Friday Flicks: Hostiles

Hostiles
Rating ★★★★

What It's About
Captain Joseph Blocker has been tasked with escorting a Cheyenne chief and his family that have been held prisoner back to their home in Montana from New Mexico. Our man Captain Blocker is NOT happy about this task. He despises the native Americans because of the horrors he's seen inflicted on his own people by them. On their way they run into a young mother who's husband and three children were killed by Indians. Unable to abandon her, Captain Blocker takes her with his group. As they travel the treacherous road faced with hostility and prejudice on both sides, Captain Blocker begins looking at things in a different light.

My husband wanted to see this one and I don't mind westerns (or popcorn) so we headed out to see it. Another great pick by my husband. I ended up really loving this one.

This movie is not for the feint of heart. It starts out with this poor mother's family being massacred that sets the tone for Captain Blocker's (played by Christian Bale) loathing for the native American people. It's easy to understand his hatred after you've seen this women's two little girls get shot in front of her as they just saw their father being killed and scalped and are fleeing in terror. Then the mother's little baby she's holding takes a bullet and dies. Yeah, you start feeling a prickle of hate yourself for these "savages".

Of course as you get to know the Cheyenne chief and his family you're reminded people are just people and it's really hate that is the problem, not the color of a person's skin. And once you see the white people's hate and prejudice and what THEY are capable of it's easy to become furious with them and start taking the native American's side.

While, I'm sure the movie was maybe sort of pushing its little agenda it didn't feel like it to me. It did an excellent job of making you see both sides and FEEL both sides.

I cried like a baby at certain parts and was very moved by the change in Christian Bale's characters. The ending was heartbreaking and yet hopeful. I really loved it!

Let's Talk
This movie did an excellent job not taking sides and trying to guilt you into feeling like crap for any prejudices you might have but letting you see and feel both sides. I love when a movie or a book can do that. Often I find these movies too agenda pushing. What movies have you seen that are good and bad at this?

Recommendation 
As much as I loved this one I don't necessarily think it needs to be seen in theaters but I'd still recommend it. I think we might be seeing this one in next year's Oscars.

Friday Flicks: Thor Ragnarok

Thor Ragnarok
Rating ★★★★

What It's About
If you've been hiding under a rock it's time to come out. Come on, it's ok. Out you come. There's a good boy! Alright! I'm done. So anyway, I'm assuming you know all about the Marvel Universe and their movies. I love how they all fit together, don't you? This one follows Thor as he discovers he has a sister. A sister that was so power hungry and crazy that their father locked her away. But she's free now and back to her old ways of power mad controlling! It's up to Thor to stop her....without his hammer. Eeeep!

 I got to see this one opening weekend because my awesome friend Jenni had a spare ticket. Thanks Jenni! I'll be honest. I've only see the first Thor. I know! Sacrilege. But I have seen the Avengers etc so I wasn't completely lost. Now I don't know if I'm just remembering wrong or if they took a different approach to this movie but it was hilarious! Way funnier than it's predecessors. And I don't mean silly little jokes here and there amidst some serious action. I mean a laugh a minute, not taking itself too serious funny. I loved it!

And the story was fun too. I liked watching Thor figure out who he really was without his hammer. I loved all the Marvel cameos and the newcomers were great too. It was such a fun ride! If you're a Marvel fan and a fan of 80s videogames this one will be right up your alley.

My only beef with the movie, the reason it's a four star instead of a five, is I felt it was a bit long. Now if you're loving a movie or book so much that you don't want it to end then length is great. And I was loving this one but it was crowded and hot in the movie theater and enjoyable or not, it had a few unnecessary things that could have been cut in my opinion. Still, it's totally worth the watch and I guarantee you'll laugh your head off. Go see it!

Let's talk

    Chris Hemsworth fan? Cause I am. Damn!

Mini Movie Reviews #12

Oi! I've fallen behind in movie reviews. Life is not going so great for me right now and blogging is becoming a last priority.  Still, I'm seeing movies so I thought I'd do my old style Mini Movie Reviews to catch you up.

Flatliners
I'm not sure why they felt the need to remake this one. There's not some amazing story here that's worth retelling but since I never saw the original I figured what the hell. I was more entertained than I thought I'd be. It was creepy and enjoyable enough but nothing special...or memorable.

Victoria & Abdul
I was really excited to see this one. It seemed like it would be cute and fun. And it was...to a point. And then it just got weird. I don't know how accurate this was to real history, I'm guessing not very. And while I wanted to just watch and appreciate the relationship between these two it just got a little "what's-the-point" and I was left slightly disappointed.

Made in America
This one was the husband's pick. I had no desire to see it. And, as usual when I don't want to see it and he convinces me, I ended up liking it. I know Tom Cruise isn't anyone's favorite anymore but I thought he did a great job. It was very entertaining to watch this guy's life. It does end sadly but you know it's coming. I'd actually recommend this one. I guess I should listen to the husband's recommendations a little more often, huh?

 The Mountain Between Us
Why I didn't realize this one was going to be a romance I'll never know. I thought it was going to be about these two completely different people surviving some horrible stuff together. And it was but...then romance came into it. And the romance wasn't bad but when you're not expecting it and have to adjust your perception mid movie it can be a bit jarring.  It was still very entertaining and emotionally investing, though. I'd recommend it.

Friday Flicks: The Hitman's Bodyguard

The Hitman's Bodyguard
Rating ★★★★★ 

What it's about
OK, we've seen this story line before so this should be quick. We have the awesome bodyguard who's life is in shambles because a client died on his watch. We have the world's most successful hitman with numerous kills to his name. Sadly, he's locked away for life and so is his beautiful wife. And then we have the awful dictator accused of killing hundreds of people on trial with no witnesses to validate these claims. Well, of course Darius, our hitman, is a witness but getting him into another country to testify might be a little tricky. First Interpol tries but someone on the inside leaked info and they almost lose our hitman. Luckily the lead agent gets them to a safe house but doesn't dare call it in because she suspects a leak. So she calls our down and out Michael, her exboyfriend. Now charged with getting Darius to Amersterdam to testify against the scumbag dictator who has men everywhere trying to kill them, Michael and Darius will form a hilarious bond that gives us movie goers the most entertaining time we've had in a long time.

This movie is the most hilarious movie I've seen in a long time. It's one of those movies you sort of fear will have shown all the funny parts in the previews but, no, this one saved some good laughs for us. It reminded me of the good ol' Lethal Weapon's movies. A laugh a minute with kickass car chase

scenes and shoot outs, I adored this one. I want to go spend the money and see it again...in theaters, I loved it so much.

Ryan Reynolds plays the grouchy life-sucks-and it's-everyone-else's-fault character perfectly. And Samuel L. Jackson is his usual foul mouthed, irreverent self.

Salma Hayek was absolutely hilarious as Samuel's wife. She was a scary crazy that just made me laugh. Her and Samuel's romance was too perfect. It had me in stitches.


The plot, while not super original was pieced together beautifully and had you on the edge of your seat hoping everything would turn out and just as you'd think you couldn't take it anymore some moment would ease the tension by making you laugh hysterically.

The dictator played by Gary Oldman was perfectly evil. I wanted to choke him out. And even though you know he won't win you still sort of fear he will. That man knows how to do creepy.


I couldn't recommend this one enough. I though it would be funny and entertaining but it was beyond that. I loved it. I want to see it again and I'll definitely be buying this one so I can enjoy it over and over again.

Let's Talk
Do you give the same old formulaic story lines a shot or always look for something new? I know I do. I love seeing a formula I know I'll like and then having it take that formula to a whole new height of awesomness.

Recommendation
See it in theaters!!!!