Movie; Blink Twice (2024) Caution; Spoiler Alert

 Blink Twice

Came out; 2024

Time; 1 hour 42 Minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rated: R for strong violent content, sexual assault, drug use and language throughout and some sexual references

IMDB Rating; 6.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 75%

Popcorn Meter 70%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring.

Naomi Ackie as Frida

Channing Tatum as Slater

Alia Shawkat as Jess

Christian Slater as Vic

Simon Rex as Cody

Adria Arjona as Sarah

Haley Joel Osmet as Tom

Liz Caribel as Camilla

Levon Hawke as Lucas

Trew Mullen as Heather

Geena Davis as Stacy

Kyle MacLachlan as Rich

Story Line.

When tech billionaire Slater King (Channing Tatum) meets cocktail waitress Frida (Naomi Ackie) at his fundraising gala, sparks fly. He invites her to join him and his friends on a dream vacation on his private island. It's paradise. Wild nights blend into sun-soaked days and everyone's having a great time. Nobody wants this trip to end, but as strange things start to happen, Frida begins to question her reality. Something is wrong with this place. She'll have to uncover the truth if she wants to make it out of this party alive

Thoughts:

There is a trigger warning at the beginning of this movie. It warns that it's a bit disturbing and contains sexual assault so be warned.

This is a very slow-moving movie in the middle, however it truly pays off in the end.

I enjoyed it, even with the slowness. It's not a scary movie, more of a thriller and Channing Tatum plays the villain to perfection.

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

Animal-themed nail artist and cocktail waitress Frida works an exclusive event with her friend Jess. She encounters billionaire tech mogul Slater King, who recently stepped down as CEO for unspecified past behavior and invites them both to his private island.

There, Slater's assistant Stacy confiscates their phones. In attendance are Slater's friends and business partners: photographer Vic, private chef Cody, DJ Tom, and college graduate Lucas. The three other female guests include: reality show star Sarah, aspiring app developer Camilla, and lawyer/stoner Heather. The women are treated with lavish rooms, gift bags of perfume, potent hallucinogenic drugs, and a holiday experience, enhanced by high-end meals and cocktails prepared by Cody.

Frida clashes with Sarah over Slater's attention while Jess notices memory lapses. All of the local workers sport the same snake tattoo, and Frida has strange encounters with a maid who seems to recognize her and calls her "Red Rabbit".

Slater's therapist Rich visits and receives a red gift bag. During a night of partying, Jess is bitten by a snake and later tells Frida she wants to leave. At breakfast, Frida notices that Lucas smells like the women's perfume. While the men are away fishing, Frida discovers a room with dozens of identical red gift bags.

Frida is tricked into drinking snake venom by the maid and begins remembering strange events. She realizes that Jess is missing, although none of the other women remember her at all. Alarmed, Frida investigates and learns of a flower indigenous to the island capable of wiping memories that has been incorporated into their food and perfume. She convinces Sarah of what is happening and gets her to drink the venom, an antidote to the flower's effects.

The men return as Frida and Sarah grow more paranoid. The pair trick the other women, including Stacy, into drinking shots of the venom to restore their memories. Frida sneaks into Slater's office to retrieve their phones, only to find they are out of both service and power.

Frida's memories fully return, revealing that the men have been sexually assaulting them every night and wiping their memories using the flower. When Jess's memories could not be erased due to the venom, they killed her. Frida also finds Polaroids featuring different women and men with red gift bags, revealing that Slater is inviting guests to rape people regularly and gifting them perfume to use when they are away from the island.

Frida and Sarah attempt to buy time for themselves as Camilla and Heather's memories return, leading Camilla to stab Tom to death while Heather badly injures Vic before being fatally shot by Stan, Slater's security guard and former Marine. Slater kills Camilla and the men hide in Slater's villa where he mocks Lucas for choosing to be inactively complicit in the abuse by doing nothing.

Stacy attacks Frida, preferring to be ignorant of the men's behavior, which forces Frida to stab her to death. Stan chases Frida but is bludgeoned to death by Sarah, who takes his gun. Cody escapes to the woods but is presumably killed by Sarah. In the villa, Lucas tries to escape but is mistakenly shot in a trap set for Slater by Frida and Sarah. Afterward, Slater traps Frida in the villa. It is revealed that Frida had been on the island the year before and experienced the same events; she was assaulted by Slater, bit off Vic's pink finger and scarred her head on a rock before her memories were wiped. The maid had recognized Frida from her red rabbit fingernails.

When Slater leaves the villa to search for Sarah, Frida laces his vape with the memory-erasing perfume. The effects make him forget the previous events and panic upon seeing the bodies. Slater slips and knocks himself unconscious as the villa catches fire. Frida and Sarah escape, leaving Vic to die but saving Slater.

Some time later, Rich encounters a noticeably disoriented Slater. It's revealed Frida is now married to Slater and is CEO of his company, all while drugging his vape with the flower to keep him compliant.

Movie: Dear Santa (2024) Caution; Spoiler Alert

 Dear Santa

Came out; 2024

Time; 1 hour 47 Minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rated: PG-13 for some language and suggestive material

IMDB Rating; 5.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 20%

Popcorn Meter 43%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Jack Black as Satan

Robert Timothy Smith as Liam Turner

Keegan-Michael Key as Dr. Finkleman

Brianne Howey as Molly Turner

Hayes MacArthur as Bill Turner

Post Malone as Austin Post (AKA Post Malone)

P.J. Byrne as Mr. Charles

Jadan Carson Baker as Gibby

Kai Cech as Emma

Story Line;

When a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays

Thoughts:

This was cute and again, another different type of “Christmas” movie.

I like Jack Black for the most part. You can tell he always just has fun no matter what role he's playing.

I thought this was funny and yet heart warming at the same time

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

Liam Turner is a polite but meek sixth-grader with dyslexia, struggling to adjust to a new town and a fractured family life. His parents, Bill and Molly, are grappling with marital issues following the recent death of Liam's older brother, Spencer. Adding to Liam's challenges are his insecurities: he's too nervous to introduce his new best friend, Gibby, to his parents and keeps embarrassing himself around Emma, his schoolmate and crush. Despite his struggles, Emma is the only one in class who stands up for him and acknowledges his dyslexia.

In the spirit of hope, Liam writes a Christmas wish list and mails it out. However, a spelling error causes him to address the letter to "Satan" instead of "Santa." To Liam's surprise, Satan himself appears in his bedroom the very next night. Mistaking Satan for Santa due to his unconventional appearance and manners. Playing along, Satan offers Liam three wishes.. Offhandedly, Liam wishes for Emma to give him a chance. The next day, Satan appears at Liam's school and urges him to talk to Emma. Despite his awkwardness, Liam secures a date with her at a Post Malone concert, complete with VIP tickets provided by Satan.

Excited, Liam tells his mother and Gibby about his encounter with "Santa," but Gibby quickly realizes the mistake. Confronting Satan, Liam demands to cancel the deal, but Satan refuses, enticing Liam to use the remaining wishes, with his soul as the ultimate payment. Liam's parents, concerned about their son's "fantasies," bring in Dr. Finkleman, a child psychologist, for an intervention. However, the session is interrupted when Satan and Gibby whisk Liam away to the concert. With Satan's help, Liam gets on stage, dances alongside Post Malone, and even receives a cheek kiss from Emma. Gibby, feeling overshadowed and rejected by a girl due to his overbite, leaves the concert early, disheartened.

Later, Liam calls Gibby and notices his friend's disappointment. When Satan visits again, Liam uses his second wish to fix Gibby's teeth and invites him on a double date with Emma at the local Christmas carnival. Unbeknownst to Liam, his worried parents overhear his conversation and, fearing for his mental health, interrupt his plans to bring him back to Dr. Finkleman. Their assumptions about Liam's delusions crumble when a nurse mentions seeing him at the concert. Meanwhile, Satan tempts Liam to use his final wish by showing images of Emma and Gibby seemingly enjoying the carnival without him.

Upset, Liam locks himself in his room while his parents, finally confronting their grief, begin to reconcile. Misinterpreting their conversation as a prelude to divorce, Liam sneaks out and visits Satan at his motel, using his third wish to ensure his parents stay together and in love forever. Satan accepts but declares he won't claim Liam's soul until he dies naturally, advising him to "enjoy life" until then. Believing his soul is doomed, Liam begins standing up to his tormentors at school but inadvertently alienates Emma.

In Hell, it's revealed that Satan is a half-demon on trial for trying to earn full demon status. However, by granting two unselfish wishes, he invalidated the contract for Liam's soul. Furious, Lucifer declares the deal void and banishes Satan. Given an hour to say goodbye, Satan visits Liam one last time and admits that he genuinely likes him. He reveals that Liam's final wish was unnecessary, as his parents reconciled on their own, and instead, he fulfilled a wish from Liam's original letter.

On Christmas morning, Liam is astonished to find his brother Spencer miraculously resurrected, reuniting their family for the holiday. Just as he begins to savor the joy, Liam receives a call from Gibby, who has persuaded Emma to give him another chance by sharing the story of Spencer's death. Caught off guard, Liam panics but resolves to make things right.

Movie: Monster Summer (2024) Caution: Spoiler Alert

 Monster Summer

Came out; 2024

Time; 1 hour 37 Minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rated: PG-13 for some violence and terror

IMDB Rating; 5.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 63%

Popcorn Meter 84%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Mel Gibson as Gene Carruthers

Mason Thmes as Noah Reed

Julian Lerner as Eugene Wexler

Abby James Witherspoon as Sammy Devers

Noah Cottrell as Ben Driskel

Nora Zehetner as Abby Reed

Lorraine Bracco as Miss Halverson

Emma Fasano as Lilly Reed

Spencer Fitzgerald as Ronnie Harlow

Patrick Renna as Umpire

Story Line;

When a mysterious force begins to disrupt their big summer fun, Noah and his friends team up with a retired police detective to embark on a monstrous adventure to save their island.

Thoughts:

The previews made this movie look really good, the marketing team did a great job at it.

It wasn't at all what I thought it would be. It was a decent movie although I think it's going to drop into oblivion never to be talked about again.

The only thing missing was for Patrick Renna to say “You're killing me smalls”

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

There wasn't one listed anywhere.

Basically there's a witch that moves from town to town “eating” children's souls and returning them basically brainless.

Movie: Red One (2024) Caution: Spoiler Alert

 Red One

Came out; 2024

Time; 2 hour 3 Minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rated: PG-13 for action, some violence and language

IMDB Rating; 6.6/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 30%

Popcorn Meter 90%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Dwayne Johnson as Callum Drift

Chris Evans as Jack O'Malley

Lucy Liu as Zoe

J.K. Simmons as Nick

Bonnie Hunt as Mrs. Claus

Kristofer Jivju as Krampus

Kiernan Shipka as Gryla

Mary Elizabeth Ellis as Olivia

Wesley Kimmel as Dylan

Story Line;

After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole's Head of Security must team up with a notorious hacker in a globe-trotting, action-packed mission to save Christmas

Thoughts:

I thought this was cute, it was different than most of the “Christmas” movies out there. It kept my interest and had a good plot with decent twists.

My brother thought this movie was “trash”, that there were too many plot holes and that it didn't make sense.

The only plot hole that I really see is this: If Gryla really is a witch, then she didn't need a middle man for Jack to get the coordinates for Santa.

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

Christmas is in grave danger in The Red One, a thrilling action-comedy where the fate of the world's most beloved holiday is thrown into chaos. It all begins when Santa Claus, famously referred to as "The Red One" by his top-secret North Pole team, is kidnapped in the middle of the night, just days before Christmas Eve. Without Santa at the helm, the North Pole falls into disarray, the elves panic, and the holiday season teeters on the brink of collapse.

The responsibility to save Christmas falls squarely on the broad shoulders of the North Pole's stoic and highly capable Head of Security, portrayed by Dwayne Johnson. Known for his no-nonsense attitude, strength, and unwavering dedication to protecting the magic of the North Pole, Johnson's character has spent years ensuring the safety of Santa and the seamless operation of Christmas. But this year, the threat is greater than anything he's ever faced. Santa is missing, and with him, the very heart of Christmas is in peril.

The Head of Security quickly learns that recovering Santa won't be a job he can handle alone. Reluctantly, he's forced to team up with the world's most infamous and unpredictable bounty hunter, played by Chris Evans. Evans' character is the polar opposite of the North Pole's seasoned protector. He's brash, sarcastic, and has built a notorious reputation as a rogue with questionable morals. Known for getting the job done, regardless of the methods, the bounty hunter is a man who operates outside the law, tracking down dangerous criminals across the globe for the right price. He has no sentimental attachment to Christmas or the traditions it represents-but the high stakes of this mission might just change that.

Despite their opposing personalities, the two form an uneasy alliance and embark on a high-stakes, globe-trotting adventure that takes them far from the snow-covered safety of the North Pole. Their mission: to rescue Santa Claus from the clutches of his mysterious kidnappers and restore Christmas before the world wakes up on December 25th to find stockings empty and chimneys cold.

The pair's journey spans a variety of exotic and dangerous locations, from snow-capped mountains to dense forests and even bustling cities. Along the way, they must confront not only external threats but also their own vastly different approaches to problem-solving. The Head of Security believes in order, rules, and honor, while the bounty hunter thrives on chaos, improvisation, and a good fight. Their constant clashing leads to plenty of comedic moments, especially as they try to outwit each other in sticky situations, but their growing respect for each other's strengths gradually transforms their working relationship.

The challenges they face are as diverse as they are perilous. From tracking down the leads on Santa's whereabouts to battling rival factions who want to seize control of Christmas for their own gain, every step of the mission is a race against time. But amid the car chases, daring escapes, and hand-to-hand combat, the magic of Christmas still finds a way to seep into their journey. They encounter people around the world who are clinging to the hope that Santa will deliver presents on Christmas morning, reminding them of what's truly at stake. Slowly, even the bounty hunter begins to realize that this mission is about more than just saving one man-it's about preserving the hope, joy, and wonder that Christmas represents to millions of people.

At the heart of The Red One is the unlikely bond that forms between Johnson and Evans' characters. While the Head of Security starts the mission determined to maintain control and keep things strictly professional, he's gradually forced to loosen up and trust his impulsive partner. Similarly, the bounty hunter, who begins the story as a lone wolf driven solely by personal gain, finds himself rediscovering a sense of purpose and camaraderie as he becomes invested in saving Christmas. Their evolving partnership adds a layer of heart to the action, as the two characters realize that even the toughest missions can't be accomplished without trust, teamwork, and a little holiday magic.

Of course, no Christmas movie would be complete without a few lighthearted, festive moments, and The Red One delivers in spades. Whether it's a high-speed chase through a city decorated with twinkling lights, a fight scene in a toy factory filled with malfunctioning gadgets, or a race against time in the middle of a blizzard, the movie masterfully blends action with humor, keeping the tone lighthearted even as the stakes remain high. The film's holiday setting is ever-present, with nods to traditional Christmas imagery, from candy cane weapons to sleigh-inspired vehicles, ensuring that even in the most intense scenes, the spirit of the season shines through.

As the duo edges closer to their goal, the mystery surrounding Santa's kidnapping deepens. Why would anyone want to steal the world's most beloved figure? And who is truly behind the plot to sabotage Christmas? The answers unravel in a thrilling climax that pits Johnson and Evans' characters against a powerful enemy determined to rewrite the rules of the holiday. With time running out and the weight of the world's expectations on their shoulders, the pair must give everything they've got to bring Santa home and restore the holiday magic before it's too late.

In the end, The Red One is more than just an action-packed Christmas movie. It's a story about the power of belief, the importance of teamwork, and the lengths we go to in order to protect the things we cherish. With its blend of explosive action, hilarious banter, and heartwarming moments, the film is destined to become a holiday favorite for years to come. Whether you're watching for the thrill of the chase, the festive cheer, or the dynamic chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, The Red One offers something for everyone, proving that even in the face of overwhelming odds, the magic of Christmas is worth fighting for.

Movie: Django Unchained (2021) Caution Spoiler Alert

 Django Unchained

Came out; 2012

Time; 2 hour 45 Minutes

Watched: Amazon

Rated: R for strong graphic violence throughout, a vicious fight, language and some nudity

IMDB Rating; 8.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 87%

Popcorn Meter 92%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Jamie Fox as Django

Christoph Waltz as Dr King Schultz

Leonardo DiCaprio as Calvin Candie

Kerry Washington as Broomhilda Von Shaft

Samuel L Jackson as Stephen

Walton Goggins as Billy Crash

Story Line;

In 1858, a bounty-hunter named King Schultz seeks out a slave named Django and buys him because he needs him to find some men he is looking for. After finding them, Django wants to find his wife, Broomhilda, who along with him were sold separately by his former owner for trying to escape. Schultz offers to help him if he chooses to stay with him and be his partner. Eventually they learn that she was sold to a plantation in Mississippi. Knowing they can't just go in and say they want her, they come up with a plan so that the owner will welcome them into his home and they can find a way

Thoughts:

We had never watched this uncut. Only ever caught bits and pieces when it was on TV. We all know these types of movies aren't meant for cut TV.

With it being so long we just never circled back to it until now.

Very glad we did. It's such a great movie. I was honestly pretty shocked at the ending part. It's not honestly what I expected at all but should have being that it's a Tarantino movie.

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

In 1858, several male slaves are chained and being transported after being purchased by the Speck Brothers, Ace (James Remar) and Dicky (James Russo). Among the slaves is Django (Jamie Foxx), who has been sold away from his wife, Broomhilda (Kerry Washington). Somewhere in Texas, the Speck brothers encounter Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), a German dentist and, unbeknownst to them, a bounty hunter. Schultz halts the procession & asks the group is there is anyone who worked at the Carrucan plantation that was overseen by the 3 Brittle brothers (Big John Brittle ( M. C. Gainey), Roger "Lil Raj" Brittle (Cooper Huckabee), and Ellis Brittle (Doc Duhame)). Django replies in the affirmative. The Brittle brothers were overseers at the plantation of Django's previous owner and Schultz has a warrant for their arrests.

The Speck brothers refuse to sell their slaves to Schultz. Schultz kills Ace after he points a shotgun at Schultz, and shoots Dicky's horse, crushing his leg under it. Schultz then asks Django if he knows the Brittle Brothers and when he finds out that he does and can identify them, Schultz offers Django his freedom and $75 in exchange for helping him track them down. They leave Dicky to be executed by the slaves as they depart.

Django and Schultz arrive in the small town of Daughtrey near El Paso. The two then walk into a saloon despite the fact that Django is forbidden from doing so. When Schultz insists on being served, the barkeep runs out of the saloon to fetch the Sherrif. The sheriff enters the saloon, shotgun in hand, and tells Schultz and Django to leave. The two comply, and exit out the swinging doors. Schultz is silent, then steps forward. A spring-mounted Derringer pops up in his right hand, and he shoots the sheriff in the stomach. The townspeople are stunned as the sheriff stumbles to the ground, moaning in pain. Schultz walks around the wounded sheriff, aims his Derringer, and shoots him in the head, killing him. The bartender now runs again to fetch the town Marshal.

The town marshal and most of the town arrive and train rifles on the front door of the saloon. Schultz hears that he has 100 rifles aimed at his head. Schultz then exits, hands raised over his head, and a paper in his hand. He explains that the dead man who went by the name of 'Bill Sharpe', is a wanted cattle rustler named Willard Peck, with a $200 bounty on his head. Schultz says that the paper in his hand is an official document from a judge that charges King with finding and bringing Peck back to the proper jurisdiction dead or alive. Schultz then suggests that the marshal pay him the $200 fee.

Django and Schultz look for the Brittle brothers at Spencer "Big Daddy" Bennett's (Don Johnson) Tennessee plantation. Schultz states he is looking to buy one of Bennett's slave girls for an exorbitant price. As he and Bennett talk business, Django is given free range to look around the estate. Django finds that 3 brothers did arrive at the estate in the last year under a different name. Django looks through his telescope and sees that it is Ellis. Django learns that Big John and Little Raj are on a different part of the plantation, about to whip a young slave girl for breaking eggs. Before the brothers can whip the girl, Django attacks and kills Big John and Little Raj. Ellis rides away on his horse and Scultz shoots him with his sniper rifle. Though Bennett is incensed when he arrives, he is forced to let them go once Schultz explains they are legally authorized to kill and collect these men. Schultz and Django pack up quickly and leave.

Bennett pursues them with an armed posse which consists of all the fellow white men of the plantation. The posse surrounds Schultz's cart at night, but Schultz and Django had already anticipated this and were hiding in a nearby tree. Schultz ambushes the posse with explosives in his cart which kills most of them, and Django kills Bennett with a sniper rifle. Schultz realizes that Django is a natural with firearms.

Schultz partners with Django in bounty hunting until spring, at which time he will assist Django in tracking down and rescuing Broomhilda. Over the winter, Schultz trains Django in bounty hunting and mastering a sidearm.

Django tells Schultz how the Brittle brothers were minding the slaves at the Curracan plantation where he and Broomhilda worked. Curracan (Bruce Dern) wanted to make Broomhilda a comfort girl & hence Django and she tried to run away. They were caught, brought back, branded with hot irons (the mark of a runaway, a small "R" on their right cheeks) & sold at an auction separately, even when the owner knew that Django & Broomhilda were married.

Django collects his first bounty, a member of a man named Smitty Bacall, and keeps the handbill. Django and King perch themselves on a hill overlooking a small farm where Django hesitates to kill a man who is now peacefully working on the farm and has a son. King explains that before the man owned this farm and started a family, he murdered several people while robbing stagecoaches, and that he has a $7,000 bounty on his head. Hearing this, Django shoots and kills the man in front of his son.

After collecting a number of bounties over the winter, Schultz and Django confirm that Broomhilda's current owner is Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the charming but brutal owner of the Candyland plantation in Mississippi, who forces his slaves to fight to the death in "Mandingo fights" (slaves fighting each other bare knuckled till death).

Schultz expects that Candie will demand an exorbitant price for Broomhilda if they are forthright with their intentions, so they devise a ruse whereby they will pretend to seek the purchase of one of Candie's prize fighters for a hefty sum, meanwhile purchase Broomhilda on-the-side for a more reasonable sum, then disappear before they finalize the bogus deal. Schultz and Django meet Candie at a club in Greenville and offer to buy one of his fighters for $12,000. His greed tickled; Candie invites them to his plantation. On the road, Schultz and Django witness Candie murder one of his Mandingo fighters, who fled due to not wanting to fight any more. Candie's slave trackers had cornered D'Artagnan (Ato Essandoh), an escaped Mandingo fighter. Django is forced to intervene when Schultz attempts to buy D'Artagnan to save him. Candie has the trackers' guard dogs maul D'Artagnan to death, visibly upsetting Schultz.

At the plantation, Schultz secretly informs Broomhilda of the plot. At dinner, Schultz expresses an incidental interest in Broomhilda because she speaks German and offers $300 for her.

Django raises the suspicions of Candie's staunchly loyal senior house slave, Stephen (Samuel L Jackson), who correctly deduces that Django and Broomhilda know each other, and that the sale of the Mandingo fighter is a ruse and informs Candie in private. This enrages Candie, who, armed with this information, demands the $12,000 for Broomhilda instead, or he will kill her. Schultz agrees to buy her at this price in order to save her life. After the money is paid and the paperwork signed, Candie demands to shake hands with Schultz to finalize the deal, or Broomhilda will be shot. Schultz, in disgust, shoots and kills Candie point-blank with a concealed Derringer gun. Schultz is shot dead too, and a gun fight erupts. Butch Pooch (James Remar), Candie's bodyguard, kills Schultz, and Django kills Pooch, Candie's lawyer Leonide Moguy (Dennis Christopher), and many of Candie's henchmen in a prolonged gunfight. He is forced to surrender when Broomhilda is taken hostage.

The next morning, the chained Django is tortured and about to be castrated by overseer Billy Crash (Walton Goggins) when Stephen arrives. As punishment, Stephen and Candie's sister Lara (Laura Cayouette) agree to send Django to a mine to be worked to death. Broomhilda, instead of being given her freedom, is locked in a cabin. En route to the mine, Django convinces the slave drivers that he is a bounty hunter, shows them the handbill from his first kill as evidence, and falsely informs them that there is a high-end bounty on some outlaws who have taken refuge back at Candie's plantation. He offers them a cut of the bounty if they free him and ride with him. The moment they free him, he kills the slave drivers, takes their dynamite, and rides back to Candyland.

Returning to the plantation, Django discovers Schultz's body. He takes the certificate of freedom that Candie signed for Broomhilda and reunites with her after freeing her from where she was being held. When Candie's mourners return to the Candyland mansion from his funeral, Django reveals himself. He sends off the remaining slaves and in a final shoot-out kills everyone inside except Stephen, whom he shoots in the knees. Having set the dynamite inside the house, he lights the fuse and leaves. Django and Broomhilda watch from a distance as the house explode, killing Stephen, and ride away.

Movie; Atomic Blonde (2017) Caution Spoiler Alert

 Atomic Blonde

Came out; 2017

Time; 1 hour 55 Minutes

Watched: Netflix

Rated: R for sequences of strong violence, language throughout & Some sexuality/nudity

IMDB Rating; 6.7/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 79%

Popcorn Meter 64%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Charlize Theron as Lorraine Broughton

James McAvoy as David Percival

John Goodman as Emmett Kurzfeld

Eddie Marsan as Spyglass

Toby Jones as Eric Gray

James Faulkner as Cheif “C”

Rolan Moller as Alexkander Bremovych

Sofia Boutella as Delphine Lasalle

Bill Skarsgard as Merkel

Story Line;

The crown jewel of Her Majesty's Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission. Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.

Thoughts:

How this movie got such good ratings I have no idea. I found it extremely boring with too much filler. The story line itself was decent and the acting was good but my god.

The twist at the very end was the best part about the entire thing.

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

In 1989, before the collapse of the Berlin Wall, MI6 agent James Gasciogne (Sam Hargrave) is shot and killed by KGB agent Yuri Bakhtin, who steals the List, a piece of microfilm concealed in a wristwatch that contains the names of every active field agent in the Soviet Union. The list was provided to Gasciogne by a informant code-name Spyglass, who was promised immunity by the MI6. The list can extend the cold war for another 40 years, so all governments are after it and Yuri is still in Berlin. Ten days later, Lorraine Broughton (Charlize Theron), a top-level spy for MI6, is brought in to be interrogated by MI6 executive Eric Gray (Toby Jones) and CIA agent Emmett Kurzfeld (John Goodman) about her mission to Berlin. The rest of the movie is in flashback.

The day after Gasciogne's death, Lorraine is dispatched to Berlin to recover the List and assassinate Satchel, a double agent who has sold intelligence to the Soviets for years and who betrayed Gascoigne. The list is supposed to contain the identity of Satchel, which is why MI6 is interested in it. Meanwhile Spyglass has contacted David Percival MI6 top man in Berlin to inform him that he has delivered the list to Gasciogne. Percival refuses to take Spyglass since Gasciogne didn't show up and he still doesn't have the list. Spyglass says that he has it memorized. When she arrives in Berlin, she is immediately ambushed by KGB agents working for arms dealer and KGB associate Aleksander Bremovych (Roland Møller), but is able to escape thanks to her main contact, agent David Percival (James McAvoy), showing up to help. Percival says that he has never met Spyglass. Bremovych is also looking for Bkahtin for the list and knows Bakhtin is trying hard to sell it. After failing to find any immediate leads, Lorraine searches Gascoigne's apartment and discovers a picture of him and Percival, and is then ambushed by the West German police. She realizes only Percival knew she was going to the apartment, and begins to suspect him of being Satchel. Lorraine also encounters Delphine Lasalle (Sofia Boutella), a naive French agent, and enters into a relationship with her. Lasalle has been tracking Lorraine since she landed in Berlin.

Bakhtin declares his intention to sell the List to the highest bidder. Percival, having been tipped off, kills him and takes the List for himself. He then meets with Bremovych, which Lasalle photographs. Percival meets Lorraine & now informs her that Spyglass has memorized the list and wants to defect. Lorraine is upset that Percival did not reveal this before, else she would have prioritized the extraction of Spyglass. The same night Percival called Eric and told him that he had the list and knew the identity of Satchel. This was not known to Lorraine. Percival offers to escort the defector who stole and memorized the List, a Stasi officer code-named Spyglass (Eddie Marsan), and his family across the border to West Berlin. Lorraine offers to help & makes her own arrangements. Percival has shooters on top to take out Spyglass, but Lorraine hides herself and Spyglass behind umbrellas to thwart the shooters. However, Pervical shoots Spyglass and tips off Bremovych's men, and despite Lorraine's best efforts, Spyglass is killed. At this point, it is very clear to Lorraine that Pervical has betrayed her and Spyglass. It turns out that Lasalle was following Lorraine on Percival's instructions. But now Lasalle knows that Percival has met Bremovych & threatens him. Percival warns her that she doesn't know who she is dealing with (referring to Lorraine). Percival then goes to Lasalle's apartment and kills her to cover his own tracks. When Lorraine arrives too late to save her, she discovers the photographs taken by Lasalle proving Percival to be Satchel. As Percival burns his safe-house and attempts to flee, Lorraine tracks him down, kills him, and takes the List. Lorraine reveals that he had met Bremovych as the real target that day was not Spyglass, but Lorraine. Percival wanted the KGB to eliminate Lorraine. He knew that Spyglass was a liability to everyone and thus had to eliminated as well and that Lorraine was the real Satchel.

Returning to the MI6 debriefing, Lorraine presents photographs as well as spliced audio recordings painting Percival as a traitor, and denies knowing the List's current whereabouts, forcing the agency to close the case. Three days later, she meets with Bremovych in Paris, revealing herself to be Satchel. Lorraine gives him a fake List, but Bremovych admits he knows she set him up. Lorraine kills his henchmen, and before killing him reveals she was manipulating events from the very beginning. Later in Paris she meets with Kurzfeld, revealing herself to be an American triple agent planted by the CIA, before returning with him to Langley.

Movie: Baby Driver (2017) Caution Spoiler Alert

 

Baby Driver

Came out; 2017

Time; 1 hour 53 Minutes

Watched: Netflix

Rated: R for violence & language throughout

IMDB Rating; 7.5/10

Rotten Tomatoes:

Tomato Meter 92%

Popcorn Meter 86%

Caution; Spoiler Alert

Staring;

Ansel Elgort as Baby

Jon Bernthal as Griff

Jon Hamm as Buddy

Eiza Gonzalez as Darling

Micah Howard as Barista

Lily James as Debora

Morgan Brown as Street Preacher

Kevin Spacey as Doc

Story Line;

Baby is a young and partially hearing impaired getaway driver who can make any wild move while in motion with the right track playing. It's a critical talent he needs to survive his indentured servitude to the crime boss, Doc, who values his role in his meticulously planned robberies. However, just when Baby thinks he is finally free and clear to have his own life with his new girlfriend, Debora, Doc coerces him back for another job. Now saddled with a crew of thugs too violently unstable to keep to Doc's plans, Baby finds himself and everything he cares for in terrible danger. To survive and escape the coming maelstrom, it will take all of Baby's skill, wits and daring, but even on the best track, can he make it when life is forcing him to face the music?

Thoughts:

I've heard good things about this movie. I know it's an older one but they don't always catch my eye right away. This was ok. It wasn't what I thought it would be.

It had action, some funny moments and a love story all in it.

It had a good cast, even with Kevin Spacey.

CAUTION; Spoiler Alert

When Baby (Ansel Elgort) was a child, a car accident killed his parents and left him with tinnitus (continuous humming sounds in the ears), which he blocks out by listening to music on iPod. As a teen, Baby lived a troubled life and it is revealed that he once tried to steal a car which was, unknown to him, owned by criminal mastermind "Doc" (Kevin Spacey). Doc had a lot of merchandise inside the car, which Baby dumped. Baby was caught by Doc himself but instead being turned in, he was coerced to work for Doc to pay off the debt for the lost merchandise.

As a result, he became a getaway driver, and ferried crews of robbers assembled by Doc. The crews would hit various targets like a bank and Doc had a rule never to work with the same crew twice. Baby is an expert driver and is able to use his skill to extract the crews without ever being caught by the police. Baby gets a full cut from each job, same as everyone else. He is called Baby as people are still waiting on his first words. After the loot is distributed, Doc takes most of Baby's cut as payment towards the first stolen car.

Between jobs, he creates remixes from snippets of conversations he records, and cares for his deaf foster father Joseph (CJ Jones). Baby has hidden away the money he earned from Doc inside the wooden floor of his apartment. At a diner, he meets a waitress, Debora (Lily James), and they start dating. Debora likes music and loves driving into the sunset, not knowing where she is going. She is sweet looking and has a great outlook for life.

Baby's supposedly final job for Doc goes awry after the trigger-happy Bats (Jamie Foxx), who developed an immediate dislike to Baby, shoots a security guard. Bats believes that the getaway driver needs both their eyes and ears on the job and with Baby listening to music all the time, Bats believes that he is only half there. It becomes worse when an armed bystander chases them down, but Baby evades him and the police. Bats wanted to shoot down the bystander, but Baby prevents that with his skillful driving. Bats knows that Baby deliberately made him miss that shot and tells him later that once you develop feelings in this business, you most likely end up dead.

Having paid his debt, Baby quits his life of crime. Joseph persuades him to start fresh and become a pizza delivery driver while Baby continues to date Deborah. However, while Baby is on a fancy dinner date with Debora, Doc appears and insists that he join another heist's crew, threatening to hurt Debora if he refuses. Baby reluctantly agrees. Doc says that Baby has paid off his debt and now it is time for him to profit. Doc says that he has done every job with Baby, ever since they met and now, he believes that Baby is his lucky charm.

Baby tell Deborah that he is being forced to drive again and asks her if she would like to leave everything behind with him. Deborah agrees.

The next heist targets money orders from a post office. When Baby arrives at their hideout, he is surprised that this job's crew consists of the easy-going Buddy (Jon Hamm), his sharpshooter wife Darling (Eiza González), and Bats; all repeat members, which is highly irregular, because Doc refuses to work with the same team more than once. While the crew attempts to purchase illegal arms for the job (Doc wanted hardware that could not be traced back to the crew or to any of their previous jobs), Bats realizes the dealers are police and opens fire, presumably killing them all. Afterwards, Bats forces Baby to stop at Debora's diner, unaware of Baby and Debora's romance, and nearly kills her in a hold-up.

Doc is furious, revealing that the dealers were dirty cops on his payroll. He decides to cancel the heist, but Bats, Buddy and Darling disagree. Doc lets Baby decide; he chooses to go through with it. He attempts to flee later that night, hoping to take Debora and leave Atlanta. He is stopped by Buddy and Bats, who have discovered his recordings and suspect that Baby is an informant. However, Baby is able to prove his innocence when Doc and the rest of the crew play mix-tapes he has created.

During the heist, Bats kills a security guard. Disgusted, Baby refuses to drive the crew, causing Bats to hit him. Baby rams the car into re-bar, impaling and killing Bats. The three surviving crew members flee on foot while the police chase them. After an ensuing firefight, Darling is shot and killed. Buddy blames Baby for her death, and vows to kill him. Baby steals another car and flees to his apartment to evacuate Joseph. Baby leaves Joseph, and his earnings from all his heists, on the porch of a senior care home along with a recording asking the staff to care for Joseph. Baby drives to Debora's diner to pick her up, where he discovers Buddy waiting. Baby shoots Buddy and flees with Debora as the police close in.

Baby seeks help from Doc, who initially refuses, blaming Baby for ruining the heist. After seeing he truly loves Debora, Doc supplies them with cash and directions to get out of the country, stating that he was also in love once. Buddy ambushes them in the parking garage and rams Doc with a stolen police car, killing him. A cat-and-mouse game ensues, leading them in a multi-story parking garage. Buddy corners Baby, and fires his gun next to both of Baby's ears, temporarily deafening him. Debora disarms Buddy with a crowbar and Baby shoots him, causing him to fall to his death.

Fleeing Atlanta, Baby and Debora run into a police roadblock. Debora prepares to ram it, but Baby stops her and surrenders, telling her she does not belong in the world of crime. At Baby's trial, Joseph, Debora, and several people Baby saved during the robberies testify in his defense. Baby is sentenced to 25 years in prison, with a parole hearing after 5 years served. He receives postcards from Debora, who promises to wait for him. Baby is released afterwards and finds Debora waiting in the same fashion he had previously dreamed of, and they kiss. They reunite with a new car and drive off into the sunset.