Night at the movies with Lance

  Hello everyone, I know it's early for a Christmas movie, probably because it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.  But I thought I would give this a try.  I was feeling down and wanted a Christmas movie that would get me into the holiday cheer, and I found this on Up Faith and Family.  Now, this is a film from 2013 that I believe was a TV movie starring Bruce Boxleitner from Tron and Tron Legacy fame.  He stars as a sports reporter for the local Michigan station that is located near Central Michigan University.  This reporter is at one of his son's basketball games and gets in a tussle with a referee.  This ultimately gets him kicked out of the game, and he needs to go to court.  Part of his court sentence is going to help out with the Salvation Army during the Christmas season. He is demoted because of his actions, becoming only a reporter who interviews people, but he can no longer broadcast on the air.  This leads to some self-searching and tryi...

Hey, everyone, it is Lance here with Night at the Movies.  Tonight, I just watched the film By Any Means.  It takes place during the 1960s, after the 3 civil rights workers were killed in Mississippi.     Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays the role of Wayne Strider, an FBI agent from Chicago who had recently moved back to his hometown, Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  He is assisted by a Mob hitman, Greg Scarpa, paid for by the FBI to investigate the murders happening around the city of Hattiesburg and other areas where African Americans were trying to gain the right to vote.   But the Ku Klux Klan has other plans; they terrorize the surrounding area, not wanting any African Americans to vote.  Kill and burn the houses of residents wanting to help those in the area that feel they are being taken advantage of by having to pay a poll tax in order to vote.     So Greg Scarpa has to take matter into his own hands in order to find out who is res...

Heart of the Beast This past weekend I saw Heart of the Beast, the new Brad Pitt film.  This film analyzes the connection between man, dog, and/or pet.  Where does our relationship end with our pets?  When is the end?  Are they part of the family, or do they just hang around?  What do we know?  I don't really know what we know.   This film shows that the relationship between man and dog can be a complicated and deep one.  How far are you willing to sacrifice your life for your pet? Our pets depend on us more than we know.  They are like our children.  How far would we go for our pets? This film is full of emotion and survival instincts.  Mark Wahlberg plays an Iraqi vet who has come back with his dog after retirement.  They are in Alaska discovering nature on a seaplane when a storm is coming; they therefore decide to leave and fly through the weather to beat the storm.  Wahlberg's character has a heart attack, and th...

Hello everyone!  I know you may think I am off my rocker for wanting to do a movie review about a movie I watched when I was 7 years old, but here it goes.  I was recently shopping on eBay late at night, and I came across this movie really cheap.  So I thought, "Why not? Maybe I can get some answers to questions about why this movie was so evil when I was a kid?   The film starts out with the care bears are trying to help kids in the world learn how to show their feelings and want to share them with others. Also how to put others first instead of thinking about ourselves.  But there is a boy and he finds a book and the book promises that it will help him and make him rich.  But then the book tries to take over and wants him to do things that aren't right.  I know what my mom's intention was but the story is not about a boy and an evil book he wants to serve it is about good conquering over evil.  Also how our Ego and subconscious will try to ...

  Mark Felt: The Man Who Brought Down the White House  I know many of you aren't old enough to remember the Watergate scandal, but maybe you are.  It has always fascinated me, and one of the silent people in the background was Mark Felt.  If you haven't heard of him, he was the associate deputy director to J. Edgar Hoover.   This film demonstrates the will and the courage this man had to do what was right.  Liam Neeson plays Mark Felt, whom we all know from the Taken series and many other films.  But this time he isn't playing an action star; he is playing a man with conviction.  A man at odds with his government, with his family, and with his soul.  Neeson shows the struggles this man has within himself and with the Nixon White House.   Diane Lane plays his wife Audrey.  It shows the difficult life they had together, as her husband was an F.B.I. agent.  She shows the struggle of a wife of a government agent and how m...

   This is a new story that analyzes the relationship between Douglas Kelley and Hermann Göring.  The film deals with the other suspects, but in a very small way.  The performances are spectacular.  Russel Crowe gives humanity to this monster of a man, Hermann Göring.   I was fascinated of how this monster could have a relationship with a psychiatrist in Douglas Kelley, who is played by Remi Malik.  The film shows the relationship between these 2 men and how they were trying to represent their countries over all view at the time.   The only conflict I see with any of the characters is how Goring didn't have emotion for other families that died, but still loved his own family and cared about them so much.  That is what a narcissist does.   It shows that Goring had disdain for his own family; his uncle was Jewish, but Goring would never admit it.  How his uncle took advantage of the Goring family when they were poor....

  This review is for those of you who like action movies and don't mind swearing and bloody gore, action, and fighting.  In no way would I recommend it for children, but if you like action, this is the film to see.   Fight or Flight, what can I say about it?  It says the producers of John Wick.  Well, it sure is.   Josh Hartnett is back!  Where has he been?  This just might be the film to get him back on track like Liam Neeson.  This gruesome action film is awesome.  Non-stop action for the duration of the film.  Hartnett plays a down-on-his-luck former Secret Service agent sent to find a criminal on a plane and bring them back to the United States.  The problem is, which Hartnett finds out rather quickly, is that so are 70 or 80 others on the plane, but they don't want to arrest her; they want to kill her. So he needs to protect his asset at any cost. The film has a few redeeming qualities. The asset Harnett is tryin...

  Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7279051 Hello everyone,  I know this film has been analyzed and critiqued to death, but I thought I would give it a rewatch 19 years later.  Everyone commented on how the student at the beginning of the film transferred, and how it was a Christian School; the address doesn't matter, as it is a private school, so anyone can attend.  I think the filmmakers were trying to come up with a reason why or how they could have a student transfer to another school, and that is what they came up with.   Also, Coach Taylor is struggling with his finances, his car, the dryer doesn't work, and the house smells funny.  This is relatable to all of us, especially if we are going through a hard time.   When Coach Taylor is talking to his coaches in his office, the coaches comment that they will have another average season.  Then Coach Taylor says I am so sick of average seasons.  It brought up a t...

  Here are a few mini reviews of good movies to encourage you in hard times.   I know I have many people who like me to do one film at a time, but here is a list of films that are good for any occasion or family outing.  All of these are getting my highest rating 5 stars.   Mountain Top  The first I will talk about is Mountain Top.  You can find this film on YouTube or on Up Faith and Family.  This film is about a lay leader filling in as pastor for a church while they are looking for one.  He is then accused of embezzling money from the church and seeks a pastor in town as his lawyer for help.  It is a whirlwind story about faith purpose, and the calling we have on all of our lives.  It is available on YouTube and UP Faith and Family.   Heritage Falls is the next on my list, butt I have a full review on this blog, please go read it.   Discarded Things  We all know about being discarded or taken for gra...

  I have just watched one of the most immoral and violent pieces of garbage I have ever seen.  I found a 3-pack DVD; it must have been about 6 months to a year ago or more.  I found it tonight, wanting to watch an action movie with a good vs. evil theme, where the good guys win, but then I saw this.   The beginning of the film took way too long to get started.  You are waiting about 10 to 15 minutes for something to happen, then it turns to the bazaar.  Even in American Psycho, there was some sort of order in it, but in this film, there is no order.  Just a maniac on the loose, killing everyone in this small town.  There is no redeeming value in it.   Do not waste your time watching this film by Uwe Boll.  There is a reason he is the most hated director in Hollywood.  I guess I have to watch the crap so you don't have to.  There is no view of any kind of hope for society.  There is no God in this film. The killer...

 I know that most of the time I write about some profound film and how it affected my life as a Christian.  This may not be one of those reviews.  This shows how Lorne Michaels started Saturday Night Live in 1975.  It is very interesting and shows all the trials and tribulations he went through to get his show off the ground.   For those of us who grew up with Saturday Night Live, it is a great homage to see this film in action.  It shows all of the crazy antics that everyone was doing trying to get this show on the air.  The old guard wanted a show like Carson but they got Lorne Michaels vision instead. I really love all the aspects of the film even though some may think of it as crude, that is the theme of Saturday Night Live.  It was like Animal House on a TV set.  It is one of the best shows ever invented.   I would recommend this film to anyone who loves Saturday Night Live or just someone interested in the film process th...

This is a documentary about Gene Wilder.  He was one of my favorite actors as a child and also when I got older.  I just never got over Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.  He was always Willie Wonka and Dr Frankestein to me.  He made other movies but I never got over those 2 characters.  It is funny that the actors and directors I love the most are Jewish.  I guess God was showing me something at an early age not to be antisemitic.  I didn't know it at the time I just knew this Gene Wilder was so funny that I couldn't stop laughing.   His original last name was Silderman.  His first name was Jerry.  He was from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  It is funny what we find out about our idols in our lives.  At first,  the thought is: that they came from some foreign land and did spectacular things.  But in reality, all they are are regular people who do extraordinary things no matter what religion or race they are from....

 I haven't really been watching Netflix for a while but when I saw that this sports story was on it I felt like I could watch it and get a little nostalgic.  it is just one of the best David vs. Goliath stories of all time.  That Red Sox team just would not quit.  I love how nostalgic I got from it and just to watch the Yankees lose is always a good thing.  We use these sports teams to find the encouragement we need to get through our lives.   That way we can where we need to go even though when things get dark we know there will be a light at the end of the tunnel.  If we don't give up we can do it.  If the Red Sox can do it so can we as Christians and other faiths.  Take Care everyone.  See you at the movies.   Lance 

  Hello everyone I know it has been a while but I hadn't found a film that really made me want to write about film.  I think I have one here.  It shows the lengths a father would go to get his son the help he really needs.  I have a personal interest in this film because my son is also Autistic.   Something that really touched me in the film was showing that the child Ezra was able to grow and be open to new things like touching a horse, eating with a metal spoon, and hugging his family.  The film is about Ezra a small 11-year-old by played by William F. Fitzgerald who is having a hard time at school.  His father is played by Bobby Cannavale and his mother is played by Rose Byrne and his grandfather is played by Robert Deniro.  This is a film about traveling, coming of age, and the bond a father has with his son.   It has themes of how much a father would fight for his son,  and what family can be even if your parents aren't to...

Hello everyone,  I just watched the beautiful game on Netflix.  This is a very inspiring story.  This film covers the Homeless World Cup.  Bill Nye plays the coach of the England team.  This has teams from all around the world to play for this Homeless World Cup.   It may not sound exciting to you but it is very inspiring.  The story follows a soccer player called Vinny who used to play professional soccer in England.  He is living out of his car with limited options and decides to join the English team.  Bill Nye plays the coach that has picked Vinny for the team and it shows the journey of one person growing from hopelessness to having hope even when you can't see it.   This also can be an inspiration for all of us.  Most of us have homes and have food to eat.  This is something we take for granted.  What if you didn't have a place to live and you were forced to live out of your car.   Life is about p...

 Hello everyone it is Lance here again at the movies.   Today's film is about a golf team and not just any golf team it is a golf team from Del Rio Texas.  In this film, Jay Hernandez plays JB Pena the superintendent at San Felipe High School.   This film takes place in Del Rio in 1956.  The racism in this film hits close to home.  Because I live in Portland, TX near Corpus Christi Texas.  Del Rio is about 4 and a half hours from my house.  So this story is not so hard to imagine if you live in this area.   This is such a great story that a small school around this area could win a state championship no matter how long ago it has been.  Del Rio should be proud of this team and be proud of their legacy.   This film shows the hardships these players had to go through.  It shows a superintendent from a school who can't join a country club because his skin is not white.  These scars of racism rock this area...

  Hello everyone I know it has been awhile since I had wrtitten reviews about films but here it goes 2 reviews in one day!.  I have done that in quite a while.  A friend of mine told me to do one at a time.  I need some input if you would like more then one film in these reviews again, please leave a comment so that I know what most of my readership likes.   Any way here is the review, it was very different kind of film then was advertised.  It was like the trailers were trying to tell you something but then you watch the film and it is something completely different.   The film starts with Mark Wahlberg failing as his adventure racing teams fails to win an adventure racing world championship because he miss timed the tides and he gets stuck in the mud.  You make think oh this is some sports film with a dog but it is much more then that.   As Mark Wahlberg and his new team train in the Dominican Republic for the next adventure ...

  I saw this film a few weeks ago and I guess I figured it was time to do a review of it.  The film has amazing visuals and incredilble action scenes.  But it struggles with making a coherent story and makes you wonder if this new universe or whatever you call this new world of King Kong and Godzilla world will really work in the future.   It makes you wonder about the film and where it is going.  It felt like a action packed film but lacked the mystery and wonder of the original films.  But it is the second film in the franchise maybe the next film will give more coherence to the entire story.   See you at the movies. 

Now I know this is a little late but I saw this with my daughter on Valentine's Day.  I was my daughter's date.  I know she doesn't like me saying that but that is exactly what I was.  My wife was tired from work so I reluctantly agreed to go see this film about Bob Marley.  I had known the background of Bob Marley and that he died around 1980.  But it was still interesting to see his life on the big screen and see the beginnings of his iconic album EXODUS.  It also shows the relationship between him and his wife.   She stayed with him even though he had children with other women she still stuck by him.  Now that is a real woman.  The more I watched the film, the more I missed Haiti and the life I had there with my wife and family.  It made me remember when I first was dating my wife and how gitty we were for each other.   This film is interesting and was done under the supervision of Ziggy Marley who is Bob Marley's son, ...

This new film is now out in theaters.  For those of you who like Black Hawk Down and Asian action films, this may be up your alley.  There are 5 soldiers assigned to go into the bush of the Philippines to rescue one of their own.  It is up to the soldiers and one JSAT soldier who helps them control the drones above them.   This film has the Hemsworth brothers in a film together.  Liam is the main character called "Playboy and he makes sure that the drones land where they should on the ground.  Luke plays one of the other soldiers in the group.   This is an action-packed film that will keep you on the edge of your seat.  I really enjoyed the action sequences and the relationships with the soldiers with each other.  They tease the new fish but when they are in the thick of things they are all brothers.  The themes in this film are iconic.  The element of brotherhood for the soldiers and the sense of family is hinted througho...