Soul Men

Director:

Malcolm D. Lee

Writers:

Robert Ramsey
Matthew Stone

Starring:

Samuel L. Jackson
Bernie Mac
Isaac Hayes
John Legend

Quote:

“I thought it was my cholesterol medicine,i swear i did.”

Soul Men is a comedy, where singer Marcus Hooks “John Legend” dies. He is made out to be someone as famous as Al Green or Smokey Robinson. Since Marcus Hooks died, they are holding a tribute or a public wake in honor of him and his accomplishments. Well his old band partners Louis Hinds “Samuel L. Jackson” and    Floyd Henderson “Bernie Mac” are called upon to come make a performance at his tribute at the Apollo Theater. Louis Hinds is working a regular old job, wants nothing to do with the lime light again and is trying to stay underneath the radar of the media. While Floyd Henderson is running a successful car wash business living a modest life. Bernie Mac goes on a journey to confront Samuel Jackson on doing the performance with him which where he will split a performance sum of forty thousand dollars if he will just participate with him. Louis Hindes finally breaks down and agrees to go with him to do a final performance in honor of their long lost friend, who left their band in the dust by going solo.

So they take a road trip across America to try to familiarize themselves with performing on stage together as a group again. To get back in the swing of things. They run in to a couple of problems and try to settle their long lasting differences between each other in time for the tribute performance. It is a funny comedy with its jokes and slapstick. I wouldn’t say the best comedy I have seen, mediocre at best, sorry to say.

Also it is great to see Bernie Mac in his last and final performance on the big screen or anywhere. Unfortunately, Issac Hayes died also after making this film as well. Turns out to be a double tragedy , losing a great comedic actor and stand up comedian Bernie Mac. Likewise, Issac Hayes a great composer of the music, his work done in the such movies as “Shaft” along with other films and actor as well.

This movie will give you a laugh and a chuckle . A great movie? I wouldnt say  that exactly . Although worth seeing , just to see Bernie Mac and Issac Hayes one last time on screen. We will miss you .

Slumdog Millionaire

Directors:

Danny Boyle
Loveleen Tandan

Writer:

Simon Beaufoy

Starring:

Dev Patel
Freida Pinto
Anil Kapoor
Irfan Khan
Faezeh Jalali

Quote:

What is the name of the third Musketeer?

Slumdog Millionaire is a movie about a poor boy, Jamal Malik “Dev Patel” an orphan, that is a contestant on India’s “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?” . He is being questioned by police for cheating on the show, because they cannot believe that a poor street kid could be capable of winning the show. After countless contestants of people of all types from doctors, lawyers,and professors, what makes Jamal so special to get this far into the show. He is interrogated by the police about each and every question that was asked of him. Jamal tells the police about his life and all the experiences that makes it possible, for him to know the answers to all the questions that he was faced with. In this film they show scene after scene of how Jamal and his friends, did what had to do to survive on the streets in India. It puts you in all three of the kids shoes, as you experience their life of hardship so up close and personal. That you cannot help but be brought in to the world that they lived. In any case, he makes it all the way to one last question, with one goal in mind, to win the game for 20 million rupees and hopefully get his friend Latika “Freida Pinto” by his side forever in a relationship that he has desired almost his whole life. The movie left me with the question, “Does destiny really control us all, but only some people only choose to acknowledge it?”

Slumdog Millionare is an amazing film that everyone should try to see. Its photography of beautiful landscapes and landmarks of India, set the scene so perfectly that; it does not appear that a bit of Hollywood even exists in the film. Also, the Indian Techno music that gets your heart pumping and into the action of the movie. Along with the great acting that makes the movie all to real, you are brought straight into Jamal’s life, with his friends and enemies. I highly recommend it and it was more than I could have ever have expected it to ever be.

Director:

Guy Ritchie

Writers:

Guy Ritchie

Starring:

Tom Hardy
Thandie Newton
Jeremy Piven
Gerard Butler
Tom Wilkinson
Idris Elba
Chris Bridges

Quote:

“I’ve been robbed!”

RocknRolla the newest film by Guy Ritchie is the first of a hopeful trilogy if it is popular the first time around. Guy Ritchie has brought us such great films as Lock,Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. This turns out to be a nice surprise for a new film series as the characters are very interesting and well thought out thug bunch. The movie is set in London with its mob and organized crime scene , a group of Russian mobsters is trying to make millions in the real estate market with the help of an old British mobster Lennie Cole “Tom Wilinkson” to help push along the paper work to start the a huge building development moving forward with construction. As a sign of trust and good intentions Uri the leader of the Russian hard nosed mobsters “Karl Roden” ,loans Lennie Cole his favorite painting to bring him luck in this new Business deal between them. Then in steps the accountant “Thandie Newton” the trusted accountant of the Russian mob. She takes this as the perfect opportunity to make her move financially with some known associates the “Wild Bunch” to make a pretty penny while interfering with this payoff transaction after receiving the trust of Uri and needed information.

The rocker Jonny Quid plays an interesting twist to film . Jonny Quid is your all popular, take no crap, rock n roll star that is faking his death just to keep out of sight just to gain some piece of mind. Causing problems for Lennie Cole that he never wanted in the first place. But it turns out Jonny Quid can handle himself and ends out on top.

The dialogue, humor and plot are well written just like in his other films but, Guy Ritchie does a great job setting this film up for the first of his new found trilogy.If you didn’t like his other past films this isnt the movie for you. Setup similarly to other films like ” Pulp Fiction” and “Kill Bill” , I cant wait to see the next film “The Real RocknRolla”. The third film in the trilogy will be titled “RocknRoll Suicide”. The plot is twisted up all through the film leading from point of view to point of view showing how all these groups are brought together in one well thought out plot. Yes Guy Ritchie film “RocknRolla” is entertaining, full of action, interweaving plots,and also a film that is worth seeing that leaves you wanting the next film to come out soon.