Coming Attractions- The Alto Knights

 

Director- Barry Levinson

Release Date- March 21, 2025

Robert De Niro playing dual roles is more than enough for me. You could say De Niro is more streaky in the later stages of his career, but there’s no denying the man is still capable of delivering great performances. Whether it’s Goodfellas, Casino, The Godfather Part II, The Irishman, and other movies, De Niro is always at his best in gangster biopics and crime dramas. 

I’m also interested to see Cosmo Jarvis’ performance as Vincent “Chin” Gigante. Vincent D’ Onofrio sets the bar pretty high on Godfather Of Harlem. I know it’s a TV series, so D’Onofrio has more time and breathing room to portray a detailed and fleshed out version of Gigante, but D’Onofrio is always the first person, who pops into my head, when I think of Gigante.

Analyze That (2002)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals, surprises, or twists.**

Following the events of Analyze This, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is stuck in Sing Sing prison. Paranoia overwhelms Paul after a series of failed executions at Sing Sing, so Paul fakes insanity for protection. Paul selects random songs from West Side Story for crazed performances to secure an isolated spot inside the padded walls, but West Side Story is an unstable safety net.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) is still grieving after the death of his father, Isaac. Ben is trying to move on, so he can enjoy a peaceful life with his wife, Laura (Lisa Kudrow) and his son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy). But Paul throws another hurdle into Ben’s shaky situation.

Ben visits Sing Sing for a personal evaluation to prove the legitimacy of Paul’s condition, and the FBI forces Ben into a non-negotiable deal after the visist: The FBI will release Paul into Ben’s custody under house arrest rules, with the promise of daily therapy sessions. Paul has to stay out of trouble, and he needs to reform himself as a respectable citizen, and Dr. Sobel’s time is running out before Paul’s hearing with the parole board.

Paul’s fresh start as an ordinary working man? It’s a disastrous failure, but Paul receives one last chance from a producer/director named Raoul Berman (Reg Rogers). Berman hires Paul, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), and other members of Paul’s crew as official consultants for his show. Berman wants to add some authenticity to his mafia themed TV show named “Little Caesar,” so Paul directs traffic for his crew to offer some advice. To add to his list of duties, Paul is the personal coach for Anthony Bella (Anthony LaPaglia), the star of the show, who leads the way in the leading role as Nicky Caesar.

But a wave of trouble from his old lifestyle complicates Paul’s new mission and his job. Lou “The Wrench” Rigazzi (Frank Gio) is a feared and respected mob boss, and he’s stuck in a feud with his rival Patti LoPresti (Cathy Moriarty). Paul is stuck in the middle of the Rigazzi/LoPresti feud. To make matters worse, Rigazzi is keeping a close eye on Paul’s every move, and Patti gives Eddie DeVol (Raymond Franza), a high-ranking enforcer in Patti’s crew, strict orders to murder Paul, if he accepts any offers from Rigazzi.

Paul is trying to keep a low-profile after his surprise retirement from the mafia, but Dr. Sobel suspects something fishy. With some help from his crew, and Eddie (at Patti’s request), Paul secretly plans a lucrative and risky heist for one last score. Paul is walking on thin ice with four sets of watchful eyes tracking his every move, but a persistent Dr. Sobel follows Paul, his crew, and Eddie during a meeting for more answers. Dr. Sobel is willing to risk everything to save Paul (again), but a startling discovery complicates Ben‘s mission……

Crystal and De Niro? They’re still sharp in the sequel, as the odd couple duo, but Ben is kind of annoying this time around. Throughout the movie, Ben is still “grieving” over his father’s death, because it’s a “process.” Ben’s constant panic attacks/outbursts feel tiresome after thirty minutes. And Ben’s revelation during the finale is my pick for Analyze That’s worst eye rolling moment, because the reasons for Ben’s confession are too obvious (the constant foreshadowing gives everything away), so it’s hard to buy into the surprise for Ben’s moment.

Lisa Kudrow, Kyle Sabihy, Pat Cooper (Masiello), and Joe Viterelli return as familiar faces from the original. No major changes for their characters (Michael takes a job as Paul’s driver, but his screen time is limited to sporadic appearances), but the returning group delivers a few good laughs. Although, it’s a bittersweet return for Joe Viterelli, because Analyze That is Viterelli’s last film role before his death.

Reg Rogers is an easy pick for a standout on the list of new additions to the cast, as the pretentious and whacky director, and Frank Gio only appears in three scenes here. Moriarty has a few entertaining moments as the tough businesswoman, who won’t back down, and the sight of De Niro and Moriarty provides a cool nostalgia kick. Remember, Moriarty portrayed Robert De Niro’s wife (Vikki LaMotta) in Raging Bull.

With all my complaints, it’s hard to ignore the facts: Crystal and De Niro still work as a team here. Yeah, they’re not perfect, but the troubled mobster and the panicky psychiatrist shtick is good for a handful of laughs the second time around, and Rogers is hilarious.

Everything else? Oy vey. A few cringeworthy attempts at humor include Paul’s “limp sword” dream, and the dinner scene at a sushi restaurant. Ben is taking medication for his panic attacks, but he pops one too many pills before dinner. Well, the overdose causes numbness in Ben’s tongue and his mouth, so Ben can’t chew any food, or drink any liquids. It’s a horribly unfunny series of events, because food’s flying out of his mouth, and Ben is spitting everywhere. And the West Side Story stuff almost gave me a headache.

The story is a jumbled mess. At first, Paul’s trying to avoid certain death after a few assassination attempts, and we’re lead to believe Paul is on a mission to find the identity of his attacker(s). But the story takes another unexpected turn, when Paul tries to adjust to the real world as a working man. After that, the story takes another turn towards a different storyline with Paul and his buddies helping out on the set of Little Caesar. AND on top of that, Analzye That opens another door with Paul’s plan for a heist. Oh, and Paul is caught in the middle during the blood feud between The Rigazzi crew and Patti’s crew.

After Paul’s release from Sing Sing, Analyze That devolves into a carbon copy of the first film. Paul is the tough mobster, who’s trying to move on, and Ben is the wimpy sidekick during Paul’s adventures. Remember the trick with a daydreaming Ben yelling at or tearing into someone, who annoys him for various reasons? Well, you’ll see that trick again here during Ben’s opening scene at his father’s funeral. The first time around, Ben daydreaming was something unique. In the sequel, it’s not funny, because you get the feeling they’re rehashing the same old tricks all over again for “Remember this?” reactions. 

Robert De Niro’s kooky loon act had some potential, but Analyze That can’t measure up to the original. It’s a disappointing sequel that’s short on laughs, and they pulled a page out of Danny Ocean’s playbook for the overly complex heist scene at the end. Don’t get your hopes up too high for this one, because Analyze That is another forgettable and unnecessary sequel. And to add insult to injury, the closing gag reel trumps the actual film for genuinely funny and consistent laughs.

Rating: 4/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze That (2002)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Following the events of Analyze This, Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) is stuck in Sing Sing prison. Paranoia overwhelms Paul after a series of failed executions at Sing Sing, so Paul fakes insanity for protection. Paul selects random songs from West Side Story for crazed performances to secure an isolated spot inside the padded walls, but West Side Story is an unstable safety net.

Meanwhile, Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) is still grieving after the death of his father, Isaac. Ben is trying to move on, so he can enjoy a peaceful life with his wife, Laura (Lisa Kudrow) and his son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy). But Paul throws another hurdle into Ben’s shaky situation.

Ben visits Sing Sing for a personal evaluation to prove the legitimacy of Paul’s condition, and the FBI forces Ben into a non-negotiable deal after the visist: The FBI will release Paul into Ben’s custody under house arrest rules, with the promise of daily therapy sessions. Paul has to stay out of trouble, and he needs to reform himself as a respectable citizen, and Dr. Sobel’s time is running out before Paul’s hearing with the parole board.

Paul’s fresh start as an ordinary working man? It’s a disastrous failure, but Paul receives one last chance from a producer/director named Raoul Berman (Reg Rogers). Berman hires Paul, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), and other members of Paul’s crew as official consultants for his show. Berman wants to add some authenticity to his mafia themed TV show named “Little Caesar,” so Paul directs traffic for his crew to offer some advice. To add to his list of duties, Paul is the personal coach for Anthony Bella (Anthony LaPaglia), the star of the show, who leads the way in the leading role as Nicky Caesar.

But a wave of trouble from his old lifestyle complicates Paul’s new mission and his job. Lou “The Wrench” Rigazzi (Frank Gio) is a feared and respected mob boss, and he’s stuck in a feud with his rival Patti LoPresti (Cathy Moriarty). Paul is stuck in the middle of the Rigazzi/LoPresti feud. To make matters worse, Rigazzi is keeping a close eye on Paul’s every move, and Patti gives Eddie DeVol (Raymond Franza), a high-ranking enforcer in Patti’s crew, strict orders to murder Paul, if he accepts any offers from Rigazzi.

Paul is trying to keep a low-profile after his surprise retirement from the mafia, but Dr. Sobel suspects something fishy. With some help from his crew, and Eddie (at Patti’s request), Paul secretly plans a lucrative and risky heist for one last score. Paul is walking on thin ice with four sets of watchful eyes tracking his every move, but a persistent Dr. Sobel follows Paul, his crew, and Eddie during a meeting for more answers. Dr. Sobel is willing to risk everything to save Paul (again), but a startling discovery complicates Ben‘s mission……

Crystal and De Niro? They’re still sharp in the sequel, as the odd couple duo, but Ben is kind of annoying this time around. Throughout the movie, Ben is still “grieving” over his father’s death, because it’s a “process.” Ben’s constant panic attacks/outbursts feel tiresome after thirty minutes. And Ben’s revelation (more on that later) during the finale is my pick for Analyze That’s worst eye rolling moment, because the reasons for Ben’s confession are too obvious (the constant foreshadowing gives everything away), so it’s hard to buy into the surprise for Ben’s moment.

Lisa Kudrow, Kyle Sabihy, Pat Cooper (Masiello), and Joe Viterelli return as familiar faces from the original. No major changes for their characters (Michael takes a job as Paul’s driver, but his screen time is limited to sporadic appearances), but the returning group delivers a few good laughs. Although, it’s a bittersweet return for Joe Viterelli, because Analyze That is Viterelli’s last film role before his death.

Reg Rogers is an easy pick for a standout on the list of new additions to the cast, as the pretentious and whacky director, and Frank Gio only appears in three scenes here. Moriarty has a few entertaining moments as the tough businesswoman, who won’t back down, and the sight of De Niro and Moriarty provides a cool nostalgia kick. Remember, Moriarty portrayed Robert De Niro’s wife (Vikki LaMotta) in Raging Bull.

Paul’s big plan? He’s going to orchestrate a complex and risky robbery. The prize? A federal gold truck. Paul, Eddie, and his team successfully capture the truck, the guards, and the driver (with some help from a magnetic crane). Both crews load a select number of gold bars into a city bus (they’re using the bus as a decoy to hide the gold bars underneath the floor), but Eddie double crosses Paul and his crew. Here, it’s revealed Eddie is working for The Wrench to betray Patti, but Eddie has plans to betray The Wrench, because he only cares about himself.

Ben turns the tables on Eddie with a hard punch, Paul’s crew regains control, and Paul uses a live scene from Berman’s show (the city bus squeezes into a line of moving cars) to escape. Paul’s crew plants the gold bars inside a Rigazzi plumbing truck, and after an anonymous tip, The Wrench and other members of his crew suffer the consequences with a series of arrests. To end the movie, Paul, Jelly, and Ben say their good-byes together with a group performance, inspired by another song from West Side Story.

The corny moment before Eddie reveals himself as a traitor? Well, Ben finally opens up to Paul about the source for his recent troubles with depression and grieving: Ben is upset, because he never had a good relationship with his father. It didn’t matter. No matter how hard he tried, Ben was never good enough for Isaac. Of course, when Ben bursts into tears about a troubled relationship with his father, Paul joins him in another sobbing moment (Ben had a troubled relationship with his father in the original).

Why? Why do we need a need a complex heist scene in a goofy mafia comedy? Smoke grenades, a magnetic crane, and a machine to load the gold bars into a secret compartment on the city bus? Seriously? Sorry, I know a lot of people will say I’m a stick in the mud for this, but if I want to see a movie featuring preposterous and overly complex heists, I’ll rent Ocean’s Thirteen, Twelve, or Eleven.

Remember Paul’s breakdown for his father at the end of Analyze This? It’s a serious moment, with De Niro selling the heartbreak, and Crystal providing a shoulder to lean on. Analyze That? Crystal’s obnoxious hysteria kills any chances for laughs, or a feel good sentimental moment between two friends. Yeah, I get the whole point of an ironic moment with Ben grieving over his father‘s death after a strained relationship, because Paul had the same problems in the original, but Crystal’s “I CAN’T HELP IT!!!!” act is annoying.

With all my complaints, it’s hard to ignore the facts: Crystal and De Niro still work as a team here. Yeah, they’re not perfect, but the troubled mobster and the panicky psychiatrist shtick is good for a handful of laughs the second time around, and Rogers is hilarious.

Everything else? Oy vey. A few cringeworthy attempts at humor include Paul’s “limp sword” dream, and the dinner scene at a sushi restaurant. Ben is taking medication for his panic attacks, but he pops one too many pills before dinner. Well, the overdose causes numbness in Ben’s tongue and his mouth, so Ben can’t chew any food, or drink any liquids. It’s a horribly unfunny series of events, because food’s flying out of his mouth, and Ben is spitting everywhere. And the West Side Story stuff almost gave me a headache.

The story is a jumbled mess. At first, Paul’s trying to avoid certain death after a few assassination attempts, and we’re lead to believe Paul is on a mission to find the identity of his attacker(s). But the story takes another unexpected turn, when Paul tries to adjust to the real world as a working man. After that, the story takes another turn towards a different storyline with Paul and his buddies helping out on the set of Little Caesar. AND on top of that, Analzye That opens another door with Paul’s plan for a heist. Oh, and Paul is caught in the middle during the blood feud between The Rigazzi crew and Patti’s crew.

After Paul’s release from Sing Sing, Analyze That devolves into a carbon copy of the first film. Paul is the tough mobster, who’s trying to move on, and Ben is the wimpy sidekick during Paul’s adventures. Remember the trick with a daydreaming Ben yelling at or tearing into someone, who annoys him for various reasons? Well, you’ll see that trick again here during Ben’s opening scene at his father’s funeral. The first time around, Ben daydreaming was something unique. In the sequel, it’s not funny, because you get the feeling they’re rehashing the same old tricks all over again for “Remember this?” reactions. 

Robert De Niro’s kooky loon act had some potential, but Analyze That can’t measure up to the original. It’s a disappointing sequel that’s short on laughs, and they pulled a page out of Danny Ocean’s playbook for the overly complex heist scene at the end. Don’t get your hopes up too high for this one, because Analyze That is another forgettable and unnecessary sequel. And to add insult to injury, the closing gag reel trumps the actual film for genuinely funny and consistent laughs.

Rating: 4/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze This (1999)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals, or major character deaths**

Feared mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) needs a shoulder to lean on. Paul’s longtime best friend and advisor, Dominic Manetta (Joseph Rigano) is the victim of a drive by shooting. Paul suffers a series of uncontrollable panic attacks and breakdowns after Dominic’s death. Under Paul’s orders, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), Paul’s right hand man, forces a psychiatrist named Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) to accept Paul as his new patient after a fender-bender.

Dr. Sobel hits a few bumps in the road during Paul’s awkward and unplanned sessions. Meanwhile, Dr. Sobel is trying to balance a series of problems in his life. Ben’s trying to fix a strained relationship with his father, Dr. Isaac Sobel (Bill Macy), and his mother, Dorothy (Rebecca Schull), because Isaac chooses a book signing for his new release over Ben‘s wedding. On top of that, Ben’s anxious fiance Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) is nervous about the wedding, and her relationship with Ben’s son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy).

Members of Paul’s mob family, including Salvatore Masiello (Pat Cooper), voice their concerns for Paul‘s image and his relationship with Dr. Sobel. Paul is still an emotional train wreck, but he’ll have to pull himself together for a once in a lifetime meeting with every mafia family in the US. Paul’s rival, Primo Sidone (Chazz Palminteri) organizes the meeting. Primo has plans to become the king of organized crime, and a bitter Primo is determined to murder Paul before the meeting.

Dr. Sobel tries to balance problems with his upcoming wedding, and Paul relives the tragic circumstances surrounding his father’s death. But FBI agents complicate Dr. Sobel’s relationship with Paul. The FBI convinces Dr. Sobel to wear a wire with a doctored tape recording, and to add to his growing list of problems, a traitor within Paul’s crew leaks Paul’s location to Primo Sidone during a special dinner one night……

Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal share good chemistry together, as the bickering odd couple. De Niro delivers an entertaining parody performance, as the tough and manly mobster. The routine feels tiresome towards the end, but De Niro’s “sobbing broken man” act is good for a few cheap laughs. Billy Crystal is a nice fit for the uptight and nerdy psychiatrist, and Crystal‘s random outbursts are hilarious. There’s a scene at the beginning with Ben and one of his patients. Ben is tired of Caroline’s (Molly Shannon) non-stop whining. In his mind, Ben imagines himself yelling at Caroline with no mercy to deliver a “tough love” approach.

Palminteri’s screen time is limited to sporadic appearances, but he’s believable as the slimy antagonist with a mean streak. Joe Viterelli provides consistent laughs, as the dedicated and pushy sidekick, and Lisa Kudrow is decent enough as the whiny and nagging fiance. And if you’re wondering, Molly Shannon  appears in the one scene with Crystal at the beginning, and that’s it. Seriously, what happened to Molly Shannon? Anyone remember Mary Katherine Gallagher (or “Superstar!”)?

The reoccurring routine to pull some laughs out of the audience with the irony of a sobbing Alpha Male (De Niro) feels stale towards the end, but I enjoyed Analyze This overall. It’s a consistently funny mob comedy, with Crystal and De Niro forming a memorable duo to produce 90% of the laughs here. It’s a story about the hotheaded mobster, with a soft side, his unlikely support system (Dr. Sobel), and their adventures together during a series of bizarre mishaps. Analyze This is a rare gem from the modern days of Robert De Niro’s career, and if you’re a fan of his career, Analyze This is worth a try.

Rating: 7/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Analyze This (1999)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Feared mob boss Paul Vitti (Robert De Niro) needs a shoulder to lean on. Paul’s longtime best friend and advisor, Dominic Manetta (Joseph Rigano) is the victim of a drive by shooting. Paul suffers a series of uncontrollable panic attacks and breakdowns after Dominic’s death. Under Paul’s orders, Jelly (Joe Viterelli), Paul’s right hand man, forces a psychiatrist named Dr. Ben Sobel (Billy Crystal) to accept Paul as his new patient after a fender-bender.

Dr. Sobel hits a few bumps in the road during Paul’s awkward and unplanned sessions. Meanwhile, Dr. Sobel is trying to balance a series of problems in his life. Ben’s trying to fix a strained relationship with his father, Dr. Isaac Sobel (Bill Macy), and his mother, Dorothy (Rebecca Schull), because Isaac chooses a book signing for his new release over Ben‘s wedding. On top of that, Ben’s anxious fiance Laura MacNamara (Lisa Kudrow) is nervous about the wedding, and her relationship with Ben’s son, Michael (Kyle Sabihy).

Members of Paul’s mob family, including Salvatore Masiello (Pat Cooper), voice their concerns for Paul‘s image and his relationship with Dr. Sobel. Paul is still an emotional train wreck, but he’ll have to pull himself together for a once in a lifetime meeting with every mafia family in the US. Paul’s rival, Primo Sidone (Chazz Palminteri) organizes the meeting. Primo has plans to become the king of organized crime, and a bitter Primo is determined to murder Paul before the meeting.

Dr. Sobel tries to balance problems with his upcoming wedding, and Paul relives the tragic circumstances surrounding his father’s death. But FBI agents complicate Dr. Sobel’s relationship with Paul. The FBI convinces Dr. Sobel to wear a wire with a doctored tape recording, and to add to his growing list of problems, a traitor within Paul’s crew leaks Paul’s location to Primo Sidone during a special dinner one night……

Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal share good chemistry together, as the bickering odd couple. De Niro delivers an entertaining parody performance, as the tough and manly mobster. The routine feels tiresome towards the end, but De Niro’s “sobbing broken man” act is good for a few cheap laughs. Billy Crystal is a nice fit for the uptight and nerdy psychiatrist, and Crystal‘s random outbursts are hilarious. There’s a scene at the beginning with Ben and one of his patients. Ben is tired of Caroline’s (Molly Shannon) non-stop whining. In his mind, Ben imagines himself yelling at Caroline with no mercy to deliver a “tough love” approach.

Palminteri’s screen time is limited to sporadic appearances, but he’s believable as the slimy antagonist with a mean streak. Joe Viterelli provides consistent laughs, as the dedicated and pushy sidekick, and Lisa Kudrow is decent enough as the whiny and nagging fiance. And if you’re wondering, Molly Shannon  appears in the one scene with Crystal at the beginning, and that’s it. Seriously, what happened to Molly Shannon? Anyone remember Mary Katherine Gallagher (or “Superstar!”)?

Who’s the traitor in Paul‘s crew? It’s Carlo Mangano (Leo Rossi), and Carlo is the informant for Primo. Why? With Paul dead, Carlo is free to take over as boss with Primo’s support. But Paul has a breakthrough with Dr. Sobel after a misunderstanding one night. Long story short, Paul was seconds away from pulling the trigger to execute Ben, because Paul was convinced Ben helped the FBI with secret inside information. And Dr. Sobel agreed to wear a wire, because the FBI tampered with a recording of Paul’s voice. In the FBI’s version of the tape recording, Paul announces his plans to kill Ben for his betrayal. Unbeknownst  to Paul, Ben removed the FBI’s recording device at the restaurant.

Anyway, Dr. Sobel pushes Paul to reveal the truth (Paul lied about his father’s death to Ben) behind his father’s death. Apparently, Paul (as a child) noticed something strange (nice dress pants on a busboy/hitman) on the night of his father’s assassination. But Paul was angry at his father, so he never spoke up to warn him. Paul’s father was murdered, and Paul is upset, because he never had a chance to say good-bye.

At the meeting, Paul unceremoniously retires, and he reveals Carlo as the traitor. An enraged Primo (with Carlo’s help) confronts Paul outside. Paul tries to walk away, but Primo’s cowardly act (he tried to shoot Paul after he turned his back) sparks a big shoot out. The FBI intervenes to break up the mess, and Ben accidentally saves Paul’s life (Ben took a bullet in the chest for Paul). To end the movie, Ben visits Paul in jail, and Primo is dead after a successful assassination attempt.

It’s a safe finale, but there’s nothing wrong with that. In the end, Paul finds peace, with some jail time as a small price to pay, Primo’s demise is well deserved, and Paul pulled some strings for a personal and live performance from Tony Bennett (Ben is a big fan of Tony Bennett) for Dr. Sobel and Laura. Everyone goes home (with exception of Paul) with a happy handing, and Dr. Sobel returns to a more peaceful life.

The reoccurring routine to pull some laughs out of the audience with the irony of a sobbing Alpha Male (De Niro) feels stale towards the end, but I enjoyed Analyze This overall. It’s a consistently funny mob comedy, with Crystal and De Niro forming a memorable duo to produce 90% of the laughs here. It’s a story about the hotheaded mobster, with a soft side, his unlikely support system (Dr. Sobel), and their adventures together during a series of bizarre mishaps. Analyze This is a rare gem from the modern days of Robert De Niro’s career, and if you’re a fan of his career, Analyze This is worth a try.

Rating: 7/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Grudge Match (2013)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers. No major reveals or twists**

In the 1980‘s, two bitter boxing rivals go their separate ways after a series of fights. Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro) and Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) are locked in a tie after Henry defeats McDonnen in the rematch to even the score, but Sharp suddenly retires before the highly anticipated grudge match.

Thirty years later, McDonnen is the owner of a popular bar and restaurant, and McDonnen also owns a car lot. Sharp is working a job at a shipyard, and he’s running out of money and options to take care of his elderly trainer, Louis “Lighting” Conlon (Alan Arkin).

Sharp is stuck in a dead end life until a promoter named Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin Hart) approaches him with a tempting offer. If Sharp participates in a motion capture session for a new boxing video game featuring himself and McDonnen, Sharp will earn a $15, 000 paycheck. But Sharp loses his cool, when McDonnen crashes the session to antagonize him. A video of the brawl between McDonnen and Sharp goes viral on YouTube, and Dante plans a grudge match. McDonnen accepts, because he’s eager to prove his one loss to Sharp was a fluke, but Sharp has no interest in a third match.

Sharp is dead-set on avoiding McDonnen for the rest of his life, but the reemergence of Sharp’s ex-girlfriend changes everything. Sally (Kim Basinger) stirs up some old feelings in Sharp, and Sharp takes some time to reconsider the fight with McDonnen.

Sharp is without a job, and the $15, 000 won’t last long, so he agrees to fight McDonnen in the highly anticipated rematch. Lighting trains Sharp, and McDonnen’s estranged son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal) trains and bonds with his father, so they can make up for years of lost time. Dante dubs the rematch between McDonnen and Sharp as “Grudgement Day,” but the lifelong rivals endure a series of setbacks on the road to the big fight.

Stallone and De Niro share excellent chemistry, as a pair of heated rivals. It’s a rivalry between the humble blue-collar worker (Stallone), who wants to put the past behind him, and the pompous jerk (De Niro) with a big ego, who refuses to move on. Stallone and De Niro deliver a pair of enjoyable performances in Grudge Match, and both men bring out the best in each other, when they’re sharing the screen together.

Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin provide some good comic relief. Arkin is the grizzled boxing trainer, with a combative sense of humor, as the crabby old man. Hart is the loudmouth and obnoxious promoter, and he’s caught up in this fantasy world, as a delusional big shot. Hart and Arkin take second place (Stallone and De Niro are still number one) for feuding duos in Grudge Match, and you’ll see a pair of solid performances from Basinger and Bernthal. And LL Cool J has a role as Frankie here. Frankie is this flashy and egotistical trainer, who  allows McDonnen to train at his popular gym. LL is a believable jerk, and Frankie has a few funny moments with McDonnen during some “low blow” scenes.

Rocky VS Jake LaMotta (or “The Raging Bull”)? Yeah, it’s almost impossible to ignore the connections. De Niro’s portrayal of Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s timeless classic Raging Bull is one of De Niro’s more famous roles, and he earned a Best Actor Oscar for his performance. And we all know Stallone’s history with Rocky. I’ll tell you this, if you’re expecting some kind of epic boxing match between The Bull and The Italian Stallion in Grudge Match, you should probably watch another boxing film, because this one is not for you.

For the people complaining about the believability and choreography in the final fight between De Niro and Stallone, I have one question: What were you expecting? Sylvester Stallone is sixty-seven years old, and De Niro is seventy. You can’t expect a believable five star classic boxing match, with both men throwing haymakers at each other round after round. It’s not 1980 (the release year for Raging Bull), and Stallone is not shredded from head to toe during his more brutal fights with Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago. Stallone said it best as Razor during a scene with Kim Basinger. Sally is begging Razor to back out of the fight, because Razor and Kid are too old and beat up to deliver a quality fight. Razor’s response for effort and the quality of the fight? “It’s the best we’ve got.”

Some will say Grudge Match is too corny, predictable, sappy, and clichéd to enjoy, but I loved every second of this one. Grudge Match should provide tingly feelings of nostalgia for devout De Niro and Stallone fans, because the veterans bring their A-games here. It’s a nice trip down memory lane, featuring some good consistent laughs, and Rocky fans should catch the meat locker wink (just pay close attention to the trailers. It’s not hard to miss it).

If you over-analyze Grudge Match, you'll hate this film. But if you take the time to have some fun without nitpicking every little detail, you’ll enjoy Grudge Match as a nostalgic treat, with two legends squaring off in a once in a lifetime match to remember.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Grudge Match (2013)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**


In the 1980‘s, two bitter boxing rivals go their separate ways after a series of fights. Billy “The Kid” McDonnen (Robert De Niro) and Henry “Razor” Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) are locked in a tie after Henry defeats McDonnen in the rematch to even the score, but Sharp suddenly retires before the highly anticipated grudge match.

Thirty years later, McDonnen is the owner of a popular bar and restaurant, and McDonnen also owns a car lot. Sharp is working a job at a shipyard, and he’s running out of money and options to take care of his elderly trainer, Louis “Lighting” Conlon (Alan Arkin).

Sharp is stuck in a dead end life until a promoter named Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin Hart) approaches him with a tempting offer. If Sharp participates in a motion capture session for a new boxing video game featuring himself and McDonnen, Sharp will earn a $15, 000 paycheck. But Sharp loses his cool, when McDonnen crashes the session to antagonize him. A video of the brawl between McDonnen and Sharp goes viral on YouTube, and Dante plans a grudge match. McDonnen accepts, because he’s eager to prove his one loss to Sharp was a fluke, but Sharp has no interest in a third match.

Sharp is dead-set on avoiding McDonnen for the rest of his life, but the reemergence of Sharp’s ex-girlfriend changes everything. Sally (Kim Basinger) stirs up some old feelings in Sharp, and Sharp takes some time to reconsider the fight with McDonnen.

Sharp is without a job, and the $15, 000 won’t last long, so he agrees to fight McDonnen in the highly anticipated rematch. Lighting trains Sharp, and McDonnen’s estranged son, B.J. (Jon Bernthal) trains and bonds with his father, so they can make up for years of lost time. Dante dubs the rematch between McDonnen and Sharp as “Grudgement Day,” but the lifelong rivals endure a series of setbacks on the road to the big fight.

Stallone and De Niro share excellent chemistry, as a pair of heated rivals. It’s a rivalry between the humble blue-collar worker (Stallone), who wants to put the past behind him, and the pompous jerk (De Niro) with a big ego, who refuses to move on. Stallone and De Niro deliver a pair of enjoyable performances in Grudge Match, and both men bring out the best in each other, when they’re sharing the screen together.

Kevin Hart and Alan Arkin provide some good comic relief. Arkin is the grizzled boxing trainer, with a combative sense of humor, as the crabby old man. Hart is the loudmouth and obnoxious promoter, and he’s caught up in this fantasy world, as a delusional big shot. Hart and Arkin take second place (Stallone and De Niro are still number one) for feuding duos in Grudge Match, and you’ll see a pair of solid performances from Basinger and Bernthal. And LL Cool J has a role as Frankie here. Frankie is this flashy and egotistical trainer, who  allows McDonnen to train at his popular gym. LL is a believable jerk, and Frankie has a few funny moments with McDonnen during some “low blow” scenes.

Why does Razor hate McDonnen so much? Remember Sally? Well, Sally thought Razor was cheating on her after she spotted him with another woman years ago. So Sally wanted revenge, and she used McDonnen to stick it to Razor. That’s right. Sally slept with Kid, and B.J. is Kid’s son, but Sally shielded B.J. from McDonnen to protect him from a bad influence.

Keep in my mind, all this happened in the 80’s after the second fight between Razor and Kid. So a devastated Razor retired out of nowhere, robbing Kid of his precious rematch, because Razor knew boxing was everything to Kid. Kid stole Razor’s number one love in life, so Razor returned the favor by retiring, and refusing to participate in a rematch, and for years, Razor held a grudge against Sally.

Okay, so now we know why Razor and Kid hate each other so much. Who wins the fight? Well, it wasn’t easy, but Razor gutted it out to defeat Kid in a nasty slugfest. Kid targeted Razor’s main weakness (blindness from Razor’s left eye), but humility got the best of Kid in the end. Kid and Razor show  sportsmanship towards each other during the final stages of the fight. Kid helps Razor to his feet, and Razor helps Kid to his feet to break the separate ten counts. In the end, Razor enjoys his victory by celebrating with Sally and Lighting. In the losing corner, a more humble Kid celebrates with B.J. and his grandson.

Yeah, you could see Kid’s change of heart coming from a mile away, but I still enjoyed the moment of two old rivals burying the hatchet. It’s a feel good sequence, when Kid and Razor help each other stand up towards the end of the fight, because both men had to settle the score once and for all, and they refused to quit on each other. Also, you should stick around for a couple of hilarious post credit scenes. The first one shows Razor, Dante, and Lighting sitting around together, and they’re watching Kid compete on Dancing With The Stars, while Dante is (unknowingly) soaking his feet in horse urine as a suggestion from Lighting. The second post credit scene shows Dante with Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield, and Dante is trying to close a deal for a grudge match between both men. Good stuff.

Rocky VS Jake LaMotta (or “The Raging Bull”)? Yeah, it’s almost impossible to ignore the connections. De Niro’s portrayal of Jake LaMotta in Martin Scorsese’s timeless classic Raging Bull is one of De Niro’s more famous roles, and he earned a Best Actor Oscar for his performance. And we all know Stallone’s history with Rocky. I’ll tell you this, if you’re expecting some kind of epic boxing match between The Bull and The Italian Stallion in Grudge Match, you should probably watch another boxing film, because this one is not for you.

For the people complaining about the believability and choreography in the final fight between De Niro and Stallone, I have one question: What were you expecting? Sylvester Stallone is sixty-seven years old, and De Niro is seventy. You can’t expect a believable five star classic boxing match, with both men throwing haymakers at each other round after round. It’s not 1980 (the release year for Raging Bull), and Stallone is not shredded from head to toe during his more brutal fights with Clubber Lang and Ivan Drago. Stallone said it best as Razor during a scene with Kim Basinger. Sally is begging Razor to back out of the fight, because Razor and Kid are too old and beat up to deliver a quality fight. Razor’s response for effort and the quality of the fight? “It’s the best we’ve got.”

Some will say Grudge Match is too corny, predictable, sappy, and clichéd to enjoy, but I loved every second of this one. Grudge Match should provide tingly feelings of nostalgia for devout De Niro and Stallone fans, because the veterans bring their A-games here. It’s a nice trip down memory lane, featuring some good consistent laughs, and Rocky fans should catch the meat locker wink (just pay close attention to the trailers. It’s not hard to miss it).

If you over-analyze Grudge Match, you'll hate this film. But if you take the time to have some fun without nitpicking every little detail, you’ll enjoy Grudge Match as a nostalgic treat, with two legends squaring off in a once in a lifetime match to remember.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

Remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

And don't forget to follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

Machete (2010)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers, no character deaths, plot twists, or big reveals**

Wandering the streets of Texas, an ex-Federale name Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo) is forced into accepting a $150,000 offer from Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey). Booth orders Machete to assassinate Senator John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a racist politician, but one shot from Sniper (Shea Whigham) wounds Machete before he can pull the trigger.

Machete is the prime suspect in Senator McLaughlin’s shooting. With no one else to turn to, Machete seeks help from his brother/priest Padre (Cheech Marin), and Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), the leader of a strong underground movement to help illegal immigrants with legit papers and jobs. Machete has some fun with Booth’s wife, June (Alicia Marek) and his daughter, April (Lindsay Lohan), but Machete runs into some unexpected trouble, when he crosses paths with Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba), a no nonsense US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

Machete’s quest for the truth leads him to a confrontation with an old nemesis named Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal), a ruthless drug kingpin, and a final showdown with every evildoer in Texas, including Von Jackson (Don Johnson), a sadistic leader of border patrol vigilantes, and a trusted friend of Senator McLaughlin.


Danny Trejo slices and hacks his way to an enjoyable performance as Machete, and Trejo is good for a few laughs with some hilarious one-liners including “Machete don’t text” or “This is the boss” (referring to his trusted machete). Trejo is a riot in the leading role, and he’s surrounded by a rock solid supporting cast.

De Niro is a detestable phony and racist politician, Fahey a nice fit for the ruthless killer with no mercy, and Don Johnson isn’t bad, but he’s overshadowed by De Niro and Fahey for the antagonist side of Machete. Seagal? I have no major gripes about the quality of his performance, and technically, Seagal is the primary antagonist, but Torrez’s screen time is cut short here. You won’t see She until the final battle, but Rodriguez stays within her niche, as a tough and combative fighter for another consistent performance. And Jessica Alba is harmless as Sartana.

After the mock trailer for Machete, I only had one thought on my mind: “Yeah, there’s no way this could work as a full length feature film.” The fake trailer was good for a few cheap laughs, but I still had my doubts. Well, I was wrong. Machete is a cartoonish and screwy romp of brutal over the top violence, and this action-comedy exploitation adventure is loaded with some good laughs, hilarious one-liners, and tons of gleeful bloody gore. Machete is packed with endless amounts of fun, and with more time, it wouldn’t surprise me if Machete developed a stronger following as a true cult classic.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

Machete (2010)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

Betrayed by the system he believed in, an ex-Federale named Machete Cortez (Danny Trejo) wanders the streets of Texas looking for construction work on a daily basis. Machete receives support from Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), the leader of a strong underground movement to help illegal immigrants with legit papers and jobs. Luz uses her taco stand for cover, but Luz and Machete are under the watchful eye of Sartana Rivera (Jessica Alba), a no nonsense US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent.

One day, Machete is forced into accepting an assassination job from Michael Booth (Jeff Fahey) worth $150,000. Under Booth’s orders, Machete must kill Senator John McLaughlin (Robert De Niro), a racist politician, during one of his speeches. Before Machete has a chance to pull he trigger, Booth’s top henchman, Sniper (Shea Whigham) shoots Machete, and as a maimed Machete limps away, Sniper shoots Senator McLaughlin in one of his legs.

After taking some time to heal at Luz‘s house, Machete learns the truth: Booth is Senator McLaughlin’s right hand man. Booth double crossed Machete, because McLaughlin’s failing campaign needed a boost, so Machete was chosen as a fall guy to provide a living example for the threat of dangerous illegal immigrants. Machete works with Luz and Sartana to put a stop to Booth, McLaughlin, and Von Jackson (Don Johnson), a sadistic leader of border patrol vigilantes, and a trusted friend of Senator McLaughlin.

Machete reaches out to his brother/priest Padre (Cheech Marin), and for revenge, Machete invades Booth’s home to surprise his wife, June (Alicia Marek) and his daughter, April (Lindsay Lohan). But Booth recruit’s Osiris Amanpour (Tom Savini), a popular hitman, to teach Machete an unforgettable lesson.

 Machete’s investigation reveals a plot to control the border between Mexico and Texas for Rogelio Torrez (Steven Seagal), a ruthless drug kingpin, and Torrez is the same man, who beheaded Machete’s  wife. With help from Sartana, Luz’s alter ego, She, and others, Machete leads an all-out assault to eliminate Senator McLaughlin, Von, and Machete will stand face to face with Torrez for a fight to the death.

Danny Trejo slices and hacks his way to an enjoyable performance as Machete, and Trejo is good for a few laughs with some hilarious one-liners including “Machete don’t text” or “This is the boss” (referring to his trusted machete). Trejo is a riot in the leading role, and he’s surrounded by a rock solid supporting cast.

De Niro is a detestable phony and racist politician, Fahey a nice fit for the ruthless killer with no mercy, and Don Johnson isn’t bad, but he’s overshadowed by De Niro and Fahey for the antagonist side of Machete. Seagal? I have no major gripes about the quality of his performance, and technically, Seagal is the primary antagonist, but Torrez’s screen time is cut short here. After the intro, Seagal doesn’t make another physical appearance until the big battle at the end, because Torrez only appears in sporadic video chats with Booth throughout the movie. You won’t see She until the final battle, but Rodriguez stays within her niche, as a tough and combative fighter for another consistent performance. And Jessica Alba is harmless as Sartana.

After the mock trailer for Machete, I only had one thought on my mind: “Yeah, there’s no way this could work as a full length feature film.” The fake trailer was good for a few cheap laughs, but I still had my doubts. Well, I was wrong. Machete is a cartoonish and screwy romp of brutal over the top violence, and this action-comedy exploitation adventure is loaded with some good laughs, hilarious one-liners, and tons of gleeful bloody gore. Machete is packed with endless amounts of fun, and with more time, it wouldn’t surprise me if Machete developed a stronger following as a true cult classic.

Rating: 6/10

Michael Jordan had another run with the Wizards after winning six championships. Brett Favre was one step away from earning a second ring with the Vikings.

As the world's definitive multi-talented superstar athlete, Trisha Bunrastar is taking an unexpected and shocking leap into a new career path. Assuming the identity of Freechelle Fantabulous, Trisha vows to fight crime and battle evildoers as a superheroine. Will she conquer her new mission? Find out more here! http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into my special world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in this collection of short stories- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets- https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

The Raven (2012)(Minor Spoilers Review)

**This review contains MINOR spoilers, no major reveals, character deaths, or plot twists**

It’s 1849, and in Baltimore, Maryland Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) is recruited by Detective Fields (Luke Evans) to catch a killer inspired by Poe’s work. With each murder, the killer reenacts Poe’s tales, short stories, and poems with a helpless victim, who’s forced to suffer through it all.

Poe is forced to take a more hands on approach in the ongoing investigation, when the killer targets his fiance Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve), and Emily’s father, Captain Charles Hamilton (Brendan Gleeson) will have to put aside his bitter feelings for Poe. Fields and Poe work together to decipher the killer’s tricky puzzles, but the killer is one step ahead of them before each murder……

I think it’s safe to say John Cusack delivers the best performance here. Cusack is this nutty and delusional alcoholic with a snarky sense of humor at first, but as the story progresses, Cusack shows a more serious side. And during the finale, Cusack was believable, as this desperate and heartbroken man. Evans isn’t bad, but he doesn’t deserve too much of the blame. Basically, Evans is supposed to be this ingenious inspector/detective, and Evans gave it his all with the Fields character, but the character is way too generic, dull, and one dimensional. Gleeson has his moments as the strict father, and Eve delivers a solid performance as Emily.

The Raven is loaded with a lot familiar tropes. The obsessive and delusional fan, who kills in honor of  their idol (for a random example, think about The Fan with Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes), the supposedly cunning detective (Fields), the amateur (Poe), who’s forced to help solve the case, and I can’t forget about the typical rivalry between the overbearing father (Charles) and the unworthy boyfriend or husband (Poe). The Raven is filled with a lot of noticeable clichés, and it’s almost impossible to ignore them all.

Still, I enjoyed The Raven. Yeah, The Raven has some problems, but the whodunit game of cat and mouse is intriguing enough to hold your attention and keep you guessing until the very end. The Pit And The Pendulum scene (you’ll know it, when you see it) is pretty graphic and nasty, but overall, the blood and gore isn’t too disgusting or cringeworthy. Plus, Poe fans should appreciate The Raven’s numerous attempts to pay homage to Poe’s poetry and short stories, because The Raven is able to pay tribute to Poe, while working his more memorable and recognizable stuff into the current storylines. The Raven’s disappointing finale is a real shame, though. I’m tempted to go with a higher score, but the big reveal at the end needed more zing for a real payoff.

Rating: 6/10

Looking for a change from Batman, Spider-Man, and Iron Man? Then get know the world's newest superheroine Freechelle Fantabulous for only $0.99 by following the link- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in my book of short stories, also only $0.99-  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets-

https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitch-Macready-2/439846799459035?ref=hl

The Raven (2012)(Spoiler Review)

**This review contains spoilers**

It’s 1849, and in Baltimore, Maryland Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) is recruited by Detective Fields ( Luke Evans) to catch a killer inspired by Poe’s work. With each murder, the killer reenacts Poe’s tales, short stories, and poems with a helpless victim, who’s forced to suffer through it all.

Eventually, the killer’s obsession with Poe hits too close to home. Using The Masque Of The Red Death as his inspiration, the killer kidnaps Poe’s fiance, Emily Hamilton (Alice Eve) during her father’s annual masquerade ball. Furious, Captain Charles Hamilton (Brendan Gleeson) blames Poe for his daughter's kidnapping, but Captain Hamilton and Poe are forced to put aside their bitter feelings for each other to rescue Emily.

For his grand finale, the killer plans to torture and murder Emily by carefully following the steps in one of Poe’s more famous short stories. To make the game more interesting, the killer leaves a trail of clues including more dead bodies. Will Detective Fields and Poe solve the mystery and save Emily’s life before it’s too late?

I think it’s safe to say John Cusack delivers the best performance here. Cusack is this nutty and delusional alcoholic with a snarky sense of humor at first, but as the story progresses, Cusack shows a more serious side. And during the finale, Cusack was believable, as this desperate and heartbroken man. Evans isn’t bad, but he doesn’t deserve too much of the blame. Basically, Evans is supposed to be this ingenious inspector/detective, and Evans gave it his all with the Fields character, but the character is way too generic, dull, and one dimensional. Gleeson has his moments as the strict father, and Eve delivers a solid performance as Emily.

So I was on the edge of my seat during the grand finale for the reveal of the killer. After solving all the riddles and puzzles, Poe races to the local newspaper to confront the killer with a gun, forcing the killer to reveal Emily’s location. At first, we’re lead to believe it’s the editor in chief, but Poe spots his dismembered corpse sitting in front of a desk. The light bulb goes off in his head, and Poe turns around to see the real killer: Ivan Reynolds (Sam Hazeldine). Long story short, Reynolds is a pesky Edgar Allan Poe fanboy, who works under the editor in chief at the newspaper. Anyway,  Reynolds wanted to motivate a struggling and depressed Poe, so as his biggest fan, Reynolds decided to give Poe a much needed wake up call.

Let’s say a special someone decides to cook a mystery dinner for you. Candles are set, you’re dressed for a special occasion, and this special someone won’t stop bragging about the meal they cooked for you. A covered dish is placed in front of you, and when this special someone removes the top, you see a grilled chicken sandwich and some steamed potatoes in front of you. Reynolds is the grilled chicken sandwich and steamed potatoes. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not one of those awful twists that can ruin a movie. The Raven does a good job of throwing some thought-provoking curveballs at you, and the steady, methodical pacing towards the finale really helps you feel the tension and suspense, but the Reynolds reveal is so underwhelming. I was expecting filet mignon with a loaded baked potato, or a succulent lobster meal, but in the end, The Raven didn’t deliver.

Also, The Raven is loaded with a lot familiar tropes. The obsessive and delusional fan, who kills in honor of  their idol (for a random example, think about The Fan with Robert De Niro and Wesley Snipes), the supposedly cunning detective (Fields), the amateur (Poe), who’s forced to help solve the case, and I can’t forget about the typical rivalry between the overbearing father (Charles) and the unworthy boyfriend or husband (Poe). The Raven is filled with a lot of noticeable clichés, and it’s almost impossible to ignore them all.

Still, I enjoyed The Raven. Yeah, The Raven has some problems, but the whodunit game of cat and mouse is intriguing enough to hold your attention and keep you guessing until the very end. The Pit And The Pendulum scene (you’ll know it, when you see it) is pretty graphic and nasty, but overall, the blood and gore isn’t too disgusting or cringeworthy. Plus, Poe fans should appreciate The Raven’s numerous attempts to pay homage to Poe’s poetry and short stories (The Pit And The Pendulum, The Masque Of The Red Death, The Tell-Tale Heart, etc.), because The Raven is able to pay tribute to Poe, while working his more memorable and recognizable stuff into the current storylines. The Raven’s disappointing finale is a real shame, though. I’m tempted to go with a higher score, but the big reveal at the end needed more zing for a real payoff.

Rating: 6/10

Looking for a change from Batman, Spider-Man, and Iron Man? Then get know the world's newest superheroine Freechelle Fantabulous for only $0.99 by following the link- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFLI6VK

Or take a trip into world of madness that includes comedy, horror, and the supernatural in my book of short stories, also only $0.99-  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EFMYZ0U

And remember Amazon offers free Kindle App downloads for various platforms. Follow this link to find out more- http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

Follow me on Twitter here- https://twitter.com/LQuigleyFan1

And don't forget to like both of my Facebook pages, because the Mitch MacReady 2 Facebook page includes quotes from both ebooks that can't fit into Tweets-

https://www.facebook.com/mitch.macready

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mitch-Macready-2/439846799459035?ref=hl

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

After witnessing his wife, Nikki (Bree Bee) in the shower with another man, Pat (Bradley Cooper) snaps, and he nearly beats Nikki’s lover to death. Diagnosed with a bipolar disorder,  Pat serves an eight month court ordered sentence in a mental hospital. Pat develops a friendship with another patient named Danny (Chris Tucker), but Nikki has a restraining order against Pat, and Pat will have to readjust to the real world soon enough. When she arrives to take him home, Pat’s mother, Dolores (Jacki Weaver) has her doubts, but Pat promises change. Pat’s father, Pat, Sr. (Robert De Niro) is a devoted and passionate Eagles’ fan, and he tries to make up for some lost time with Pat.

Delusional and determined to reinvent himself, Pat tries to straighten out his life, but an unhinged widow disrupts Pat’s mission to win back his ex-wife. Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) agrees to deliver Pat’s apology letter to Nikki, but only under two conditions: Pat must train with Tiffany, and become her partner for a dance contest.

I didn’t think he had it in him, but Bradley Cooper delivers a fantastic performance here. Pat is a trainwreck, but you can still root for him. Cooper is usually more successful with full blown comedy characters, and Pat has a quirky sense of humor, but Cooper really nails the emotional and heartbroken side of  Pat‘s character. Jennifer Lawrence is spot on as Tiffany. Tiffany is a free spirit, but she’ll fly off the handle in an instant, if someone pushes her too far. De Niro and Weaver are solid in their supporting roles, but Chris Tucker really didn’t add anything to this film, and his character is pretty useless.

Silver Linings Playbook isn’t bad, but I honestly can’t understand the raging hard-ons critics have for this film. Yes, Silver Linings Playbook provides a nice balance of drama and humor. Plus, the delicate and sensitive approach towards the subject of mental illnesses is something to admire. But let’s not kid ourselves here. Silver Linings Playbook isn’t some groundbreaking achievement for the romantic comedy genre. No, it’s barley above average, and you can see every “twist” and “turn” coming from a mile away. Seriously, just watch the trailer, and take a wild guess at happens between Pat and Tiffany at the very end.

Maybe I’m just a grouch, or I’m still waiting for the holiday spirit to hit me, but Silver Linings Playbook didn’t blow me away. Cooper or Lawrence might receive an Oscar nomination, but in a few weeks, I’ll forget about this film, and Silver Linings Playbook won’t have any lasting effects on me.

Final Rating: 6/10