THE BUTLER

Plot:

As a kid Cecil Gaines witnessed his father get murdered by a white man and then taken in to learn to be a server in the same man's house. Realizing he should leave before receiving the same fate as his dad, he sets out to fend for himself. After learning to become a diligent butler, an adult Cecil (Whitaker) while working at a luxury hotel in Washington is extended a job to work as a butler at the White House. While serving presidents from Dwight D. Eisenhower (Williams) to Ronald Reagan (Rickman), he struggles to maintain his own house where his wife Gloria (Winfrey) is not happy and his son Louis (Oyelowo) becomes involved heavily involved in the Civil Rights Movement jeopardizing his job at the state capital.


Reel Talk:

This film is a depiction of true events surrounding a butler who served 8 presidents before retiring. I gotta say this movie was awesome! With an all star cast with great to good performances all the way around. Director Lee Daniels does a great job engaging your emotions from happy, sad, mad and ecstatic. This is definitely an Oscar nomination film and a must see.

Starring: Forest Whitaker, Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Elijah Kelley, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Robin Williams
Directed by: Lee Daniels
Rated: PG-13

I give it 5 corn dogs and a soda on the side.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Comedian Tyler Craig and The Reel Hustler at his show at The LOL Comedy Lounge located inside the Masonic Temple.

The Reel Hustler and female rap legend Yo Yo interview for her School Of Hip Hop program in Highland Park, MI. Interview will be posted later.

WE'RE THE MILLERS

Plot:

Dave (Sudeikis) is a petty drug dealer who after getting robbed for his stash is given an offer that he can't refuse by his boss Brad (Helm) to smuggle some marijuana aboard a rented RV from Mexico to the United States. So as not to come across as being suspicious he enlist the help of Rose (Aniston) a financially strapped stripper, Kenny (Poulter) a 18 year old virgin and Casey (Roberts) a runaway teenage girl that prefers being homeless on the street than to be at home, so that they will portray his wife and kids, giving the appearance of a typical vacationing family. They soon realize that this is no walk in the park, when everything that can go wrong does and the drug smuggling family are soon caught between the law and the drug cartel.


Reel Talk:

This was a very funny movie! Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston and crew brought out their A game for this comedy action film. Yes it is a predictable movie but it still will catch you off guard to get some laughs out of you. Everyone contributes to the party, adding to the hilariousness of the movie. Oh and Jennifer Aniston, I'll buy that for a dollar! Laughter is good medicine and I prescribe this movie as a cure. LOL

Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Will Poulter, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms and Kathryn Hahn
Directed by: Rawson Marshall Thurber
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

ELYSIUM

Plot:

Earth's population is a poor, disease filled environment that offers no cures or hope for those  residing on it, while in space the rich and privileged take refuge on a station called Elysium. It offers the luxuries of life and a health option that re-generates and rejuvenates any ailments to the body. When Max (Damon), an ex-con trying to live the straight life, gets exposed to a high dosage of radiation and only haves 5 days to live, he takes back in with his old crime boss who is the only one who can get him to Elysium. But for him to even have the chance his body will be transformed to half man/ half machine, enhancing his powers to be able to fight the opposition that will stand in his way.


Reel Talk:

In this Sci-Fi suspense drama, Matt Damon takes on a different type of role as half man and half cyborg, but I can't say that it was a good fit for him. The movie most definitely lacks originality, it's like a take off of a lot of different Sci-Fi movies and very predictable. The action is cool but there are more lull periods than action, so it kinda makes for a somewhat boring movie. Jodie Foster does her role justice as the villainous overseer of Elysium. Overall just an OK movie, you can catch at the dollar matinee.

Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharito Copley, Alice Braga and William Fichtner
Directed by: Neil Blomkamp
Rated: R

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS

Plot:

When Camp Half-Blood, the safe haven for Poseidon's son Percy Jackson (Lerman) and the rest of his kind of half breeds becomes infiltrated and vulnerable under the control of one of Percy's old nemesis Luke (Abel), he must reunite with his friends to set out on a journey to the Sea Of Monsters to retrieve the Golden Fleece that will restore life to the tree that provides protection to their home. This voyage will be a challenging task as they encounter resistance from Luke and his crew, sea creatures and a giant man eating Cyclopes,  all while trying  to get the fleece and save his friend Grover (Jackson) who was kidnapped earlier.


Reel Talk:

This is the follow up to the 2010 movie Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief which reunites Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson. Reprising their earlier roles they take on a new adventure and while this one is not as exciting as the first  one it does offer some entertainment. The visual graphics are nice but not 3D worthy. Not as good as the The Lightning Thief, but will make for a good family movie.

Starring: Logan Lerman, Alexandra Daddario, Brandon T. Jackson, Douglas Smith, Leven Rambin
Directed by: Thor Freudenthal
Rated: PG

I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

2 GUNS

Plot:

Robert "Bobby" Trench (Washington) an undercover DEA officer and Micael "Stig" Stigman an undercover Naval Intelligence officer, were unknowingly partnered together to rob Cartel drug dealer Papi Greco (Olmos) of what was suppose to be a few millions but instead turned out to be several millions that didn't even belong to Papi. Now with people coming out the woodwork trying to get the money and kill them, they find out that they are both good guys and have been set up, so now they team up again to find out the culprit behind the robbery plot.


Reel Talk:

We've had previous buddy movie teams like Eddie Murphy and Nick Nolte, Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker to name a few and now we have Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. Surprisingly the chemistry between the two works out pretty good. Although there is nothing original about the plot the two veteran actors bring their screen charisma that has gotten them where they are today to the table and meshed it together for a good enough suspense, action, comedy drama. There is also good support roles from co-stars Paula Patton, Bill Paxton and Edward James Olmos. A good, not great movie but  enjoyable and worth cashing out at the theater.

Starring: Denzel Washington, Mark Wahlberg, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, Fred Ward, Edward James Olmos and Robert John Burke
Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

THE WOLVERINE

Plot:

While trying to cope with the pain of having  had to kill his love Jean Gray (Janssen) from an earlier X-Men movie and the recurring nightmares of her wanting him, Logan/ The Wolverine (Jackman) to be with her begins to make him question if he wants to remain an immortal, he is summoned to Japan to visit a dying ex-soldier that he saved some time ago. Upon his visit there he realizes that he is in the middle of a coup that involves Mariko (Okamoto) the grand daughter of his dying requester. Now he must do what he can to protect her even while for some strange reason he is losing his ability to re-heal himself and becoming mortal.


Reel Talk:

Oh well....Hugh Jackman is back as The Wolverine. This movie was just a lame reason to make a few bucks rather than have him ready to go for the next X-Men movie. I mean they tried to offer up something different but it really just didn't work. This movie was very unimpressive with sub par action. Jackman portrayed the typical angered and embattled Wolverine  only this time more powerless than before. I also have to say the same for the so called 3D effects as well. Why label it 3D when there are really no 3D effects in it. Have people sitting up in there with those big Ray Ban looking glasses for nothing. Unless you're just a Wolverine/ X-Men fan and want to stay on top of their installments this one can be a wait til cable movie.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima, Hiroyuki Sanada, Famke Janssen, Svettlana Khodchenkova and Hal Yamanouchi.
Directed by: James Mangold
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

FRUITVALE STATION

Plot:

It's New Year's eve 2008 and a 22 year old Oscar Grant (Jordan) who has led a troublesome life in and out of prison wants to make a resolution to do better so that he can be around to enjoy a wholesome life with his girlfriend Sophina (Diaz) and their young daughter Tatiana (Neal). He also wants to make his mother proud of him after causing her so much pain during his checkered past. After enjoying a family gathering celebrating his mother's birthday, Oscar and his friends decide to take the railway into the city to celebrate the incoming new year together. Upon their return home the group encounters a scuffle on the railway and  then they are detained by the police on the platform of the Fruitvale Station. Things would soon get completely out of hand leading to one of the officers fatally shooting a restrained, unarmed Oscar in his back.


Reel Talk:

This is a true story that did not get the national attention that it should have but now with the movie coming out on the heel of the verdict surrounding the Travon Martin/ George Zimmerman shooting trial, it sheds more light on the senseless racial profiling of our young men of color which in like these two cases have led to the brutal death of innocent young men. This movie will definitely trigger your emotions, especially if you have experienced scenarios such as I have related to the incidents in the movie. Michael B. Jordan does a great performance as the once troubled but then renewed Oscar Grant as well as the Academy Award winner Octavia Spencer as his mother. This is most definitely a must see movie and please be prepared to leave out of there feeling some type of emotions. I would strongly suggest that you have some napkins on hand.

Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Melonie Diaz, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand and Ariana Neal
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Rated: R

I give it 5 corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Huster