He’s a Thrill Seeking Missile. He’s the…
Vidiot
Week of April 1, 2016
Drone skiing is the next extreme sport.
First up…
Point Break
The key distinction between regular and
extreme thieves is that the latter is actually sponsored by Red Bull.
However, the risk-taking robbers in this
action movie are against big business.
Tasked with infiltrating a band of
altruistic bandits who perform daring heists to fund their extreme sports
bucket list, FBI agent Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey) passes their intense
initiation with ease.
Assimilated, he then helps them execute the
remaining ordeals on their list, all the while reporting back to his boss (Ray
Winstone).
But when his cover is blow, Utah must
choose between his new bros and his federal duty.
Despite its pulse-pounding aerobatics, this
pointless Point Break remake may be amped up in its handful of action
sequences, but its spiritual laden script is made even worse when articulated
by its incompetent cast.
Besides, they’re gonna call the cops as
soon as you enter the bank wearing a neon wingsuit. Red Light
Concussion
Concussions are only a problem in sports
when the players start scoring on themselves.
Fortunately, the athletes in this drama are
somewhat able to find their opponent’s end zone.
Aghast at the drastic brain injuries a
former Pittsburgh Steeler sustained throughout his football career, forensic
pathologist Dr. Bennet Omalu (Will Smith) sets out on a self-funded crusade to
expose this NFL-wide epidemic.
With help from the Steel’s physician (Alec
Baldwin), Bennet is able to publish his findings, which are rejected and buried
by the organization until years later when more players start committing
suicide.
This shocking true story of the NFL’s
calculated cover-up of its countless concussion cases in the early-2000s finds
Will Smith at his acting finest, delivering a powerful performance. But however
timely the subject matter may be, the overall story lacks artistic impact.
This preexisting brain trauma, however, is
exactly why ex-football players should be boxing professionally. Yellow Light
The Hateful Eight
The worst part about being trapped in a
cabin with a bunch of cowboys is listening to them drone on about Tom Landry.
Mind you, the cowboys in this western don’t
have cheerleaders.
After the Civil War, ex-solider turned
bounty hunter Major Warren (Samuel L. Jackson) hitches a ride aboard a
stagecoach alongside a fellow hunter (Kurt Russell) transporting a prisoner
(Jennifer Jason Leigh) to Red Rock for hanging.
A blizzard, however, strands them inside an
isolated outpost occupied by a cast of ne'er-do-wells (Walton Goggins, Tim
Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern) who may, in fact, be there to intercede on
the outlaw transfer.
Taking a typical western narrative and
turning it into a gruesome, foulmouthed whodunit with a stirring score,
writer/director Quentin Tarantino returns to close quarters’ storytelling with
a vengeance and aplomb.
Thankfully, when cowboys are confined
indoors today, instead shooting each other, they like to line dance. Green Light
***Extreme Athlete’s Foot***
Paper Lion
Sports Illustrated has provided athletic
news to the plus-size female community for years now.
But as this comedy confirms, back in the
1960s the magazine actually catered to sports fans.
In need of an idea for his Sports
Illustrated column that finds him participating in a new sporting event each
month, George Plimpton (Alan Alda) jumps at the chance to train with the
Detroit Lions.
His enthusiasm, however, isn’t shared by
his teammates (Mike Lucci, John Gordy, Pat Studstill). Fortunately, the
defensive tackle (Alex Karras) and coach (Joe Schmidt) see to it that George
gets his article – and then some.
Based on Plimpton’s own novel that was
inspired by his SI article on the aforementioned experience, Paper Lion is an
uplifting and inspiring underdog sports story with Alda embodying the wit and
tenacity of the author.
In fact, journalists are still involved
with the NFL…selling bags of peanuts during games.
He’s the Half-Time Show-Off. He’s the…
Vidiot
