THE CALL

Plot:


Halle Berry plays Jordan Turner, a veteran 911 call operator that works from a call center known as The Hive. When she takes a call from a young girl whose home is being invaded, Jordan makes an error in judgement that eventually cost the teen her life, causing her to take a break from her job to regroup and gather herself. After her brief hiatus she comes back as an instructor but is soon thrown back on a call when a rookie operator can't handle an 911 emergency for a young girl named Casey (Breslin) that gets abducted from a mall parking structure and using a spare cell phone that she had hidden. It doesn't take long for Jordan to realize that the kidnapper is the same person that murdered the young girl from her past traumatic call experience. Now she is prepared to do whatever it takes to prevent this crazed abductor from repeating his murderous ways and saving the life of Casey.


Reel Talk:


Right off, there was another movie screening (a comedy) the same evening, the same time and the deciding factor was Halle Berry (while flashbacks of Swordfish and Monster's Ball invaded my thoughts). What man in his right mind would not go see a movie starring Halle, but I have to admit that the wig she sported in this movie was a total mess. I guess they were trying to tone down her sex appeal. Anyway this movie is an intense, suspense action thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat and your eyes glued to the screen, but will also let you down with some of the unbelievable situations that would not happen like that in real life, especially the ending. Still this is a very exciting movie and true die hard Halle Berry fans will definitely enjoy it. In closing I will recite the words of rapper Kendrick Lamar..."Halle Berry, hallelujah. Holla back, I'll do ya"- Just not with that wig on....LOL

Starring: Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Michael Eklund, Morris Chestnut, David Otunga and Michael Imperioli
Directed by: Brad Anderson
Rated: R

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

DEAD MAN DOWN

Plot:


When New York crime lord Alphonse (Howard) keep receiving strange cut outs and members of his crew keep winding up dead, he puts his crew on alert to find the person that is responsible. But things become complicated for crew member Victor (Farrell) when his neighbor Beatrice (Rapace) witnesses him perform a crime and blackmails him to carry out a crime for her. All this in the midst of a possible war brewing between Alphonse and a group of Russian mobsters and while they get close to finding out whose trying to kill Alphonse.


Reel Talk:


This was a criminal suspense thriller that got turned into a love story, that maybe could have worked but didn't. Mainly too many unbelievable loops that make this movie hard to swallow. With the incorporation  of the love story, it kinda drags the movie along giving way to some lackluster action. There wasn't even much that Colin Farrell or Terrence Howard could do to salvage this film. This one you can wait to catch on DVD or even cable.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Terrence Howard, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper and Isabelle Huppert
Directed by: Niels Arden Oplev
Rated: R

I give it 2 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

OZ THE GREAT AND POWERFUL

Plot:


When Oscar aka OZ the Magician (Franco), a young self indulged womanizer gets caught up in one of his schemes and chased by  a jealous husband, he takes to a hot air balloon to escape.  While in flight he encounters a massive tornado that sucks his balloon into it's funnel whisking him to a foreign, strange but colorful village named OZ. Soon it is believed by the village people that he is their savior to protect them from one of three sister witches that is the evil one that wants to control Oz along with her army of savage flying gorillas. Oscar is now faced with the dilemma of helping the people of OZ and being a hero or continuing his selfish ways and bail on them, causing their demise.


Reel Talk:


We all know the story of The Wizard Of OZ, well this movie gives us the orgin of how the Wizard came to be over OZ. How Theodora (Kunis) went from a good witch to an wicked and evil witch. The 3D graphics are spectacular and the story is not bad either, it just kinda takes a little long to get to where it's going. Still the performances are good and the characters are colorful. So on those points alone, this movie is a decent movie worth checking out. All you gotta do is just sit back and let your imagination go!

Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Bill Cobbs and Tony Cox
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Rated: PG

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PT 2 PROMO TOUR

SNITCH

Plot:


John Matthews (Johnson) is the owner of a successful construction and trucking company whose life will soon get turned upside down and inside out when his estranged son Jason (Gavron) from a previous marriage gets arrested for involvement in a drug smuggling ring. Although he continually professes his innocence, the top prosecutor plans to give him the maximum sentence of 30 years for drug trafficking unless he becomes a snitch and sets up some of his friends as drug dealers. His refusal to do it, moves his father John to relentlessly step forward to become the informant for the DEA, setting up deals in return for his son's freedom. Soon everything in John's world is jeopardized as he becomes involved deep in the drug dealing sanctum of the Mexican Cartel and one of their bosses El Topo (Bratt). But he's willing to risk everything to save his son from a long stint in prison.


Reel Talk:


The trailer for this movie is very misleading. I went in thinking the film to be one way but it was completely another. But that is not to say that the movie is bad. The movie based on true events, not an all out action film, places Dwayne Johnson in an average guy role oppose to his super bad ass roles he's known for, playing a man trying to make up for earlier mistakes he made as a father toward his son. This is a performance that he pulls off very well, even though I don't think I know many fathers that would stick their neck out, getting involved with the drug cartel to save their kid. This was a good movie that clearly shows the consequences that can come from making one bad decision or being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Worth getting out and checking out!

Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Barry Pepper, Jon Bernthal, Susan Sarandon, Michael Kenneth Williams, Rafi Gavron and Benjamin Bratt
Directed by: Ric Roman Waugh
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs.

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler

DREAMS THE MOVIE RED CARPET COVERAGE

DREAMS

Plot:


 Dreams takes us to the gritty streets of Joliet, IL and centers around four primary characters, Quentin (Lee) the talented dancer, Mia (Mercado) the gifted singer, Paalo (Awinongya) the gym/ club owner and Alonzo (Watson) the former street thug, each having dreams of overcoming their troubled past so that the future brings hope of better life situations for them all. Each one also realizes that it takes more than to dream but that it requires action and that there are some pain and consequences that comes along with some of the choices made.


Reel Talk:


This film is the collective effort from 1st time movie producer Marvin Winans Jr. who also stars in the movie and director Joel Kapity who also directed Blessed And Cursed, his 1st film project. The two have put together a solid movie with a good story and an excellent cast of actors and actresses. You are taken on a roller coaster of emotions as you experience the various pains of each character's daily struggles to try to and fulfill their dreams. You are taken back into their past to get a taste of the root of the turmoil that haunts them. Then you are brought to the climatic ending that will offer a few surprise twists. A very good movie that I was very impressed with that an upstart film team were able to put together. After attending the premier screening red carpet event the other night you could truly feel the genuine love that the crew and cast felt for each other. Everyone seem to really enjoy just being a part of this movie and put all their egos aside for an enjoyable evening.

Dreams is showing starting Feburary 1, 2013 at the AMC Star Southfield Theater for a limited engagement, so please check the theater for show times and please go out and see this movie! Be sure to catch the red carpet coverage and interviews that will be posted soon.

Starring: Tommy Ford, Terri J. Vaughn, Mel Jackson, Jazsmin Lewis, Angie Stone, Marcello Lee, Syesha Mercado, Joseph Awinongya, Jason J'Son Watson, Geoffrey Owens, Marvin Winans Jr. and Vickie Winans
Directed by: Joel Kapity

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs

By: Corn Dog - The Reel Hustler