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SLL2004
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- Review count38
- Helpfulness votes78
- First reviewMarch 16, 2015
- Last reviewFebruary 10, 2017
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- Average rating4.4
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![The Switch [Blu-ray] [2010]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/2225/2225171_sa.jpg)
Posted by: SLL2004
Every so often there comes along a movie that most mainstream critics just don't like and I do. The Switch is one of those movies. Far nicer and sweeter than I expected, you may not LOVE this movie, but if it doesn't make you smile, there is something wrong with you.
Jennifer Aniston plays Kassie, a woman who is tired of waiting on a seemingly non-existent Mr. Right to start a family. She decides to find a donor who is tall and has a good sense of humor (traits not possessed by her best friend, the neurotic Wally (Jason Bateman)) and hold a very special gathering for friends and family. At this "insemination party", a very drunk Wally decides to 'switch' her donor's ingredient for his own, thus secretly hijacking her pregnancy. Fast-forward seven years and we meet Sebastian, Kassie's child, who is becoming more and more like his real father Wally by the day.
There is an underlying sad tension building all throughout the movie as we wait for the moment when Wally will put two and two together and remember what he did that fateful night, and then when he must reveal this dirty secret to Kassie. My guess is this is why some critics didn't like it. If you go into it with a better perspective though, it is more about how Wally decides he is ready to commit to this young child as a father, and how he is a better person for it, regardless of how everything ends up. A couple of scenes are downright touching, and the ending, while somewhat rushed and flawed, didn't ruin the story. I was not expecting much and in return got a whole lot.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Legend [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4758/4758712_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
This is a movie that I really enjoyed
on March 1, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
"The Queen would survive, but God save the rest of us." London in the 1960's was run by two twin gangsters, Reggie and Ron Kray #Hardy#. Nothing happened without them knowing or allowing it. Reggie was calculating and deadly while Ron was a little psychotic and unstable. Eventually they only thing that could challenge their reign was each other. As many of you know by now I am a HUGE fan of gangster and mafia movies. I was looking forward to this one for that reason. I like Tom Hardy but never really got all the hype around him, until now. He was so good in this that it almost actually hurt the movie. He plays both brothers perfectly and to the point of you forgetting its the same actor. The dialog and intonation of his voice is even different. I've never seen anything like it and half the time I was staring at them, going back and forth trying to see similarities and failing. It also made me wonder if the movie would have been as good if it had not been for him. What it came down to was it doesn't matter, he is in it and I was just mesmerized by his acting in this. I say distracting because as good as this movie was all I could talk about was his performance, that isn't a bad thing though. Overall, this is a movie that I really enjoyed and highly recommend but the reason to watch is for the dual role played by Hardy. I give this movie a high B+.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Big Short [DVD] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4921/4921700_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
4
4.0 stars... riveting, and revolting
on March 1, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
"The Big Short" (2015 release; 130 min.# looks at a small group of people who came to realize that the housing bubble building up in the early and mid-2000 was unsustainable, and that the various financial products issued by Wall Street eventually would collapse. As the movie opens, we ge a short introduction on how banking evolved from a boring people's industry back in the 1980s to the hot shot market it would become in the new century. We then get introduced to Dr. Michael Burry #played by Christian Bale#, a socially awkward fellow who loves heavy metal music and has an uncanny nose for spotting new trends in the financial markets. We also get to know Mark Baum #played by Steve Carell#, an investment manager recovering from his brother's suicide and bent on calling out BS whenever he sees it. At this point we're 15 min. into the movie but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: first, this is the latest movie from pretty much the same production team that brought us "Moneyball" a few years ago, also based on the book by Michael Lewis, with Brad Pitt's "Plan B" production company being the main driver. Pitt, a central player in "Moneyball" here plays a smaller role. Second, "The Big Short" is directed by Adam McKay, best known for the "Anchorman" movies. In fact, there is a certain sense of irony and implausibility that is common to both "Anchorman" and "The Big Short". Not that "the Big Short" is a comedy or funny in any way. On the contrary, "The Big Short" is dead-serious in its assault on all things Wall Street, and rightfully so. You will revolt at the shady, and worse, practices that are going on. "An atomic bomb of stupidity and fraud" is how Steve Carell's character sums it up. Third, the acting performances are top-notch throughout, none more so #in my book anyway# than Christian Bale's tour de force as the socially awkward Dr. Burry. Ryan Gosling is also noteworthy, but the single biggest surprise is of course the cameo appearance by Selena Gomez, who pops in to explain the latest financial instrument #"synthetic CDO"# in lay-man's terms. Yes, we literally get schooled by various celebrities #also appearing is Margot Robbie, among others# on what all the various financial products that the banks concoct mean in language that we can understand #not that it mattered, I still don't understand them#. Lastly, please note that the camera work is quite rough, with endless super close-ups and/or out of focus shorts. It is the only aspect of an otherwise perfect movie that I'd call "an action movie for the brainiac". Also, if you wonder whether Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breaks" #which played prominently in the movie's trailer# is featured in the movie, no worries: it plays over the end titles.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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3of 3voted this as helpful.
![Spotlight [DVD] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4758/4758715_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Outstanding investigative journalism drama
on March 1, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
"Spotlight" (2015 release; 128 min.# brings the true story of how the Boston Globe eventually broke the story of the widespread abuse of young children by Boston priests while the Catholic Church stood by and covered it up. As the movie opens, we are in "Boston, MA - 1976", where we see a priest being accused of abuse. "Wait until the arraignment, the press will be all over it", comments one cop. "What arraignment?", replies the other cop. We then fast-forward to "July, 2001", and we get to know the 4 member Spotlight, an investigative reporting team at the Boston Globe. The Globe also has just gotten a new editor, Marty Baron, "an unmarried Jewish guy who doesn't like baseball" #the implication being he's no fit for Boston#. But it's not long before Baron picks up on a recent column about abuse by Boston priests, and he orders Spotlight to look into it. At this point we're not even 15 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from writer and sometimes director Tom McCarthy #he won an Oscar for writing "UP"#, and I have to say, "Spotlight" is the giant leap forward as a director, and he has now placed himself in the upper ranks of today's directors. The trick with these movies is: how can the director brings a movie, whose outcome we already know going in, and still capture our attention? It was the same question faced by the makers of "All The President's Men", of course, and in fact "Spotlight" very much reminds me of "All The President's Men": top-notch all the way, and it feels like a thriller as you're watching it. At one point, someone comments "it takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to abuse a child", pinpointing the collective failing of all of Boston for so many years. The abuse of power and influence of the Catholic Church is simply appalling. Kudos to the various performers, including Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Rachael McAdams, Stanley Tucci, and Liev Schreiber, just to name those. They all bring powerful performances. Last but not least, there is a nice orchestral score from Hollywood veteran composer Howard Shore. If "Spotlight" does somewhat okay at the box office, This movie looks to be in line for a bunch of nominations and even awards in the upcoming awards season.
The movie opened nationally in the theaters in late November, and I couldn't wait to see it. The early evening screening where I saw this at in Ft. Myers was reasonably attended but by no means a sell-out. Given the movie will get many well-deserved accolades in the upcoming awards season, it may find a larger audience still. "Spotlight is a must-see, not just because it covers an important issue but most of all because it is one heck of a movie #Top 3 of 2015 for me, along with Sicario and Sun of Saul#. If you liked "All the President's Men", drop everything and go see this. "Spotlight" is HIGHLY, HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Room [DVD] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4903/4903602_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Difficult subject matter delicately handled
on March 1, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
Theatrical review. Possible spoilers. This sometimes difficult to watch, or even contemplate, film is thankfully handled with great delicacy by director Lenny Abrahamson. So don’t be afraid to search it out even after it disappears from the few theaters where it is currently showing. It will be on video soon. If you watch a fair share of movies and have been paying attention in recent years, you may have noticed Brie Larson in smaller but terrific roles (“The Spectacular Now, The Gambler, Digging for Fire, Trainwreck”) and perhaps as the lead in a small film called “Short Term 12.” I expect she will get her due now for her magnificent performance as “Ma.”
It is now 7 years after teenager, Joy Newsome (Larson) disappeared from her home in Ohio. The film opens as she and her now 5 year old son, Jack (a gifted Jacob Tremblay), celebrate his birthday imprisoned in a 15’ x 15’ shed. Captured by “Old Nick” (Sean Bridgers), Ma/Joy is routinely by the man which ultimately produces Jack. And for the record, Abrahamson keeps the scenes off camera. In return for her cooperation, Nick feeds the mother and son and provides the shelter. But they never leave. Their only view of the outside world comes in the form of a skylight.
Ma decides that since Jack is now a big boy, she must teach him the realities of the outside world. Until this point, she has made a game of things, keeping it simple for a young child. To Jack the pictures that come from a TV aren’t real. They are just pictures. Jack has no concept of reality. In a terrific scene, we see Ma trying to teach Jack how a wall works. That is, there are things on one side of a wall and different things on the other side. Ma has her work cut out for her, but believes Jack is now old enough to create a ruse on “Old Nick” that will allow Jack to escape. It is a tense section of the film and one that lifts it from its unsavory premise.
Once freed, Jack as you would expect, has a difficult time. He’s shy. He doesn’t even know how to go up and down stairs. But he’s a kid. He learns quickly, makes a new friend both human and canine. Joy’s mother, Nancy (Joan Allen) and her newish husband, Doug (Matt Gordon) do their best to acclimate Jack and Joy back into the world. But as we see Jack slowly adapt, we see Joy’s mental condition deteriorate. Again Ms. Larson transforms Ma from a loving and protective mother, to a young woman succumbing to the mental anguish that has fermented for 7 years. It is truly a remarkable performance.
You have to be impressed with the direction of Abrahamson and the script by Emma Donoghue from her own novel. The subject matter is tricky but it is handled wonderfully. In the end you’ll be wiping away tears, but with a smile on your face. Highly recommended.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![Creed [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4624/4624503_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
One of the Best of the Rocky Legacy
on January 19, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
This movie did an incredible job of maintaining the integrity of the original Rocky movies and carrying the legacy forward to a new (very believable) champion. Strong acting, strong storyline. One of my favorites.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
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![Pretty in Pink [DVD] [1986]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/8822/8822272_sa.jpg)
Posted by: SLL2004
The young adult social experience was well represented by the work of John Hughes, and Pretty In Pink has become quite the classic. High school social status will forever be part of growing up, and struggles with individuality and conformity are issues all people can relate to. Whilst some aspects of the film’s plot might be considered too innocent, the fact remains crossing boundaries can be represented in a number of ways, and following the heart and mind over peer pressure is a wonderful message.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Breakfast Club [30th Anniversary Edition] [Blu-ray] [1985]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/3512/3512024_sa.jpg)
Customer Rating
5
Still relevant after all these years
on January 10, 2016
Posted by: SLL2004
I feel this is one of the best movies of the 80's. Everyone who watches it can relate to one character at least. High School could be hard and this funny school detention story is worth it's weight in gold.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Walk [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/164889b6-d2e0-47ea-891e-b017c13867ba.jpg)
Posted by: SLL2004
wow, this movie was something so incredible, cant believe someone really did this. This guy all the adrenaline junkies out there, set some incredible standards that can never be repeated. very well done and a good director of this film.
A must watch movie... The incredible thing is they really documented this with film and video in 1974.
A must watch movie... The incredible thing is they really documented this with film and video in 1974.
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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![The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials [Includes Digital Copy] [Blu-ray] [2015]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/4526/4526500_sa.jpg)
Posted by: SLL2004
Excellent follow-up to Part 1 of the Maze Runner
I very much liked this action-packed movie. Nothing particularly deep here, just a good action movie ...
I very much liked this action-packed movie. Nothing particularly deep here, just a good action movie ...
My Best Buy number: 2178805630
I would recommend this to a friend!
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