED SKATES (2019)

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Directed By: Tina Brown & Dyana Winkler
Written By: Dyana Winkler
Cinematography: Tina Brown, Dynana Winkler & Matthew Peterson
Editor: Katharine Paterson 

Featuring: Salt N Pepa, Coolio, Queen Latifah, Reggie Brown, Vin Rock, Alonzo Williams 


When America’s last standing roller rinks are threatened with closure, a community of thousands battle in a racially charged environment to save an underground subculture–one that has remained undiscovered by the mainstream for generations, yet has given rise to some of the world’s greatest musical talent.

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GIMME THE LOOT (2013)

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Written & Directed By: Adam Leon
Cinematography By: Jonathan Miller
Editor: Morgan Faust 


 Cast: Ty Hickson, Tashiana Washington, Sam Soghor, Zoe Lescaze

When a rival gang buffs Malcolm and Sofia’s latest graffiti masterpiece with a replica of the NY Mets home-run apple, they’re determined to get spectacular revenge – by tagging the real Mets’ apple. Over the course of a whirlwind two-day heat wave, these tough teens from the Bronx must hustle, scramble, and steal to execute the scheme that will make them the most famous writers in New York.

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BIKER BOYZ (2003)

BIKERBOYZ

Directed By: Reggie Rock Bythewood
Written By: Reggie Rock Bythewood & Craig Fernandez
Based On The Article By: Michael Gougis
Cinematography By: Greg Gardiner
Editor: Caroline Ross & Terilyn A. Shropshire 


Cast: Derek Luke, Laurence Fishburne, Brendan Fehr, Rick Gonzalez, Meagan Goode, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Lisa Bonet, Orlando Jones, Dijmon Hounsou, Larenz Tate, Kid Rock, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Dante Basco, Dion Basco, Tyson Beckford, Titus Welliver, Kadeem Hardsion, Terrence Howard, Nadine Velazquez

A mythic motorcycle tale of father and son”, this is the story of Manuel Galloway, also known as “the King of Cali”, the president of a motorcycle club whose members are all African-American men, mostly white-collar workers who exchange their suits and ties at night and on weekends for leather outfits and motorcycle helmets. The focus of this story takes place at an annual drag-racing event in Fresno, as Manuel tries to retain his championship title.

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TWO NIGHT STAND (2014)

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Directed By: Max Nichols
Written By: Mark Hammer
Cinematography By: Bobby Bukowski
Editor: Matt Garner 


Cast: Analeigh Tipton, Miles Teller, Jessica Szohr, Scott Mescudi, Michael Showalter

After an extremely regrettable one night stand, two strangers wake up to find themselves snowed in after sleeping through a blizzard that put all of Manhattan on ice. They’re now trapped together in a tiny apartment, forced to get to know each other way more than any one night stand should.

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LIKE A BOSS (2020)

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Directed By: Miguel Arteta
Written By: Sam Pitman & Adam Cole-Kelly
Story By: Danielle Sanchez-Witzel
Cinematography: Jas Shelton
Editor: Jay Deuby 


Cast: Tiffany Haddish, Rose Byrne, Salma Hayek, Billy Porter, Jennifer Coolidge, Jessica St. Clair, Ari Graynor, Ryan Hansen, Jimmy O. Yang, Karan Soni, Jacob Latimore, Natasha Rothwell  


Two friends with very different ideals start a beauty company together. One is more practical while the other wants to earn her fortune and live a lavish lifestyle.


This is a film that feels like a let down as it has a good cast but where as the trailers looked hilarious and fun. The film doesn’t rise to the occasion and really the only thing that keeps the film afloat is the cast.

As this film is the equivalent of a buddy comedy. Where there is an Intimacy between the two friends that isn’t romantic but are life partners in a way.

Tiffany Haddish again plays her familiar comedic type. Blunt sex crazed and honest with an attitude. Once you get used to her she doesn’t offer many surprises.

Rose Byrne plays her best friend and business partner and she seems to try to play more the emotional parts of her character and her problems but can be counted on to be funny when needed. This is kind of her out of her range. Even though over the years she has done the odd comedy.

The problem is that the film leaves plenty of set up’s for certain scenes that never seem to rise to the occasion of how funny they can be. Not are they as funny as they can be. Only in one scene does it rise to that level and that is due to Billy Porter then anyone else.

The film just feels haphazard and lazy. As it stays so plot oriented yet wants to have comedic highlights and just when those scenes seem to get started they either end or deflate. Which is disappointing especially when you have such a dependable cast.

Though it is nice to see a mostly female cast comedy where they actors are actually funny they just needed a better or stronger script.

Just as the side characters need more to do as they are quite funny but really are given nothing to do and you wonder why they are there at times. Especially their three other best friends who provide good laughs but anytime we see them it seems only to set up a comedic set piece.

It’s disappointing as the film has a lot of comedic energy and players but seems to falter giving them not as much to do as they could. As the cast tries to salvage the material.

Grade: D+