Matty's Movies: "Thor, And A Whole Bunch More"

Alright folks, I'm back and I'm feeling refreshed and ready to review some movies.

It's been a while since I've reviewed a film. The last one being "Captain Phillips". I reviewed that movie while I was touring the country, on my way to starting my new life out in sunny California.

You see, as we all know, I love my movies. And there's no better place to be than in L.A. if you want to keep up on the film industry.

Well my friends, I may have not been keeping up on my reviews, but I have certainly been keeping up on my movies. I have seen five new films since I moved into my apartment in Sherman Oaks.

And right now I'm going to rattle out a slew of "rapid reviews" for you. Please try to keep up.

October 29th: I got out the see the Johnny Knoxville film "Bad Grandpa".

Irving Zisman (Knoxville) is a freshly widowed husband who has to take his grandson (Jackson Nicoll) across the country so he can re-unite him with his father. Hi-jinx ensue, and you realize that our country is filled with a bunch of idiots... Actually, I take that back, it's just that people have NO IDEA what to do when faced with "way out of the ordinary" circumstances. Besides Knoxville there aren't really any big star-powered names in it. Okay, Catherine Keener (40 Year Old Virgin, Being John Malkovich) plays Knoxville's wife, but you have no clue it's her because she is made up to look SO OLD.

I really liked this film. It started out slow, but it developed a touching story, and by the end I was moved (slightly). So yes, it was very good..... But it's no "Jackass". I liked those movies a lot more.

November 1st: I made my way back to my theatre to see the sci-fi spectacle "Ender's Game".

For all who know me, you know me as a sci-fi geek. And I'll tell you right now that this was one of my favorite sci-fi films in years. I was not expecting anything from this movie. I heard nothing about it. I only knew what I knew from the previews, and when it was all said and done I got up out of my seat and said "Wow!" I was floored with the story. Harrison Ford was fantastic, (his best sci-fi role since he was Han Solo) and young actor Asa Butterfield ( from the movie "Hugo") was just as solid as Ender Wiggin. (the movie's title character.)

One thing I did find funny was that they had all these special effects people working on the film, yet they ended up making all the alien fighter jets look exactly like Mini-Millenium Falcons. (Han Solo's ship from "Star Wars".) I mean, Harrison Solo was in the movie for crying out loud! Change the design up a little! Truthfully though, what a great film... Oh yeah, and we all know that this movie was definitely better than the book. Why? Because books suck.

November 4th: I saw the french film "Blue is the Warmest Color". This movie won Best Picture at Cannes Film Festival this year.

It follows the young adult life of Adele, (acted fantastically by Adele Exarchopoulos) a girl who falls in love with a blue haired college gal named Emma (Lea Seydoux).

The way I took this film was that there was so much love in their lives, but at times, so much insecurity, and so much pain. I found it to be a sad and wonderful story.

The film is Rated NC-17. I'm assuming for the extensive sex scenes involved in the film, but to be honest, I did not find them to be too graphic. Some of the lovemaking scenes may have run a little long, but who cares, I liked them. I'll come right out and say it, if a director thinks a scene deserves an extended lesbian lovemaking session, who am I to say no. It's his vision. Personally, I liked the directors vision. I'm not going to beat around the bush here, I/m going to come right out and say it. I am a huge fan of lesbian lovemaking scenes, (especially when it fits the film) and when you have such a powerful story behind those scenes, then you, my good man, have made a dynamite movie.

(Note: When Emma's hair was not blue she looked exactly like Jon Bon Jovi. And that's not a burn on either of them. They are both very, very attractive people.)

November 8th: BOOM! I saw "Thor: The Dark World".

Let's get right into it. Girls will love it because of Thor. Guys will love it because of Natalie Portman. Evil people will love it because of Loki. Nice people will love it because of the story. People who drop acid will love it because of all the great colors on all the Realms. (especially Asgard). "Freejack" lovers who loved the movie "Freejack" will love it because it stars "Freejack" alums Rene Russo and Anthony Hopkins. And most importantly, I loved it because I love these types of movies. You don't need me to tell you about it. You either want to see "Thor" or you don't.

Don't be a dummy, go see "Thor".

Also on November 8th I saw the film "Dallas Buyers Club".

This film stars Matthew McConaughey as Ron Woodroof, a booze swilling, coke snorting, womanizing cowboy who contracts HIV. He realizes that his doctors are poisoning him more than they are helping him, so he starts his own company with the right doses of drugs and vitamins. Within months hundreds of people with AIDS are coming to him.

The story is also about his battle with the FDA.

This film should be an Oscar contender. Definitely a 'Best Actor' nod is in the works for McConaughey. He must've slimmed down to 130lbs. He made himself look sickly. And there most definitely should be a 'Supporting Actor' nomination to Jared Leto for his role as a transsexual who becomes best friends with McConaughey's Woodroof.

I will say that ignorance ran rampant during this time in history. (1985 til whenever) People hated other people just because they had the virus. There was so much homophobia going on. So much venomous slurs thrown around. It was a bad time. I think this movie needs to be seen by the masses. It is a great film.

So there you have it. I just bored you up to date with five films I've recently seen since I've made my new home out here in sunny Los Angeles, California.

You know what? I'm going to put these films in order for you, starting with my favorite.

1. "Blue is the Warmest Color"

2. "Dallas Buyers Club"

3. "Ender's Game"

There's five "Matty Approved" movies for you to see. Pick any film, you'll like them all.

It's good to be back writing reviews.

Matty W. Kelley, A Seat Apart Productions, reporting.

Fun Fact: The Millinuim Falcon was the ship that did the Kessel run in under 12 parsecs.

Fun Matty Fact: I am at 80 movies seen in the theatre so far this year. I am a little behind my average right now, but I have a good feeling I will hit the century mark by December 31st. (That's my goal.)