JoeMama's Movie Reviews

Worst2First:  My Top Ten Films That Say the Title in the Film There's a joke on "Family Guy" where Peter comments on how films say the title in the film: I then realized that there are several films that include the title of the film in the film, some of which are obvious (such as "Iron Man" or "Thor"), while others suggest an action that takes place that correlates to the title itself (such as "Clear and Present Danger" or "Full Metal Jacket").  To compile a list of my ten favorite films wasn't easy, as I could've done a top hundred list considering all the films that mention the title, but here are my personal top ten films that mention the name in the film, worst2first... **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #10 Saving Private Ryan  Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Paul Giamatti and Matt Damon in the titular role, "Saving Private Ryan...

Upgrade Starring Logan Marshall-Green, Betty Gabriel, Harrison Gilbertson, Melanie Vallejo Directed by Leigh Whannell The Story: Married couple Grey (Logan Marshall-Green) and Asha (Melanie Vallejo) live in the not-too-distant future where their house and car are fully automated, except for Grey's desire to rebuild his classic cars.  While out for the night, their self-driving car seemingly malfunctions and lands them in the middle of a rough neighborhood, where they're ambushed by a group of men.  They shoot Grey in the back and murder Asha before driving away. Three months later, Grey is a quadriplegic, and has lost all will to live, until mysterious Eron Keen (Harrison Gilbertson) offers him a solution - implanting Grey with a experimental computer chip called STEM (Simon Maiden) that will give him mobility again.  After the surgery, Grey discovers STEM has a voice, and will do whatever he commands him to do.  He goes in search of the men who killed ...

Adrift Starring Shailene Woodley, Sam Claflin, Jeffrey Thomas, Elizabeth Hawthorne Directed by Balthasar Kormakur The Story: Tami Oldham (Shailene Woodley) is a free-spirited young woman who wants to travel the world, and while working at a boating dock in Tahiti she meets boater Richard Sharp (Sam Claflin), and the two begin a whirlwind romance.  When he's asked to take a 44-foot yacht from Tahiti to San Diego (a 4,000-mile journey), they jump at the chance to make some money and spend some quiet time together.  Then the encounter Hurricane Raymond, and the boat is nearly destroyed.  Richard suffers serious injuries, and it's up to Tami to find a way to shore before they die alone at sea. The Synopsis: I'm always a sucker for a true survivor story.  I am baffled at how the body, mind, and spirit of a person adapts to the most dire situation and finds a way to survive somehow, and that's the allure of "Adrift" from acclaimed director Balthasar K...

Action Point Starring Johnny Knoxville, Chris Pontius, Eleanor Worthington Cox, Dan Bakkedahl Directed by Tim Kirkby The Story: DC Carver (Johnny Knoxville) runs Action Point, a small amusement park in the desert, and hires local youth who aren't the most reliable people to run it.  The park is known for being unsafe, and when a big-name amusement park opens nearby, it threatens his business and nearly forces him to close his doors unless he comes up with a great idea. With the help of his daughter Boogie (Eleanor Worthington Cox), he decides to amp up the thrill level of the park by eliminating many of the rules and opening a petting zoo for the children, creating mass marketing to draw in a bigger crowd in hopes of keeping his park. The Synopsis: In 2000, the small show "Jackass" hit MTV, and became a cultural phenomenon.  Featuring a steady cast including Johnny Knoxville, Bam Margera, Steve-O, Chris Pontius, Ryan Dunn and Wee Man, the show centered on...

Worst2First:  My Top Ten Romantic Comedies Romance movies are generally not my favorite, but when mixed with comedy at least they turn into something I can laugh at.  There's been several decent romantic comedies in cinema, so it wasn't difficult to find my ten favorites. Here are my personal top ten romantic comedies, worst2first... **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #10 10 Things I Hate About You "I want you, I need you, oh baby, oh baby."  When you read that sentence you think it could be a sonnet of pure love and affection, but it's actually a sarcastic line told by Kat Stratford, who is an independent, sarcastic girl in high school who doesn't need a man.  In a modern take on the Shakespeare classic "The Taming of the Shrew," "10 Things I Hate About You" is about a high school girl who wants a date, but the only stipulation is that her older sister also needs a date - and she's not looking for one.  The film ...

Major Theatrical Releases June 2018 In the middle of the summer, there's several long-anticipated sequels, some intriguing independent work, a highly-anticipated documentary, and pretty much everything else you can think of that would bring you to the theaters. Here are the major theatrical releases for June 2018. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS,  Also, dates are subject to change** Action Point June 1 It will be interesting to see if the antics of the "Jackass" crew can be maintained sixteen years after the series ended.  "Bad Grandpa" was a surprise hit, so this could also draw in a crowd who likes seeing people hurting themselves in insane, over-the-top antics.  Johnny Knoxville (who is now nearing 50) stars as a man who tries to keep his amusement park open despite its many, many flaws, and is surprisingly based off an actual amusement park.  The stunts are all real, with no help from CGI, which will definitely generate t...

Worst2First:  My Top Ten War Films War is hell, and it's been portrayed on the big screen for decades.  From telling real-life events to centering on some of history's most iconic generals and tacticians, there's no shortage of films centering on war. Here are my personal top ten war films, worst2first... **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** #10 Hacksaw Ridge Following the journey of Desmond Doss, the first conscientious observer to receive the Medal of Honor during World War II, "Hacksaw Ridge" is an unrelenting look at a particular skirmish between American and Japanese forces.  Played by Andrew Garfield (who received an Oscar nomination for his performance), the film at first focuses on Doss's life and then throws us - and him - into the throngs of war where we get to witness a true inspiration of a man who rescued soldiers without carrying a gun. #9 Black Hawk Down Centering on the Battle of Mogadishu - where the U.S....