Jurassic World

Let's face it. You either wanna see this or you don't. It is absolutely the epitome of a popcorn summer blockbuster. It is awe inspiring, clever, scary, and sexy. It is not better than Jurassic Park, but is better than the second and third film. I loved every minute of it. Chris Pratt is phenomenal and the dinosaurs look awesome. Lots of death with some gore. Not for young kids, but every adult will enjoy this film. I also enjoyed all the nuances put on screen that referenced the first film. It was quite awesome and it needs to be seen on the big screen. 

NBM rates Jurassic World - Phenomenal

Inside Out

I had less desire to see this film than most other PIXAR movies, but when it rains and nothing better to do, may as well. It absolutely blew me away. I cannot believe the range of emotions these emotions gave me. It was sad, funny, thought provoking and honest. I highly recommend this movie as kids will love it, but for parents, it will absolutely change your perspective on a couple things. Cartoons are good at the theater or at home. This is one that if you want to see, go now. If you don't care either way, then wait for redbox, but if you have been wishy washy about whether or not you should go, because you may not enjoy it, then go. You absolutely will find Joy in this film. See what I did there?

NBM rates Inside Out  -Phenomenal

Mad Max : FURY ROAD

Having never seen any of the previous 3 films until right before I saw Fury Road, my perspective was much different from those of you who LOVE the originals. I enjoyed the original films quite a bit, but I enjoyed FURY ROAD a little bit more. Lets be honest, its a 2 hour car chase filled with mayhem. I am glad I saw this spectacle in the theater. The scope was grand and needed to be seen this way. It was wonderful and Hardy was too. 

NBM rates Mad Max: FURY ROAD - Phenomenal, if you are a man / Mediocre, if you are a woman

(Great Big Screen Movie)

NEW FORMAT

I'm Going to start a new format for my review process. Why overload you with information of my experience with movies I watch? I will now write down my opinion on whether or not this film should be seen ASAP in the theatre, or if it can wait. Slight comparisons may be made, but the point is "Short and Sweet". This will allow me to at least put an opinion out there on movies I have seen recently. Thanks and Watch on.

Chef

This was a film I had all intentions on watching as soon as I began reading about it long before its limited theatre release came and went and I missed it altogether. Little gems like Chef are becoming more and more rare. Jon Favreau wrote, directed, and starred in this little indie film about one man's quest for happiness and in turn, he has given me happiness. He is Chef Casper and he sucks at social media. The End. Actually the social media aspect is what gives this drama its comedy. He is a brilliant chef, or at least he was ten years earlier. The film takes place on the morning a top food blogger is coming in to review his current skills. He is ready to go, but the eternal power struggle between an artist and the boss not letting creativity take hold ends up poorly. Chef Casper thinks he has it all figured out. He is divorced with one kid he constantly lets down, and he is okay with this. This is his life. The only thing he is great at is cooking and he does not want to lose that. Where the story goes from here is utterly sad, but in a good way. Woe is me attitude is going to get the best of Casper, but luckily his ex wife and his son find a way to present him with a choice at happiness. An all star cast for which I had no knowledge of prior to viewing round out this beautiful film about family and food. I am not going to spoil some of the great actors that appear in this film. It is a pleasant surprise and fun to watch. This is by far Favreau's best film. Not only the script, but his passion on the screen is untouchable. He is insanely good, and I hope anyone who gets a chance to watch this (currently streaming on Netflix) does so. Like I said, I wanted to see it a long time ago, but this week 2 different people threw it right out in front of me and I am glad they did. I look forward to watching it again. 

NBN rates Chef - Phenomenal

American Sniper

I have been considering to write about this for 5 days now but had no idea how to convey my thoughts on the film. Do I write is from the perspective of the film itself? As in, the writing, directing, story, acting etc....or do I write it based on the man himself and what he did for our country? There has been so much press both positive and negative. I cannot remember the last time a film that was not strictly a documentary became such a hot button topic. "The Interview" maybe, but that was a completely different can of worms. I don't think they compare in the same realm of the controversy they birthed. Apples and Oranges. I have read so much about what people think about what Chris Kyle was to America and of course I have my own opinion, so I am going to try and stay on point with a review of the film itself. Anyone who watched Lone Survivor knows how powerful and nerve racking a movie can feel. This film is not nearly as nerve racking as Lone Survivor, but I enjoyed it more. Lone Survivor is great, but it is 100% a war film. American Sniper is a Life film. It follows Chief Kyle into war, but that is only half the film. The other half is his home life. I did not know the sequence of events that the film was going to cover. I read the book beforehand (which if you know me, you will know how rare it is that I read) and the film follows it very well. Chris Kyle was not the perfect man, perfect soldier, perfect husband. He was not even the perfect sniper according to him, but he was the best he could be. The film follows his life from an early age rodeo cowboy through his enlistment and SEAL training, marriage, kids, and most of all, his missions. The way Eastwood puts the timelines together is such a perfect way to keep the film moving forward through the years. I rather enjoyed that the film showed his first tour, along with his first kill, key missions on that tour, and then he would go home for a bit till his next tour. This happens four times and like I said, this is less of a war movie and more about the human condition. Chief Kyle seemed to be on a different plain than most other humans. He felt more at home on the battlefield than he did in bed with his wife. He did not know how to shut off, and this caused him major problems when he was back stateside. When the Oscar nominations came out and Bradley Cooper made the cut for Best Actor, and Jake Gyllenhaal was snubbed for his fantastic work on Nightcrawler I was confused. That was until I saw Cooper embody Chris Kyle in every aspect. He deserves that nomination and at times I was watching this broken man, and I became emotional for Chris Kyle though I was watching an actor. That is a performance second to none. As for the debate of this film glorifying war, or being propaganda, or Kyle being a "serial killer" which is absurb, I would like to quote a man that wrote it down better than I could have. 

      "I just watched American Sniper. It was a powerful and touching film. The movie was more of an exploration of PTSD and the nature of war than it was a lauding of Chief Kyle. He is no doubt an American hero that saved many lives and deserves respect for that in itself. The movie portrayed Chief Kyle as a fallible man. A man with problems. A man with a heart. A man's man. A man that struggled despite his apparent strength and legend. This was not a pro-war film or a propaganda film. American Sniper is about a subsection of our society that many have no idea even exists and by no means understands the pain and trauma they endure while endeavoring for America. Fighting and dying for their brothers in arms. This was a movie that needed to be made. Not just for Chief Kyle's legacy, but rather for the world to understand who our military people are." - Bryan Seaver

As for NBM, I rate American Sniper - Phenomenal and I urge you all to support this film