Muscle Shoals

— “Muscle Shoals” (Netflix) is a fascinating documentary. I can’t believe how much of the soundtrack of my life—of everyone’s lives—was touched by a couple of studios in a small town on the Tennessee River in northwestern Alabama. What an unlikely spot to surface as the crossroads for so many musical styles and so much talent. The film documents the birth of the “Muscle Shoals” sound thanks to Rick Hall’s FAME Studios, and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, founded by “The Swampers" who originally were session musicians working for Rick Hall. It’s also a reminder that, even in the early 1960s, black and white musicians came together, blind to color when segregation and inequality were commonplace all around them.

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[2013. 111 min. Directed by Greg “Freddy” Camalier. Featuring Aretha Franklin, Mick Jagger, Alicia Keys, Bono, Etta James, Percy Sledge, Jimmy Cliff, Candi Staton, Clarence Carter, Greg Allman, and Keith Richards.]
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/muscle-shoals-2013
http://www.artsatl.com/2013/10/review-muscle-shoals-theyve-swampers-music-cut/

Draft Day

— There’s something about Kevin Costner’s smooth voice and easy attitude that helps any movie. “Draft Day” (DVD) is a decent enough behind-the-scenes look at the machinations of the NFL Draft. It held my attention and kept me rooting for the right people. If you only want to see one draft film, choose “Moneyball” which was better, but if there’s room for more, give “Draft Day” a try.

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[2014. 110 min. Directed by Ivan Reitman. Starring Kevin Costner, Jennifer Garner, Frank Langella, and Denis Leary.]
http://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-draft-day-1201155283/

Delivery Man

— It’s not the best Vince Vaughn film you’ve seen and certainly not the best comedy, but “Delivery Man” (DVD) has a good, comedic premise and is more touching than you’d expect, even if the stereotypic man-child finding growth through schmaltz becomes more and more irritating with each successive film.

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[2013. 105 min. Directed by Ken Scott. Starring Vince Vaughn, Chris Pratt, and Cobie Smulders.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/goingoutguide/movies/delivery-man-movie-review/2013/11/20/3f961404-4e11-11e3-9890-a1e0997fb0c0_story.html

Gambit

— With Michael Hoffman directing a Coen Brothers’ script and actors like Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Tom Courtenay, and Stanley Tucci, “Gambit” (Netflix) should have been more than mediocre. When the opening titles paid homage to 1960’s caper films, you knew something was off but it ended up that almost everything was “off”. Nearly everyone was miscast and the pacing was off most of the time. It wanted to be a sophisticated caper comedy but really missed the mark. I suspect everyone involved is still shaking their heads, wondering how they ended up associated with the mess. Sad too since I vaguely remember liking the original version with Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine

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[2012. 89 min. Directed by Michael Hoffman. Screenplay by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. Starring Colin Firth, Cameron Diaz, Alan Rickman, Tom Courtenay, and Stanley Tucci.]
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/28/movies/gambit-stars-colin-firth-and-cameron-diaz.html?partner=rss&emc=rss&_r=1

Divergent

— A focus on finding your identity, embracing your complexity, and remaining watchful of those in charge leaves no doubt that “Divergent” (DVD) is a film for young adults. A cast of people who all look like personal trainers, plenty of empowered women, lots of interesting tattoos, and a fair amount of questioning of authority leaves no question that it’s meant for today’s young adult. “The Hunger Games” does outshine it and, even though Shailene Woodley does a decent job, she’s just not Jennifer Lawrence. Even so, I still kind of liked it and I was happy to watch something that didn’t focus on oversexed vampires or spoiled, shallow, rich kids. Oh, and Kate Winslet is in it too, and she’s always a worth seeing.

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[2014. 139 min. Directed by Neil Burger. Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Kate Winslet, Ashley Judd, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoe Kravitz, and Miles Teller.]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/style-blog/wp/2014/03/22/would-divergent-be-getting-such-bad-reviews-if-the-hunger-games-didnt-exist/

Magic in the Moonlight

— I like Woody Allen. Sure, not every film of his is a winner, and lately it seems like every other film isn’t, but even his less stellar films can still be fun. “Magic in the Moonlight” is definitely not up to the caliber of “Blue Jasmine” or “Midnight in Paris”, but it’s still entertaining. Maybe a little slow. Maybe more stage play than film. Maybe dialog that is a little off and a script that's not up to Woody’s cleverness. Maybe a little light on theme and on believability, but people in the audience were guffawing and I was one of them. I wanted to like it more than I did. The best part was Colin Firth and the rest of the cast, all of whom were more than able if only they’d had a bit more to work with.

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[2014. 97 min. Directed by Woody Allen. Starring Colin Firth, Emma Stone, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Eileen Adkins, Hamish Linklater, and Simon McBurney.]
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jul/25/magic-in-the-moonlight-woody-allens-film-is-as-airy-as-they-come-first-look-review

Guardians of the Galaxy

— I had no idea who the“Guardians of the Galaxy” were since these guys are not among my limited universe of superheroes. Most of the time—spaceships, planets and odd species aside—I almost forget I was watching “superheroes”. The quintet was more like a ragtag group of bickering outlaws operating behind a decidedly unhip but catchy soundtrack of '60s and '70s pop hits. Oh, and they were genuinely funny, or at least quirky. I liked it a lot, but I’ve liked almost all the Marvel movies in the past 4-5 years. Too bad Guardians 2 isn’t slated for release until 2017. Meanwhile, I may pick up the soundtrack of oldies everyone knows, which reached number 1 (Billboard 200) the second week of its release.

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[2014. 121 min. Directed by James Gunn. Starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel (voice), and Bradley Cooper (voice).]
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/one-2

Get On Up

— I’d probably like “Get On Up” for the music alone, but I was happy that Chadwick Boseman was able to give us an unforgettable James Brown, even if Brown’s ego is depicted to be as big as his talent. The script is a little irritating at times (I’ve grown tired of actors turning to talk to the audience) and it feels a little tame and over-directed, but I still enjoyed it.

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[2014. 138 min. Directed by Tate Taylor. Starring Chadwick Boseman, Nelson Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, and Viola Davis.]
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/08/11/one-2