Movies, Film, and Chili

Ex Machina is about an inventor who has cracked the Turing test and needs someone else to validate his work and also so he can show off and dance with his fembots. Alex Garland  wrote and directed this film. He's part of the reason I'm reviewing this film. Part because the film is great and part because he's got a new film coming out called Annihilation. Considering this is his first film to ever direct he did phenomenal compared to other's firsts. Cue Emenim's phenomenal song. Before Ex Machina, he wrote 28 Days Later another solid movie and Sunshine which wasn't. Alicia Vikander  plays the main synthetic intelligence who believes that if she fails the Turing test that she will be decommissioned like previous failed attempts by the antagonist. I totally forgot that she wasn't an artificial person and was actually an actress. She's also got an upcoming movie called Tomb Raider coming out soon. Though you might recognize her as the girl from Jason B...

Draft Day  is about a general manager who has the opportunity to get a number one pick but sacrifices a lot to do so. Directed by the famous Ivan Reitman . Known for Ghostbusters I and II, Twins, Junior, Stripes, and of course Kindergarten Cop. This director has been around and so there are zero directorial flaws that younger directors make and he builds the story Scott Rothman and Rajiv Joseph wrote. They are relatively unknown writers and should get more work because of the writing in this film is great. It makes even mundane conversations without any action interesting and worth watching. Kevin Costner plays Sonny Weaver Jr. a general manager who is constantly reminded that he isn't as good as his father was and hasn't really had the chance to prove his worth. His character has depth and his relationship with Garner's character isn't too distracting from the storyline. I don't really watch that many Costner movies but this one stands out as my favorite. J...

American Sniper is about a former Navy S.E.A.L. sniper who becomes a legend for the number of soldiers he saved, and about what happens once he returns home and how he deals with post-duty America. With a new Clint Eastwood movie coming out soon, I figured now would be a good time to go back and review one of Eastwood's best-directed movies. Eastwood captures the war in Iraq and Afghanistan in a light that seems so authentic that there is little doubt that what you are seeing is real and it feels that way. Eastwood transports you to war much the same Spielberg did with Saving Private Ryan. There are many roles that Bradley Cooper has done well, but this one surpasses them all by a landslide. He was great in Silver Linings Playbook don't get me wrong but he was robbed by Eddie Redmayne for the Oscar that year. One thing that many military people will probably notice is the mannerisms that Cooper did to make his performance more believable. There is not a scene in which I...

Chef (2014) is written, directed and stars Jon Favreau. It's about a head chef who is forced to quit his job and gets a food truck to try something new. The movie is more about how he has to change his life and through the process understand the importance of family over work. Jon Favreau is probably a household name just because of how recognizable he is and how talented an actor, director, and writer he is. I first saw him in Rudy and then Swingers, but most people know him from Iron Man I would assume. The younger crowd would recognize him from Spider-Man: Homecoming. He plays the main character, Carl Casper, in this film and does an amazing job stepping out from his usual roles and completes his character arc perfectly. I used to find Sofia Vergara annoying from Modern Family but she tones it down for this film and is amazing. She plays the ex-wife of Jon Favreau's main character Carl Casper. Scarlett Johansson is also in the film and the relationship she has with Car...