SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY

Plot:

A young Han (Ehrenreich) has taken to a life as a bandit on his planet who steals a vial of energy source, supposedly for the head thug on the planet. But instead his plan was to use it as leverage for him and his girlfriend Qi'Ra (Clark) to escape from the planet together on a quest through the galaxy with hopes of him getting his own space vessel. When they try to get past customs together, Qi'Ra is apprehended by thugs working for their leader who Han has double crossed. Han vowing to come back for his love, enlists in the flight academy, still with hopes of getting a space vessel. He soon encounters Beckett (Harrelson) who along with his team poses as part of the military but instead they are space bandits looking to steal some containers of power source. Han looking to take up with them is betrayed and placed in a pit to be eaten by The Beast who he would wind up befriending and naming Chewbacca, helping him to escape and teaming up with Beckett. After a failed attempt at steal a train full of enrgy, they will try again, but Han will encounter Qi'Ra who works for the man they need to steal the energy source for. In need of a ship fast enough to help them with the assignment, they meet with the savy, smooth talking Lando Calrissian (Glover) who relunctantly joins them with his ship The Millenian Falcon. Han will soon realize that no one can be trusted not even Qi'Ra as he has to decide to do good or bad after they retrieve the cannisters.


Reel Talk:

WOW!!! It was 1977 when we were first in awe with Han Solo who was then played by a young Harrison Ford. There have been many Star Wars adaptations since that year. Well now we have another one. This time around under the new direction of director Ron Howard, this film is not a sequel but rather tells the beginning story of how a young teen Han became Han Solo, how he became friends with Chewbacca and how he encountered Lando Calrissian and The Millenian Falcon.  It was a good intro to the orgin of how it all came about. It has action and excitement with a fairly good cast. Alden Ehrenreich as Han Solo does not command the screen as nuch as co-stars Woody Harrelson and  then Donald Glover who makes the most of his time as Lando. It does have some slow moments but overall it is a pretty good film. Just don't go expecting a great film.

Starring: Alden Ehrenreich, Joonas Suotamo, Woody Harrelson, Emilia Clark, Donal Glover, Thandie Newton, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Paul Bettany
Directed by: Ron Howard
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLERS

DEADPOOL 2

Plot:

Wade Wilson aka Deadpool (Reynolds) while wallowing in his grief over the loss of his love Vanessa (Baccarin), reflects back to the events that has led up to her death and why he contemplales joining her. When arrested over the effects of a botched mission Deadpool, while in prison is befriended by a young mutated boy named Russell (Dennison) who would eventuallybe the target of a futuristic cyborg named Cable (Brolin) who lost his family to the boy in the past. So he is on a mission  to reset the course of events by eliminating the boy's existence, but is met by resistance by Deadpool who wants to protect the boy. In order to save Russell from Cable hemust prevent him from committing his first murder giving him a taste for blood which led to him killing Cable family. Unable to stop the seemingly indestructable cyborg, Deadpool enlist the help of fellow mutant Domino (Beetz) and a few other mutants with hopes of stopping both Cable and Russell from committing murder.


Reel Talk:

Following the highly successful prequel film in 2016, Deadpool 2 brings back Ryan Reynolds as the humorous but rude, self narrating, with a self regenerating body, mercanary superhero Deadpool. Do not expect him to be any less offensive as the first, that is not going to happen because he just does not care. It is also just as action packed and just as violent as the first film. Josh Brolin's addition as the cyborg Cable was a good fit but it is the beautiful Zazie Beetz as Domino who is a scene stealer. She definitely makes the best of her screen presence. There are also a host of cameos from some celebs, some you will notice and some you may not. If you enjoyed the first film you will enjoy this one. Again I suggest that this is not the most kid friendliest film so parents be warned.

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Josh Brolin, Morena Baccarin, Zazie Beetz, Julian Dennison, T.J. Miller and Eddie Marsan
Directed by: David Leitch
Rated: R

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

LIFE OF THE PARTY

Plot:

Dan (Walsh) and Deanna (McCarthy) have just dropped their teen daughter Maddie (Gordon) off at her dorm to start her first year of college. Not even having left the campus grounds Dan tells Deanna he wants a divorce so that he can be with a young, vibrant real estate agent named Marcie (Bowen). Depressed and in need of some direction for her life, Deanna decides to go back to college to gain the degree she let slip away earlier when she dropped out because she had become a housewife and a mother. At first her daughter was reluctant to the idea of her mother being around her and her teen peers. But soon Maddie and her gal pals embrace Deanna as one of their crew and help her to try to blend in despite her age. She even starts a school fling with a young handsome teen named Jack (Benward) who she will later find out is the son of her ex-husband's new soon to be wife Marcie.


Reel Talk:

You can just say this is another typical Melissa McCarthy film. You pretty much know what to expect and that is that she will go to any extent for a laugh. While this movie is kind of a knock off of some previous old person goes back to college films, it does have its share of laughs. It is not a continuous barrage of laughter, but rather they come in spurts. Because of that at some point you will then realize that the film is a little longer than needs be. Still a decent, funny movie that if you like Melissa McCarthy you will enjoy this film.

Starring: Melissa McCarthy, Julie Bowen, Matt Walsh, Stephen Root, Luke Benward, Maya Rudolph, Christina Aguilera and Molly Gordon
Directed by: Ben Falcone
Rated: PG-13

I give it 2 and a half corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

BREAKING IN

Plot:

An older gentleman while out jogging is run down and then brutally assaulted to finish him off by a strange man while he lays injured on the ground. Shortly after his death his estranged daughter Shaun Russell (Union) and her two children, teen daughter Jasmine (Alexus) and son Glover (Carr) set out to clean up the humongous and securely fortified ranch home that was the family home so that it can be put up for sale. During their stay at the home Shaun notices some unusual sightings around the garage and soon realizes that they are not alone and that her kids have been abducted by a mysterious but dangerous man named Eddie (Burke) and three of his henchmen who are there looking for a hidden safe with millions of dollars stored in it. They will stop at nothing, even to the point of killing the kids and she will stop at nothing to get her kids out of this terrible situation.


Reel Talk:

Right off I will be honest and say that since Gabrielle Union is one of my celeb woman crushes, she can let's say rarely do anything wrong except when she married Dwayne Wade...LOL! So in this predictable thriller where she plays a passive mom turned into a bad butt superwoman who takes out four hard, murdering criminals made her look even more enticing to me. By no way is it a great movie but it is an action movie that will keep your attention, especially if you are a Gabrielle Union fan. It is worth cashing out to see my boo thang...LOL!

Starring: Gabrielle Union, Billy Burke, Ajiona Alexus, Seth Carr, Levi Meaden, Mark Furze, Jason George and Damien Leake
Directed by: James McTeigue
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

AVENGERS: INFINITY WAR

Plot:

Having retrieved the Power Stone from the planet Xandar, the colossal Thanos (Brolin) and his evil army have now overtaken Asgard threatening to kill Thor (Hemsworth) for the Space Stone. When he finally gets the stone he kills Loki (Hiddleston) instead, leaving Thor to mourn among his body and his annihilated world. With two stones in his custom made glove Thanos sends his minions to earth to retrieve the Mind Stone from Vision (Bettany) and the Time Stone from Dr. Strange (Cumberbatch) while he sets out to find the Reality Stone and the Soul Stone. Thanos and his army will stop at nothing, destroying anything or anyone that stands in his way of collecting the remaining four stones. But when Bruce Banner (Ruffalo) who narrowly escaped from Asgard crashes back to Earth he warns  Dr. Strange and then Iron Man (Downey) who must reluctantly assemble the other Avengers to help ward off the pending invasion. Meanwhile Thor is rescued in deep space by Star-Lord (Pratt) and the rest of The Guardians Of The Galaxy to unite and try to stop Thanos from gathering two of the stones from two different planets because if he should get all six of the stones he will be able to destroy half the universe with just the snap of his finger.


Reel Talk:

This film was ten years in the making and boy was it worth the wait. It is a whopper of a movie, full of action and special effects that die hard Marvel Comics fans or action junkies will enjoy. The movie is a roller-coaster ride, with again action, special effects, humor and some saddening moments. Just prepare for the ride. Now to be nearly three hours long, could they have cut some scenes? Yes because even though some scenes were there to build up to a certain scene, they were stiff or should I say plain boring, but they are there to get to a certain point. All your favorite superheros are back with the exception of Jeremy Renner's Hawkeye and while Mark Ruffalo was back as Bruce Banner, I didn't quite understand why The Hulk only made a cameo appearance. Also most of the heroes have been given makeovers which I had to adjust to because you are expecting the normal costumes. This is a good film that will be a bonifide box office blockbuster, so go check it out and make your contribution to the cause. You won't be disappointed.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Don Cheadle, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Holland, Chadwick Boseman, Zoe Saldana, Karen Gillan, Paul Bettany, Elizabeth Olsen, Anthony Mackie, Josh Brolin, Chris Pratt and Tom Hiddleston
Directed by: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo
Rated: PG-13

I give it 4 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

I FEEL PRETTY

Plot:

Renee Bennett (Schumer) is  a young women who is dealing with her self esteem issues relating to her weight and the body shaming that comes her way. While at the gym working out she has an accident that hits her head knocking her out, but when she awakens she believes that she has been transformed into this beautiful, irresistible women with an exuberant amount of confidence. With her newfound attitude and looks intact, she has launched her career from the basement office to VP of marketing at the fashion firm she has worked at for years. Her life is amazing up until she has another accident and hits her head, soon realizing that she had never really changed. Now she must face her new life with her old insecure mentality.


Reel Talk;

This is just another typical Amy Schumer movie. You will get a few laughs here and there, but nothing consistently  So don't go into the theater thinking you're going to bust your side with laughter because that just won't be the case. Still it was a good film with a good story and a good cast. It is worth checking out.

Starring: Amy Schumer, Michelle Williams, Tom Hopper, Rory Scovel, Emily Ratajkowski, Lauren Hutton and Adrian Martinez
Directed by: Abby Kohn and Marc Silverstein
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corndogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

RAMPAGE

Plot:

David Okoye (Johnson) is an animal behavioral specialist who along with his team oversees a zoo for rare animals. One of his prize pets is an albino gorilla named George that he saved from poachers as a baby and raised him in the zoo. When an animal genetics experiment that was sent into space by a science company ran by the sister and brother team of Claire (Akerman) and Brett (Lacy) Wyden, goes wrong, some of the sample canisters of the experiment land back on earth. Three animals affected by the genetic mutating mist is a wolf, an alligator and George. They become extremely huge in size and savagely unable to tame, even George. David trying to do what he can to save his pet friend George, encounters a scientist named Dr. Kate Caldwell (Harris), who has a checkered past but says she can assist him. Then they also encounter a mysterious country man in black named Russell (Morgan) who works for the government sent to contain the creatures. But when the Wydens sends a beacon signal for the creatures to follow to Chicago, it appears that there is nothing that will stop them from wreaking havoc along the way and when they get there.



Reel Talk:

This was like watching a pint size King Kong and Godzilla along with a super sized wolf from the Twilight movies...LOL! The movie is full of action but also full of a bunch of corny lines from Dwayne Johnson and Jeffrey Dean Morgan. Despite the goofy lines, people go to see Dwayne flex his pecks on the camera. That is what he gets paid to do. A  good action packed movie that is worth cashing out at the box office.

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Naomie Harris, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jake Lacy and Joe Manganiello
Directed by: Brad Peyton
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

READY PLAYER ONE

Plot:

In the year 2044, Earth in the midst of an economic and energy depression, the only amusing entertainment for the people is a virtual reality game where you wear dimensional goggles called OASIS developed by the rich and eccentric James Halliday (Rylance). Upon his death he increases people interest in the game by issuing the players a chance to search for an egg that he has installed within OASIS, and whoever finds it first will win a fortune and his business. Wade Watts (Sheridan), a young, loner teen who lives in the Stacks (a community of trailer homes pile up on each other) joins in the tournament, but will soon realize that the stakes are much higher as others are out to prevent him from winning. He will also have to rescue Samantha (Cooke) who he met while playing the game and has become fond of.


Reel Talk:

To keep it really reel, I have to say that due to me being super exhausted from my weekend helping out at the One Harlem Night play, I fell asleep on this film.  But to be honest I was not big on video games of any sort so it may have also been hard for me to follow along. So this one you will have to go at your own risk.  Keeping it reel!!!

Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, Lena Waithe, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg and Mark Rylance
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Rated: PG-13

I give it an incomplete rating.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

TOMB RAIDER

Plot:

Lara Croft (Vikander) is a strong, independent young lady struggling to make her ends meet as a bicycle carrier. After getting bailed out of jail for her latest get money scam that fails, by her former caretaker Ana Miller (Thomas), she is is convinced by Ms Miller to assume her father's estate and businesses, since he has been missing and presumed dead. Lara who is not content with the idea that her father, the eccentric adventurer Lord Richard Croft (West) is dead, sets out on her own adventure to find him. Upon finding journals chronicling his last journey and against his final wish to destroy them, she uses them to guide her along with Lu Ren (Wu) the son of her father's travel companion who is also missing. The two ends up on an uncharted island off of Japan and will soon be abducted by treasure mercenary Mathias Vogel (Goggins) who claimed to have murdered both their fathers so that he can claim the prize of some legendary tomb. When Lara manages to escape she learns that her father is still alive and the two will unite to thwart Vogel's plans to open the tomb and take its contents.


Reel Talk:

I don't know if you should call this a reboot of the 2001 film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider made famous by Angelina Jolie because it is more like a prequel to that film. But either way, don't go with the expectation that this one will match up to the Jolie film. It is totally on its own and although Alicia Vikander is a beautiful young actress and the film has some action, it did not captivate me enough to justify why it was made. Some classic films should stay just that....a classic. Not saying that it is a bad movie by no means, just it could have not been made. It does have action but it is much more slower than the original. And Lara Croft caused more of her dilemmas by not listening and could have and probably should have been dead a few times in the film. It was entertaining at best, just not that enjoyable entertaining.

Starring: Alicia Vikander, Dominic West, Walton Googins, Daniel Wu and Kristin Scott Thomas
Directed by: Roar Uthaug
Rated: PG-13

 I give it 2 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

 

   

DEATH WISH

Plot:

Paul Kersey (Willis) is a well respected surgeon who is living the good life with his beautiful wife Lucy (Shue) and teen daughter Jordan (Morrone). While out one evening celebrating Jordan's acceptance to college, along with her uncle Frank (D'Onofrio), the family's address is copied by the valet attendant who would pass it on for them to be targeted to be robbed.  While Paul is away at the hospital working, the two women are attacked and assaulted by three armed intruders. When one of the intruders tries to get frisky with Jordan she fights back as well as her mother causing the leader to shoot both the ladies, killing the mother and leaving the daughter hospitalized in a coma. Overwhelmed with anger, Paul would take to the streets dressed in a hoodie and armed with a hand gun,  ready to avenge his family as well as any wrongdoings that he witnesses from thugs in the hood.
As the body count stacks up and his notoriety rises, Paul will soon be on the radar of not only the police but also the lead assailant that shot his family.


Reel Talk:

This remake of the 1974 movie of the same title that starred Charles Bronson, who went on to do a series of Death Wish movies will probably do the same for Bruce Willis. Willis who portrays the same character as Bronson's, just different occupation, brings the Kersey persona into the new age of violence, where blood and gore is no longer off limits. The violence and gore is definitely in your face. If you are a Bruce Willis fan or you were a fan of the Charles Bronson series, then you will like this film. I just hope that this film does not encourage people to get into the vigilante mode and start mimicking what they see in this movie.

Starring: Bruce Willis, Vincent D'Onofrio. Elisabeth Shue, Camila Morrone, Dean Norris, Beau Knapp and Kimberly Elise
Directed by: Eli Roth
Rated: R

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

BLACK PANTHER

Plot:

Upon returning home to his village after the death of his father the king, T'Challa (Boseman) will now become the new king of the village Wakanda. That is granted that he is victorious against the challenges from the leaders of any of the neighboring villages. After defeating the one challenge issued, T'Challa becomes the Black Panther and as king his first task is to go after a ruthless mercenary named Ulysses Klaue (Serkis) who has stolen some of their prized material, vibranium, a substance powered from a crashed meteor that they use as energy as well as to form a type of metal that is used to bullet proof the suits of the Black Panther. After apprehending Klaue and while being detained by the CIA, he is sprung by Killmonger (Jordan), who Black Panther will soon find out is his cousin that the previous king (his father) kept a secret from the rest of the Wakanda village because he killed the boy's father (his uncle) due to his betrayal to the people. Killmonger will eventually issue a challenge and defeat the reigning king T'Challa to become king. He will then insist on waging war around the world to those that have been oppressing people of color, using weapons armed with vibranium power. It comes down to who will be able to stand up and stop Killmonger from causing a world war and exposing the once hidden village of Wakanda?


Reel Talk:

Warning: Strap yourselves into your seats because this film is going to take you on a ride. The film is action packed and visually awesome with its full colorful array of beautiful scenes of the fictional village of Wakanda and its people. Director Ryan Coogler did a good job capturing those colorful moments. The cast is spectacular with just about almost every actor of color you can think about (I know I am exaggerating, but it just seems like it though...lol). Chadwick Boseman is awesome as the Black Panther and Michael B. Jordan is chilling as the menacing Killmonger. But the scene grabber is Letitia Wright who plays T' Challa's (Black Panther) technology savvy little sister. She is hilarious and makes the most of her time on the screen. Also I could not help it but every time there was a scene with Daniel Kaluuya who plays W'Kabi, I kept thinking about his role in the movie "GET OUT"...LOL!!! The movie is definitely a must see, both entertaining and enjoyable and worth every bit the admission.  It has nothing to do with the color of anyone's skin but rather it is just a plain ole good movie.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Danai Gurira, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Forest Whittaker and Andy Serkis
Directed by: Ryan Coogler
Rated: PG-13

I give it 5 corn dogs.

DEN OF THIEVES

Plot:

When a rash of high risk robberies turn homicidal involving some cops getting killed, a group of renegade sheriffs led by Nick Flanagan (Butler), start looking for answers.  With the help of video surveillance they are pointed in the direction of Donnie (Jackson) a hotshot driver who has taken up with  recently released felon Merrimen (Schreiber) and his band of outlaws. Flanagan puts the squeeze on Donnie to give up information on his thieving crew so that they can get caught in the midst of a robbery. But eventually it comes down to a game of mental chess between Flanagan and Merrimen to see if the latter can either get away or get caught for doing a crime.


Reel Talk:

I sit down at the screening, the movie starts and right from the start the movie takes off with a hard hitting scene and I am like this movie is gonna be alright. But then as fast as the action started, it goes into a dull, bore mood. It is trying to set the tone for the movie but it's like really slow during that period and then it picks up towards the ending. The film has a good cast headed by Gerard Butler and Pablo Schreiber along with co stars 50 Cent, O'Shea Jackson Jr. and Mo McRae. The movie was cool but would have been much better if it were more intense action like it started with. Otherwise just an average cops and robbers film.

Starring: Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, 50 Cent, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Evan Jones, Sonya Balmores and Mo McRae
Directed by: Christian Gudegast
Rated: R

I give it 3 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

MOTOR CITY POPCORN'S MOVIE NIGHT

MOTOR CITY LOVE FOR BREAST CANCER SURVIVORS

THE REEL HUSTLER was on hand at the Bel Air Theater for a private showing of the film Proud Mary exclusively for breast cancer survivors and a guest that was presented by Motor City Popcorn. Ronier Golighty who is the CEO of Motor City Popcorn, raised the funds with sells from his gourmet popcorn so that he could rent the theater for the charity event. The patrons were admitted free and given as a courtesy a small popcorn and a soft drink. It was a wonderful outing and THE REEL HUSTLER was there repping for some good friends who fought but eventually were laid to rest, Angela Patillo Burns and both Ronier's and my friend Lisa Coleman. Great job Motor City Popcorn!

This is my life, the life of THE REEL HUSTLER!!!

THE COMMUTER

Plot:

Michael MacCauley (Neeson) is a happily married husband and father to a handsome teen son. He starts his day after leaving his home by taking the train to commute to his job at the office as a life insurance sales representative. Something he has done for the last ten years. But this day will not be just an ordinary day for Michael. He is released from his job, with no reasonable explanation, leaving him frustrated because of the financial bind that this will put him and his family in. After stopping at a bar to have a much needed drink with his friend and ex-police partner Alex Murphy (Wilson), he gets back on the train for his commute home. During his ride he encounters a mysterious woman named Joanna (Farmiga) who proposes him with a game that he sort of can't refuse and if he should complete the task, he'll be awarded one hundred thousand dollars. The downsize is that if he completes the assignment someone will die but if he fails to complete it everyone on the train as well as his family will die. So now he will have to use all his skills as an ex-cop to either save one life or many lives, including his wife and son.


Reel Talk:

Liam Neeson is now the senior citizen action hero...LOL! In this thriller it is almost like watching "TAKEN" on the train, because that is the roles we have been accustomed to seeing him in. Only now it is with the murder mystery train twist. It is a good movie, with a sort of Alfred Hitchcock type of vibe. It does not reveal all the scenes, so you have to be imaginative about what has happen. Although there is action and violence, there are no blood and gore scenes. Just a good enjoyable and entertaining Liam Neeson movie. I recommend commuting to the box office and cashing out to check this one out. 

Starring: Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Jonathan Banks, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern and Damson Idris
Directed by: Jaume Collett-Serra
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

JUSTICE LEAGUE

Plot:

After the death of Superman (Cavill), Earth's mightiest superhero, Batman (Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gadot) still fight in the name of justice to try and control the chaotic crime that thrives among the people. Then to make matters worse, Steppenwolf (voiced by Hinds) and his army of giant flying creatures known as Parademons have returned to Earth after some thousand years have passed since he tried lost the battle to changed the shape of the planet to his liking by controlling 4 powerful cubes called the Mother Boxes. Having returned to retrieve the Mother Boxes that have been hidden in various locations Steppenwolf will not stop until he controls them all. Realizing the only way to stop the powerful Steppenwolf is to form a team of superheros, Batman and Wonder Woman enlist the help of The Flash (Miller), and the reluctant Aquaman (Momoa) and Cyborg (Fisher) who changes their mind when they are personally affected by the Earth's nemesis takeover. Even with a team they cannot match the power of Steppenwolf which leads Batman to his surprise plan which is to bring Superman back to life with the power of one of the Mother Boxes. Once he is returned he has amnesia and attacks the group of superheros until Lois Lane (Adams) appears and takes the Man of Steel to visit his home. With time at stake the Justice League with the help of Superman must use all their power to fight the mighty villain and his terrifying army.


Reel Talk:

I have to be honest, I was excited going into the showing for this film. Maybe it was the hype from Wonder Woman's film or the return of Superman. Either way I was excited with no certain expectations. Well I was thoroughly entertained because it was full of action and special effects. Now let me clear this up for those that want to compare the Justice League to The Avengers. Stop it!!! The two do not compare, even back during my childhood sneaking and reading comic books the two rival comic books never compared. DC has always been tamer than Marvel. So don't expect the films to be any different, just enjoy the film for what it has to offer, lots of action and a good cast. With that being said it is an enjoyable movie, which you will enjoy and keep your attention. It is worth cashing out to check it out.

Starring: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, Ray Fisher, Jeremy Irons and Cia Ran Hinds
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

Shout out to Paul Glantz and his team over at the Emagine Royal Oak theaters...Thanks for the love!

THOR: RAGNAROK

Plot:

When Thor (Hemsworth) returns to his world Asgard from a successful battle against Surtur, he had believed that he had stopped the destruction of his civilization known as Ragnarok. But instead he finds his brother Loki (Hiddleston) impersonating their father Odin (Hopkins) who has been missing. They will eventually learn that he is dying and upon his death, their older sister Hela (Blanchett) will be released from prison with intentions of annihilating the people of Asgard and replacing it with her own destructive army. Once she is released she destroys Thor's hammer and sends him and his brother on the run into deep space becoming prisoners on another planet ruled by Grandmaster (Goldblum) who will pit Thor in the battle pit to fight his most prized gladiator The Hulk (Ruffalo). With time running out for Asgard, he must put aside his differences with The Hulk, his brother Loki and recruit the help of a lone warrior Valkyrie (Thompson) so that they can escape and save the Asgardian people.


Reel Talk:

I have to start by saying this movie has a lot going on in it. It's like it just bounces around from one thing to another. Is it a comedy, because it is full of joking bantering (some funny and some not) or an action super hero movie? Then Thor's hammer gets destroyed, when I thought only he and Odin had the power over it. The hammer is Thor's power. Although the comedy bantering between Thor and The Hulk gets a little corny at times, there is no denying that the battle scene is epic. And Cate Blanchett as the villainess Hela is so seductively menacing. Jeff Goldblum as the Grandmaster was also somewhat annoying in the film as well, but that is sometimes the roles that had defined him throughout his career. Overall the movie is action packed with tons of special effects, but as I mentioned tons of jokes. It is still an enjoyable movie that Marvel Comic fans definitely enjoy.

Starring; Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins
Directed by: Taika waititi
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

MARSHALL

Plot:

An upcoming African American civil activist attorney for the NAACP, Thurgood Marshall (Boseman)), is assigned a case to represent Joseph Spell (Brown) who is accused of rape and attempted murder of Eleanor Strubing (Hudson), a rich married Caucasian woman. Due to the racism within the courtroom, including the presiding judge, Marshall is not allowed to represent the accused Black male, but is allowed to hire Sam Friedman (Gad), a Jewish insurance attorney who really wants nothing to do with the case. Together the two attorneys will work together despite their own internal differences along with the social and present prejudices that they will face from the town's people and the courtroom, so that their client will have a fair chance at justice against a racist society.


Reel Talk:

Right off, MARSHALL is a good movie. Chadwick Boseman does a good job portraying the first African American attorney for the NAACP. The cast was good with Josh Gad also doing a good performance as Sam Friedman. Now my personal discrepancies would be that, although Chadwick Boseman is a tremendous actor, he had no resemblance of Thurgood Marshall at all. There are so many other choices that would have been a better fit. I thought Jussie Smollett who portrays Langston Hughes in a cameo could have been a good select. But I guess star power wins over looks. This is the second time for Boseman who portrayed James Brown in GET ON UP and look wise was a miscast, but as the film progressed his performance was awesome causing you to overlook his appearance. My other gripe is that although this film covered one of the attorney's winning civil rights cases, they could have expounded more on the life and extensive career of the man who would eventually become the first African American Supreme Court Justice. Still this was an entertaining and good movie that I say is worth cashing out to see.

Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Josh Gad, Kate Hudson, Sterling K. Brown, Keesha Sharp, Roger Guenveur Smith and Jussie Smollett
Directed by: Reginald Hudlin
Rated: PG-13

I give it 4 corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER  

ALLEE WILLIS' "THE D" PARTY

ONLY IN "THE D"!

Last Thursday THE REEL HUSTLER stopped by the Detroit Institute of Art (DIA) for the preview launch for Allee Willis' new song "THE D". Allee Willis is a Grammy Award winner, Tony Award winner and Emmy nominated songwriter, artist and director who although she now resides in Los Angeles, she was born and raised in Detroit and a proud graduate of Mumford High School. Some of the songs written by Allee that you may remember are September, In The stone and Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind and Fire, Neutron Dance by The Pointer Sisters, What Have I Done To Deserve This by The Pet Shop Boys and Dusty Springfield, I'll Be There For You (Theme from Friends) by The Rembrandts, just to name just a few. She has a host of songs that she has written for various artists. Well she decided that she wanted to give back to the city that raised her, hoping to inspire some joy and hope with her new song "THE D" to which she previewed the song along with videos (one 6 minutes long and a shorter version for radio). After previewing the videos we were transferred to another section for the after party where we were treated to some of her favorite items, Boogaloo sandwiches, Kool Aid and candy...a ton of candy (she said about $4,000 worth). It was a fun night and so glad to see her giving back to the city. Be sure to check out her joyous video "THE D".

This is my life, the life of THE REEL HUSTLER!!!

AMERICAN MADE

Plot:

During the late 70's into the early 80's, Barry Seals (Cruise) was a pilot for TWA. Trying to make extra cash for his wife Lucy (Wright) and their pending family he would resort to smuggling illegal Cuban cigars into the country until he is caught by CIA agent Monty Schafer (Gleeson) and made an offer to fly missions for the CIA collecting Intel in South America. While at a fuel stop while on one of his missions, he is apprehended by members of the Medellin Cartel for a meeting with Pablo Escobar (Mejia) and Jorge Ochoa (Edda) with regards to flying cocaine back into the country for them, ensuring him a substantial financial payoff. He accepts their offer and when he is forced to relocate to a small country town with his wife and kid to avoid a raid, he really starts to rake in the dough. Flying missions for the CIA and the drug Cartel he becomes a very busy man. But he will soon wind up being recruited by the DEA to become an informant for them with intentions of dismantling the Cartel. But playing all sides will become one risky and potentially dangerous game for Barry, one with high stakes.


Reel Talk:

This film is based on the true events about flight pilot Barry Seals and his involvement with the CIA, Pablo Escobar and the Cartel, as well as the DEA. Tom Cruise puts in a great performance as Barry seals. In fact, this is one of Cruise's best performances (pertaining to acting, not action roles) in awhile. He is witty, funny and you can even say charming in his role. This is a very enjoyable film. But please keep in mind that even though this film has a very humorous overtone,  it is based on actual events and that this man lost his life for  his greed and the betrayal by his country. You can definitely "cash" out to see this movie and you will not be disappointed.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Domhnall Gleeson, Sarah Wright, Jesse Plemons, Caleb Landry Jones, Mauicio Mejia and Alejandro Edda
Directed by: Doug Liman
Rated: R

I give it 4 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: THE REEL HUSTLER

KINGSMAN: THE GOLDEN CIRCLE

Plot:

When Eggsy (Egerton) is attacked by a former Kingsman reject, it is after he neutralizes the attacker or so he thought he did that there was a tracking device that was left behind. Soon after the headquarters of the Kingsman along with the location for most of their employees will be destroyed killing the occupants. Eggsy and Merlin (Strong) who were both not at the targeted sites will head to the United States to enlist the help of their sibling spy organization known as Statesman, so that they can collaborate to find the evil lair of Poppy (Moore), the mastermind behind the assault on the Kingsman. Her intent is too get them out the way so that she can distribute her poisonous drugs and then extort the president before she will administer the antidote to the infected drug users. Working with Merlin and Statesman team members Agent Whiskey (Pascal) and Ginger (Berry), Eggsy will also reunite Kingsman Harry Hart (Firth) who was save from a previous  assault that left him presumed dead. They must hurry and find the villainess before the effects of the tainted drugs become fatal even for his love Princess Tilde (Alstrom).


Reel Talk:

I enjoyed this movie just about as much as the previous one. From the very beginning the action is in your face. So if the first one won you over, you will enjoy this film. One of the major differences in this one is that it is filled with more celebrities. You have Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal and Elton John...yes I said Elton John, just to name. Again this is a fun, action packed movie that action junkies will truly appreciate. Worth the cash to check out.

Starring: Taron Egerton, Mark Strong,  Hanna Alstrom, Julianne Moore, Edward Holcroft. Colin Firth, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Pedro Pascal and Elton John
Directed by: Matthew Vaughn
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs

By: THE REEL HUSTLER