Today's Movie: Just Cause

"If that's a confession, then my ass is a banjo!"

Just Cause is a 1995 crime-thriller that just missed the cut on my '10 Movies That I Like but Everyone Else Seems To Hate' list because, while it wasn't a hit with critics, I have recommended it to friends who have seemed to enjoy it. The film stars Sean Connery, Laurence Fishburne, and a pretty strong supporting cast. It's a fairly standard crime-thriller overall and fans of the genre will likely be able to predict the big plot twist. For those who haven't seen it and don't want this 23 yr old film spoiled for them I'll just give the setup and a few of my opinions.

Sean Connery plays former lawyer and current Harvard Law School professor Paul Armstrong. One night after a debate he is persuaded by an elderly woman to travel to Florida and reexamine the case against Bobby Earl Ferguson who is currently sitting on death row. Soon after arriving in Florida Armstrong learns that the chief detective on the case, Tanny Brown (played by Fishburne) coerced Bobby Earl's confession. Brown is sure that Bobby Earl is guilty and Armstrong is convinced that a botched investigation put the wrong man in prison, so the two are constantly butting heads and suspicious of each other.

As for some of my thoughts on the film; the acting throughout is mostly solid, and the film being set in the Everglades is a nice change from the usual New York, Chicago, or L.A. of so many crime films. Like I stated earlier, the twist is pretty predictable and the plot isn't anything groundbreaking. Also, it's a little bit of a stretch to think a then 65 yr old Connery was the dad to an 11 yr old Scarlett Johansson, but I'll give the movie a pass on that one.

Overall, not one of the top movies on Connery's filmography but not a bad flick either.
I give it a 3.5 out of 5

Christopher Robin

Christopher Robin is the latest in a long line of Disney live-action films about some of their beloved properties. In this movie Christopher Robin (played by Ewan McGregor) isn't the young boy who goes on adventures with his Hundred Acre Wood pals, but instead he's a sad, overworked, WWII vet, who seems to have forgotten what fun is. 

That's the setup and the film pretty much plays out beat-for-beat the way you'd expect. Christopher's wife (played by Hayley Atwell) is growing frustrated with her workaholic husband, there's an important deadline at the office, and Pooh Bear shows up at this hectic time in Christopher's life to show him what's really important. It's one of those movies that goes hard for the heartstrings, and it does a decent job. I watched The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (which ran from 1988-1991) as a kid, so there were a few waves of nostalgia that hit me throughout the movie. Unfortunately, this is both to the benefit and detriment of the film.

  If you are a fan of Winnie the Pooh and his friends, or just have good childhood memories attached to that silly old bear, then this movie is worth checking out. 

 However, if you don't really have an attachment to the characters then you can probably skip it. Without the nostalgic aspect, it's a pretty average movie.

3 out of 5

10 MOVIES THAT I LIKE BUT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO HATE

Call it "bad taste". Call them "guilty pleasures". Whatever the reason, we all have those movies that we enjoy but that bombed with critics, audiences, or both. So, I've complied a list of 10 critical and/or commercial flops that, even though I recognize their faults, I enjoy.

#10 The Haunted World of El Superbeasto (2009)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 40%

IMDB Score: 6.0/10

-This movie completely cracks me up every time I watch it. I'll be the first to admit that its crass, immature, occasionally nonsensical humor is not for everyone. However, anytime I show it to someone that I think may like it, they act like I've lost my mind. 

 #9 Last Action Hero (1993)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 34%

IMDB Score: 6.8/10

-This isn't one of Arnold Schwartzenegger's best movies, but it's not his worst either. I like the concept and think it's a fun movie overall. Plus, the film has an awesome soundtrack.

#8 Chappie (2015)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 32%

IMDB Score: 6.8/10

-I was actually surprised most people didn't like this one. I walked out of the theater pretty pleased with the film and that opinion hasn't changed after multiple viewings. I genuinely like it better than Neil Blomkamp's other, more well-received, films.

#7 Swordfish (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 26%

IMDB Score: 6.5/10

-Boasting a cast of Hugh Jackman, John Travolta, and Halle Berry is enough to make this a worthwhile watch. Yeah, Travolta is hamming it up a bit too much but that kinda adds to the film in my opinion.

#6 Sucker Punch (2011)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 23%

IMDB Score: 6.1/10

-The big criticism I always hear about this film is that it's all style and no substance. That's mostly true, but some of the visuals are pretty cool and sometimes that's all I need. Occasionally while writing this blog, I put Sucker Punch on just as something I can glance over at for a few moments.

#5 Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 20%

IMDB Score: 5.8/10

-It's a big, dumb, cheesy movie and I get a kick out of it. Far too often people try to make serious movie adaptations of video games, but this film knows what it is and embraces it.

#4 City Heat (1984)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 20%

IMDB Score: 5.5/10

-It's a crime-comedy set in the 1930's, starring Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds. I don't care if critics hated it, this is right up my alley.

#3 The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 17%

IMDB Score: 5.8/10

- "I'm waiting to be impressed." It's not only a line Sean Connery says in the movie, but also what general audiences were uttering about half way through the film. Sure the plot is thin and the characters are underdeveloped, but I had fun with it.

#2 The Mummy (2017) 

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 15% 

IMDB Score: 5.5/10

-It was supposed to be the first film in a cinematic universe, but instead it doomed the whole thing. The main criticism is that they focused too much on setting up future movies that they forgot to make this one good. However, maybe it's because I like Mummy movies, or because I'm a Tom Cruise fan, or because I'm just an idiot, or perhaps some combination of all those things, but I really like this movie.

#1 RoboCop 3 (1993)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 3%

IMDB Score: 4.0/10

-I can't argue that this is a good movie but, it's not that bad. No, it didn't live up to the previous two films and yes, it was a box office flop. However, there are some positives; Officer Anne Lewis' death is a bit of a gut-punch and an effective, emotional moment. Also, the film does follow up on the events from the previous films and, though it isn't the most compelling story, at least they tried. Plus, there are robot ninjas and Robocop gets a jetpack.

Morning Movie: What Comes Around

What Comes Around is a 1985 film written and directed by Jerry Reed. Plot-wise it's nothing extraordinary and the movie contains a lot of the things you'd expect to see in a Jerry Reed film, like fist fights and a least one car chase. The movie is about a country music star named Joe Hawkins (played by Reed) who is kept on a steady diet of dugs and alcohol by his manger Leon. When Joe's brother Tom sees him collapse backstage during a concert, he takes it upon himself to get his older brother clean. A little while later Tom, with the help of a couple friends, discovers that Leon has been ducking the IRS, using Joe's name on businesses that Joe sees no money from, and has embezzled $8,000,000. After showing this to Joe they decide to confront Leon... and also drive a big rig through the restaurant he owns. Honestly, I wish more problems could be solved this way.

Is What Comes Around a fantastic film? No, but I enjoy it for what it is and if you like movies like Smokey and the Bandit, High-Ballin', and Concrete Cowboys then this is right up your alley.

I give it a 3 out of 5.

Five Minutes to Live

Five Minutes to Live is a 1961 crime film starring Johnny Cash, Donald Woods, Vic Tayback, and Cay Forrester. The plot is pretty simple and straight forward: Johnny Cabot and Fred Dorella (played by Cash and Tayback respectively) hatch a plan to steal $70,000 from a bank, by holding the bank's vice president's wife hostage. 

Fred calmly walks into the bank, asks for the money, and informs the bank's VP Ken Wilson (played by Donald Woods) that if he doesn't get the money and call Johnny within five minutes then Ken's wife will die. Meanwhile, Johnny holds the wife (played by Cay Forrester) at gun point in her home while awaiting the call. 

There is also a subplot about Ken planning to divorce his wife and run off with a woman named Ellen (played by Pamela Mason) but, it could have been cut from the film as it doesn't add much to the story.

While not a great crime film, it's not terrible either. The ticking clock plot device does work to build some tension, and Johnny Cash, though not a great actor, is serviceable in the role. I can't wholeheartedly recommend it but, its only about an hour and twenty minutes long so there's nothing to lose if you're curious and want to check it out.

I give it a 2 out of 5.

Concrete Cowboys

Concrete Cowboys is a 1979 made-for-TV film starring Tom Selleck and Jerry Reed.

The plot involves two friends from Montana named J.D. and Will (played by Reed and Selleck) who quickly hop a train and leave town after card game turns to a fight involving the town sheriff. The two end up in Nashville, where they are mistaken for a couple of detectives and soon find themselves trying to solve the case of a missing/presumed dead armature country singer.

Of course, it's all an intricate blackmail scheme, with various twists and turns, and J.D. and Will narrowly escaping death a few times. 

It's not a great movie. Some of the acting is hit or miss, there are a couple of odd cuts and inconsistencies but, I had fun with it nonetheless. Selleck and Reed play well off each other, and I got a few laughs out of it.

Not a movie I'd highly recommend that you seek out but, if you come across it, give it a watch.

2.5 out of 5

Ranking the Mission:Impossible films

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE

Mission: Impossible is one of my all-time favorite film franchises and, with a new entry in the series now in theaters, it seemed like a good time to take a look back, rewatch, and rank the films.

#6 Mission: Impossible 2 (2000)

By far the low point of the franchise, Mission: Impossible 2 at times doesn't feel like it belongs among the other films. I still enjoy it, but wouldn't call it good.

#5 Mission: Impossible 3 (2006)

M:I 3 is a good movie and there is a lot to like. It's well paced with some fun action scenes and a solid villain. While it's a nice addition to the Mission: Impossible franchise, it's also the most forgettable.

#4 Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015)

I've gone back and forth on where this one should rank. When I first saw it I didn't like it as much as Mission: Impossible 3 and after a second viewing I would've put it above the original. Over time though it settled into the #3 slot.

#3 Mission: Impossible (1996)

The first in the series still holds up as one of my favorites. Rogue Nation is probably a better movie overall, but it's my list and when I feel like watching a Mission: Impossible film I'm more likely to put on the original. 



#2 Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) 
The latest Mission: Impossible film is one of the best yet. It takes a lot what I liked about Rogue Nation and builds on it to deliver a fun, action-packed flick.

#1 Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol (2011)

This is the high water mark of the franchise for me. The film is exciting, Simon Pegg gets a bigger role than he had in M:I 3, and Tom Cruise climbing the Burj Kalifa is still my favorite Mission: Impossible sequence.