Hello! I currently write film reviews, various entertainment-related articles, and conduct interviews with talent for my website: Reel Reviews by Randall Unger (https://reelreviewsnyc.wordpress.com). Take a look and enjoy!
Favorite movies: Ghostbusters II, the Back to the Future Trilogy, Jurassic Park, Glengarry Glen Ross, Batman (1989), Memoirs of an Invisible Man, Innerspace, Cast Away, Forrest Gump, Rain Man, True Lies, The 'burbs, etc.
Favorite TV shows: Seinfeld, Breaking Bad, Perfect Strangers, Charles in Charge, The Tick (animated), Batman: The Animated Series, Freakazoid!, The Office (U.S.), Arrested Development, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Daredevil, Gotham, etc.
The LEGO company is one of the most universally recognized and loved entities on the entire planet. The popular Danish toy company started out manufacturing children’s playthings in 1949 but over the decades (especially within the last few years), LEGO has extended its well-known empire to video games and animated feature films. With DC Comics and Marvel Comics partnering up with LEGO, children have certainly been treated to fun and imaginative entertainment in recent times. Last year’s insanely popular The Lego Movie brought the successful company to new heights and their newest direct-to-video animated film Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League vs. Bizarro League continues to ride that gravy train.
American history is filled with many fascinating moments, moments that have brought out the very best and very worst of humanity. The Cold War was an interesting time in the nation’s history and the new documentary 1971 focuses on a very specific event: March 8, 1971. On this date, a small group of civilians shook things up significantly by breaking into an FBI office in Media, Pennsylvania. This act of burglary was an attempt to expose some of J. Edgar Hoover shady agency’s many, many secrets. The film is both illuminating and gripping and even though it’s a documentary, it will have you on the edge of your seat because of its truly vivid cinematic style.
Heroism is something rarely seen in people these days. To sacrifice one’s safety for a greater good is an incredible sacrifice many are unwilling to go through. War is one of those instances when one must step up to the plate and complete their mission. Soldiers know this call and answer it on many occasions. The searing new documentary Above and Beyond tells the incredible true story of a random bunch of men who jeopardized their lives to make sure a struggling nation reached their dream of independence. It is a story that highlights true courage and it is a tale many probably don’t even know about.
Boxing is a sport that often brings out the very best in athletes. It is a controlled battle between two individuals where a coveted title is concerned and the moniker “champion” is bestowed on the victor. Filipino fighting sensation Manny Pacquiao has made headlines for his pound-for-pound progression, his fierce fists, and last but certainly least, his immense heart. The new documentary Manny takes an in-depth look into the famed boxer’s life from his humble upbringing to this worldwide celebrity. It is a film that shines a light on a talented man who basically rose from rags to riches.
The premise of the aging actor falling from grace has been documented on film all too well. A once great performer who has fallen on hard times can serve as a very probing and interesting picture. This story is the basic skeleton of this lackluster drama The Humbling, a movie starring the legendary Al Pacino which has many parallels to reality. Pacino is an aging star in his own right and this film feels all too familiar. This type of story seems to be all the rage these days especially with Michael Keaton’s comeback performance in last year’s Birdman. Al Pacino’s movie here is a disappointing cinematic experience to say the least and with a depressing plot peppered with solid performances, there really isn’t much to marvel at in The Humbling.
Bruce Dern is one of cinema history’s most treasured actors. With a career spanning more than half a century, he has given the world some very random and some very offbeat performances. In 2013, his career saw new life injected into it with the bittersweet drama Nebraska and he continued to ride that gravy train with another picture, Northern Borders, a story of pain, resentment, and growing. His crusty old coot persona continues with this film and while it may not be for everyone, it is an honest performance full of many layers and varying emotions present not just in cranky seniors but in all people. Northern Borders may be a difficult film to digest but it is certainly an interesting one to watch.
War on film is almost always a surefire way to fill theater seats. Not only can the action sequences be intense and thrilling but the element of human drama is heightened in a way that can leave many breathless and wanting more. The new Clint Eastwood-directed soldier drama American Sniper is not only a powerful picture of epic proportions but it is based on a profound true story, that of United States Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, a sharpshooter with 160 confirmed kills who is considered to be the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. Talented actor Bradley Cooper portrays the legendary marksman and it is one of the actor’s most brilliant performances to date.
Independent dramas are a dime a dozen these days. Many notable actors tend to gravitate to smaller films mostly for artistic reasons. The stories are generally more interesting as is the acting skill. Since the budgets are low, up and coming writers and directors take advantage of this and use the indie film as a way to break into the entertainment business. Pretty much anyone with a camera can become a filmmaker and in some instances, this is the perfect platform for said filmmakers to strut they stuff and show exactly what they’re made of. The new drama Little Accidents is one such film and while there are some big names in the cast, the film itself isn’t exactly the greatest movie of all time.
Unfortunately, racism is something that has existed and will probably continue to exist for quite some time. Throughout history, judgment and violence against a race that is not one’s own has caused wars, crime, and pretty much the very worst of humanity. The new thriller Supremacy focuses on a white supremacist and his upward battle not only with black people but with himself. It is a harsh movie with a bleak plot and eerily realistic performances. With such intense themes of racism and paranoia, Supremacy is a film that will certainly keep you on the edge of you seat.
Obviously, death is an important topic. It is something man has dwelled on and lamented upon since the beginning of human life on Earth. Questions of why we’re here and what happens when we depart are things everyone is curious about. Film delves into the topic of death quite extensively but in the new dramedy Still Life, we get a unique perspective on death and the effects it has on loved ones. It is a movie with powerful themes, subtle beauty, and an understated and rather genius performance from British actor Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky, The World’s End). Though a smart and thoughtful film, Still Life will almost certainly fall through the cracks and into the depths of obscurity.
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