Today's Movie: Knight and Day (2010)

Knight and Day is a 2010 action/comedy starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.

The film clicks along at a brisk pace, keeps it entertaining, and provides quite a bit of action. There are car chases, shootouts, hand-to-hand combat, cool stunts and all the other stuff you’d expect in a big-budget action flick. That’s where one of my issues with it comes in; it’s a bit formulaic and feels like a dozen other action movies. I enjoy the movie and there isn’t a dull moment throughout, but you’re going to get a pretty average, MacGuffin driven, plot.

The basic setup involves June Havens (played by Diaz) who is on a flight from Kansas to Boston for her sister’s wedding. In her travels she meets Roy Miller (played by Cruise) who, as she quickly finds out, is a covert agent and June soon finds herself in the middle of the action. It turns out Miller was double-crossed by a fellow agent because there is a new perpetual energy battery (called a ‘Zephyr’) that will change the world. Roy is in possession of the battery and the CIA wants it. There is also an arms dealer that wants the battery, because why not? 

Now, while it is a fairly predictable movie, there are some positives that make it enjoyable. First off, this one is right in Tom Cruise’s wheelhouse, he plays charismatic secret agent-type better than just about anyone. Also, there is a good chemistry between Cruise and Diaz, and while the twists and turns of the plot are pretty conventional, it’s still a fun ride.

Overall, I give this one 3.5 out of 5.

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Today’s Movie: In a Valley of Violence (2016)

In a Valley of Violence is a Western film Directed by Ti West and stars both Ethan Hawke and John Travolta. Going in I had a few concerns; There aren’t many good Westerns made anymore, Ethan Hawke has always been hit-and-miss for me, and when I think “Old West” I usually don’t think of John Travolta.

However, I was pleasantly surprised. The cinematography, a lot of the music, and even the title cards (which are reminiscent of the ones from ‘A Fistful of Dollars’) all made the film feel like a classic Western. As a Big fan of the genre, these things earned the film a few bonus points in my book.

The plot is simple and straight forward. A drifter named Paul (played by Ethan Hawke) comes to town and he isn’t looking for any trouble. But, after a confrontation with the towns hotheaded Deputy, the Marshall (played by John Travolta) advises him that it’s in everyone’s best interest if he just leaves town. Paul agrees and rides off but the Deputy doesn’t want to let it go, and he later kills Paul’s dog and attempts to kill him too. So, Paul heads back to the town to get his revenge…

Overall, the acting in this film is solid, with Travolta and Hawke turning in particularly good performances. I’ve already written a list of ’10 John Travolta Movies Everyone Should See’ (you can check that out here: http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/09/10-john-travolta-movies-everyone-should.html) but if I had to do it again, this one might actually make the cut. The only actor that missed the mark for me is James Ransone who plays the Deputy. He plays a couple of his scenes way over the top and he never really nails down an accent. 

For anyone who’s a fan of Westerns I’d definitely recommend checking it out.

I give it a 4 out of 5.

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Today's Movie: Killing Reagan (2016)

Based on the book Killing Reagan, which I admittedly have not read, this TV movie is one of a few films based on the successful series of books by Bill O’Reilly (the other film adaptations being being ‘Killing Lincoln’, ‘Killing Jesus’, and ‘Killing Kennedy’).

The film, as you’d probably expect, is centered around the attempted assassination of former President Ronald Reagan rather than his entire presidency. Within this framework the movie focuses on three things; Reagan being elected in 1980, a look at the motivations of John Hinckley, and the immediate aftermath of Reagan being shot.

There’s not anything groundbreaking here, it is a historical TV movie, but I did enjoy it for what it was. I thought Tim Matheson as Ronald Reagan and Cynthia Nixon as Nancy Reagan were both solid, and Kyle S. More as John Hinckley was ok. There are a few points where it drags on a bit, but overall I found it pretty entertaining.

I give this one a 3 out of 5.

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The Marvel Cinematic Universe

With Marvel's newest film ‘Dr. Strange’ coming to theaters soon it seems like a good point to look at the Marvel Cinematic Universe up to this point.

I’ve ranked the films worst-to-first based on a variety of factors; story, villain, initial viewing and rewatchability etc. But most importantly, the list is simply about how much I enjoyed one film over another.

#13 The Incredible Hulk (2008)

This one, for me, is the most forgettable of the MCU films. Edward Norton is solid but the CGI doesn’t hold up and the movie just isn't much fun.

#12 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Just because it’s #12 doesn’t make it a bad movie, it just doesn’t stack up well against some of the others on the list. The characters are fine, and the story was alright but had some pacing issues. I guess overall, it just didn’t ‘Wow’ me.

#11 Iron Man 3 (2013)

This one is a bit of a mixed-bag. Initially I didn’t care for it, probably because I had such high expectations going in, but over time and a few repeat viewings I’ve found a good number of things I really like in the movie.

#10 Thor: The Dark World (2013)

This sequel to 2011’s ‘Thor’ is a solid movie that just suffers from a forgettable villain. We get to see more of Asgard in this one which is a plus.

#9 Iron Man 2 (2010)

This movie isn't bad, but at times it feels like more of a setup for future MCU films than an Iron Man one. On the plus side, War Machine and Black Widow are fun additions.

#8 Ant-Man

I was kind of surprised by how much I enjoyed this one when I first saw it. It’s a really fun movie. There is the one big MCU tie-in when Ant-Man comes across Falcon, but like ‘Iron Man’ the movie is able to stand on its own without relying too heavily on the rest of the MCU.

#7 Thor (2011)

The film doesn't have the most compelling Marvel hero and it isn't the most action-packed of the bunch, but it's a solid entry and Chris Hemsworth is another example of great casting by the folks at Marvel.

#6 Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

I probably like this one more than most people. I think it's a really fun and well done movie, especially since origin stories so often end up being boring.

#5 Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

While it is a really fun action packed movie, it didn't quite live up to my expectations.  I liked the larger roster of Avengers, but I didn't find Ultron all that menicing.

#4 Captain America: Civil War (2016)

 This was one of the hardest to rank, and over time I may even move it a slot higher or lower after a few more viewings. There are a lot things I loved about it and a few things I didn't, but overall it's really entertaining.

#3 The Avengers (2012)

There was nothing quite like seeing Captain America, Hulk, Iron Man, Black Widow, and Hawkeye all fighting alongside one another for the first time on the big screen. It’s still one of the coolest MCU moments.

#2 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

This almost made the #1 spot. It’s an action packed thriller, and one of the all-time best comic book movies.  great addition to the MCU.

#1 Iron Man (2008)

The film that started it all still holds up as my favorite. The plot isn't overly complicated, and Robert Downey Jr. is excellent as Tony Stark.

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For more comic and movie content be sure to also check out the Psycholander Podcast:

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*Update* 'Doctor Strange' has been released and you can check out my review for that movie here:

http://onlyinthemoviesblog.blogspot.com/2016/11/todays-movie-doctor-strange-2016.html?m=1