Dallas Buyers Club

I never knew that Matthew McConaughey could play such diversified roles. He always struck me as the Magic Mike/How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days type of actor. He proved me wrong in this great work that will surely earn him an Academy Award nomination. Playing this role took guts, and more importantly it took him understanding how someone going through the HIV/AIDS tragedy feels during their battle. 3 and a half out of 4 stars.

The Best Man Holiday

Without seeing the first installment, the film was watchable for someone going in not knowing any of the story. Otherwise, the movie was nothing special. It went from a BET comedy to a Lifetime movie drama as it dragged on for over two long hours, preaching to the audiences. Yawn. 1 and a half out of 4 stars.

All is Lost

Robert Redford delivers the performance of a lifetime in his latest drama of man vs. sea. As a man in his seventies, Redford does things that people in their twenties could not do physically. In addition, the film says so much with essentially no dialogue in its entirety. 4 out of 4 stars.

Thor 2 3D

I did not see the first Thor film, but this movie was a bore. I did not know who was who, and the story was difficult to follow. I should stick to the Wolverine and Iron Man movies. This was nothing that I would consider seeing future versions of. 1 and a half out of 4 stars.

12 Years a Slave

Chiwetel Ejiofor delivers a performance of a lifetime as Solomon Northup, a free black man pre-Civil War who is kidnapped and sold into twelve brutal years of slavery under several owners. This performance is Oscar worthy and the emotions put on display were raw and sincere. 3 and a half out of 4 stars.

About Time

The latest McAdams chick flick is a bit shallow, as most of the films which she stars in are, but there is an element of cleverness and charm that surround the characters. Nothing memorable but I'm glad I watched the film; it certainly gave me some perspective on life. 2 out of 4 stars.

Last Vegas

A fun, quirky and feel-good comedy starring three older actors who try a little too hard to be part of the younger crowd. Nothing more than a few good laughs and I would not watch it again. However, the acting was great. I didn't think Morgan Freeman had it in him. 1 and a half out of 4 stars.

The Counselor

An awfully confusing film, and as one critic put it, The Counselor was uniquely awful. I'm surprised that such high-end actors would go for a script this shallow and uninteresting. Ridley Scott must have paid them a fortune. 1 out of 4 stars.

Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa

Johnny Knoxville did a great job getting into character, but this was more along the lines of something that should have gone straight to MTV as opposed to charging audiences $10 to see. The film was a self-indulging shallow "comedy" where Knoxville and a preteen go around and cause havoc in various communities. 2 out of 4 stars.

Inequality for All

A documentary about the middle class and all of the injustices that go along with living in the middle. Robert Reich does a great job outlining the underlining issues in America with regard to financial inequality without sounding too preachy. 3 out of 4 stars.