PREMIUM RUSH

Plot:

Wilee (Gordon-Levitt) is a talented New York City bicycle courier that lives life on the edge, his philosophy  and how he rides is no gears and no brakes, take whatever  that comes your way head on. Even though that’s a reckless way to live, his life has never been threatened more than when he is assigned to deliver a package from a friend that is also the target for an erratic, compulsive gambling cop named Bobby Monday (Shannon) who must retrieve the package so that his debt to the Chinese mob will be forgiven, so he will stop at nothing to stop Wilee from delivery it. But what the dirty cop doesn’t count on is that Wilee will use all his skills and resources to deliver his package on time, even his cycling courier buddies.

Reel Talk:

On one hand this is an action film junkie’s type of movie because it is action packed pretty much the entire movie but on the other hand it is so farfetched and unbelievable that you may not take it seriously. I understand that cycling and driving can be hectic in NYC, but there is no perfect calculation in either, so the way they were riding in the film is not happening in the real world. But for the sake of entertainment it is a fast paced movie that will keep your attention and Michael Shannon as the dirty cop is hilarious. There is no need to rush for this one unless you are in dire need for some fabricated action.

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dania Ramirez, Wole’ Parks, Michael Shannon and Aasif Mandvi

Directed by: David Koepp

Rated: PG-13

I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog – The Reel Hustler

HIT AND RUN

Plot:

Yul Perkin (Shepard) is living in a small quiet township with his girlfriend Annie (Bell) under the witness protection program under the assumed name Charles Bronson. All is great between the two until Annie either must, take a job in LA or become unemployed. When the couple agrees that she should take the job, he promises to drive her there in his super charged classic Lincoln, compromising his safety from the witness protection group.  Once they set out on their journey to LA they realize that they are being pursued by his old gang that he testified against led by Alex Dimitri (Cooper), Annie’s ex-boyfriend Gil (Rosenbaum) and a accident prone U.S. Marshall agent played by Tom Arnold, causing Charles to convert back to some of his unsavory ways as Yul that eventually affects his relationship with Annie.

Reel Talk:

This is a decent movie despite the cheesy written story.  I give credit to Dax Shepard, who I think is a very talented actor on the rise who wrote the cheesy plot, produced, co-directed and starred in with his real life girlfriend Kristen Bell, which their real romance exudes on the screen making it easy for them to perform the couple’s roles. Like I said this is not a great movie, but it is an entertaining film if you’re in need of a worthy date movie. It is also good for a few laughs, of course you can count on Tom Arnold to provide his off brand style of humor for some laughs. Walk, you don’t have to rush out for this one.

Starring: Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Tom Arnold, Michael Rosenbaum, Bradley Cooper, Joy Bryant and Beau Bridges.

Directed by: Dax Shepard and David Palmer

Rated: R

I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog – The Reel Hustler

SPARKLE

Plot:


Sparkle (Sparks) is a young talented church going songwriter as well as singer, but would rather take a backseat to her charismatic and sultry but worldly older sister named Sister (Ejogo). While on one of their sneak out the house ventures because of their over protective and GOD fearing mother Emma (Houston), they encounter a young but ambitious manager named Stix (Luke) who wants to make the  two young ladies in addition to their other sister Dolores (Sumpter) a powerhouse girls group that would rival the Supremes. Along with worrying about being caught by their mother, they also have to deal with the negative aspects that comes with being in show business like drugs, domestic abuse and failed relationships, that mainly engulfs Sister as she engages in a dangerous affair with a ruthless comedian named Satin (Epps). Eventually the sisters will realize that the price for fame does not come without the price of blood as all their lives will take drastic changes as they pursue the performance spotlight as singers.


Plot:


I have made no secret that I am a skeptic of remakes, because most remakes don't do the original classics any justice. Well this one is one of the exceptions! Where there are some major changes from the 1976 version to this one, it still works to the advantage in making this a good film. Director Salim Akil does a great job with a superb talented cast that puts in work on this film. You will be compelled with emotions as you watch Whitney Houston in her last screen performance before her unfortunate and untimely death in months to follow. Jordin Sparks delivers big in her cherry popping role as Sparkle, but I must honestly say that Mike Epps performance as the menacing Satin is worthy of an Oscar nomination. This is by far his best role yet as an actor. Filmed entirely in Detroit, some of the city's celebrities such as R&B Artist Kem and actor Sidi Henderson make cameo appearances along with the music from the Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin which contributes to an awesome soundtrack. Definitely a must see and be sure to carry a napkin in case you feel the need to shed a tear or two because there are some powerfully emotional moments in this film.

Starring: Jordin Sparks, Whitney Houston, Derek Luke, Mike Epps, Carmen Ejogo, Tamika Sumpter and Omari Hardwick
Directed by: Salim Akil
Rated: PG-13

I give it 4 corn dogs and a soda on the side!

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

Be sure to check out my Red Carpet interview with Jordin Sparks at the the Detroit Premier below the review.

SPARKLE - RED CARPET DETROIT - JORDIN SPARKS - ARETHA FRANKLIN INTERVIEW

TOTAL RECALL

Plot:



Colin Farrell plays Doug Quaid a mine worker who feels dissatisfied with his life, seeking a little more excitement he is introduced by a co-worker to an underground mind vacationing program that would allow him the chance at being a super spy, but there is a set back when it is realized that he is already a top spy named Hauser in real life. Soon he is targeted by his wife Lori (Beckinsale) who is really an agent assigned to stay close to him by organization head Cohaagen (Cranston) and to terminate him if he was to go rogue which now is her primary mission. On the run and hunted by Lori and her squad of robotic goons and unable to determine what is real or a dream, he must enlist the help of a woman Melina (Biel) who he has seen in his dreams so that she can take him to meet Matthias (Nighy) who heads up the rebel forces that are trying to overthrow the corrupted Cohaagen.


Reel Talk:

This is a remake of the 1990 classic film of the same title which starred Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Although I am a hard critic of remakes this one was not that bad, not great but acceptable. It does not compare to the original but offers it's own flair by way of the action (mainly with the cat fight scenes with Beckinsale and Biel) and the good visual ccinematography Not a big Farrell fan, i will say this is one of his more impressive performances. The action is fast and constant so you will stay focused on the screen and it doesn't even matter about the changes in this film, like it takes place on Earth oppose to on Mars in the original. still an entertaining movie worth checking out.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine and Bill Nighy
Directed by: Len Wiseman
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler