Nerd in the 'Noke

The Punisher, TV-MA, 13 Episodes - The Punisher is the latest Marvel/Netflix collaboration, adding another chapter to the street level corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).  Jon Bernthal returns to the role of Frank Castle that he so perfectly inhabited in season two of Daredevil , and takes full advantage of the opportunity the spotlight of this series provides to really flesh out a character that is oftentimes incorrectly perceived as being an emotionless killing machine.  This series is a bit of a slow burn compared to many of the earlier Marvel/Netflix installments, but this really benefits the themes that the slower pace allows the show to explore: post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), veteran affairs, gun control, and corrupt government agencies.  Make no mistakes, The Punisher may be a comic-based vehicle, but it is a political drama/thriller through and through. This series takes place after the events of Daredevil season two, and around the same...

Wind River (2017), R, 1h 47min - About three weeks ago, an old college buddy of mine had a post of Facebook asking if anyone he knew had seen a film called Wind River.  I had had no prior knowledge of the film, but after seeking out the trailer, I began to really look forward to seeing it.  It took a couple more weeks for it to get released in my area and yet another week before I could work it into my schedule, but yesterday I was able to check out the latest film from writer/director Taylor Sheridan, starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen. While tracking predators that have been killing livestock on the Wind River Indian Reservation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Agent Cory Fisher (Renner) discovers the body of an 18 year old girl miles away from civilization.  He instantly recognizes the remains as being Natalie Hanson (Kelsey Asbille), one of his daughter's closest friends.  Rookie FBI Agent Jane Banner (Olsen) is dispatched to determine whether or not ...

Baby Driver (2017), R, 113 minutes - Baby Driver is the latest film from one of my personal favorites, writer/director Edgar Wright.  Most of his previous work has fallen (primarily) into the comedy genre, but with this film he proves that he is more than capable of handling a crime/action flick. Wright gives us the story of Baby (Ansel Elgort), a good kid with amazing skills behind the wheel who has fallen in with the wrong people and now finds himself working off debt as criminal mastermind Doc's (Kevin Spacey) getaway driver of choice.  Doc never uses the same crew twice, but continually relies on Baby as the driver for all of his heists as he has never been caught.  All of Doc's heist crew members have their own eccentricities and Baby is no exception.  He's a music lover and is constantly listening to an iPod in order to drown out the Tinnitus (ringing in his ears) caused by a childhood car accident that killed both of his parents.  He even uses music ...

Daredevil (2015), Season 2, TV-MA, 13 Episodes - I feel that this should go without saying but just to be safe: if you have not seen Season 1 of Daredevil stop reading right now.  While this is as spoiler free as I can be in regards to Season 2, the discussion does reveal some spoilers for Season 1.  Seriously.  I love that you came to my blog, but leave now and watch Season 1 (at the very least) before reading any further. When Marvel unleashed a grittier, rougher, tougher corner of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) via Daredevil on Netflix last year I (a long standing Daredevil fan) was beyond pleased with the outcome.  Within days, it was announced that the show had been so successful (and critically acclaimed for that matter) that a second season had already been green-lit.  The only thing that caused me the slightest bit of trepidation was the fact that Season 1 showrunner Steven S. DeKnight would be unavailable for Season 2 due to previously sc...

Sicario (2015), R, 121 minutes - When I made my last post at the beginning of the month, I was hoping that October would be the time I got back to regular updates to the blog after a busy second half of the summer and an odd stretch in which there wasn't much in theaters that I was interested in.  Well, life decided to happen and after weekends absorbed by familial obligations and backed up yard work I find myself sitting here at the end of the month having not gotten 'back on track' in the way I had hoped.  So...here is attempt 2.0 at regaining momentum on updating content! Sicario (Spanish for 'hitman') was actually the last film that I was able to see in a theater.  Oddly enough I watched it the afternoon after my last review was posted (my wife and I have since seen a handful of other films via Redbox/Netflix, reviews of which will hopefully be posted later today).  Anyway, Sicario focuses on up-and-coming FBI agent Kate Macer (Emily Blunt) and her efforts...

Fury (2014), R, 134 minutes - This is another film that I was fortunate enough to catch before it disappeared form theaters, but haven't had the time to get anything written up. Fury is a film that caught my eye as soon as I saw the trailer earlier this year. Then a couple former co-workers highly recommended it and I knew that it would be right up my alley. I've always enjoyed period pieces, especially those that portray the difficulties of war time. Fury takes place in the waning days of World War II as the Allied forces push into Nazi Germany and focuses on Staff Sergeant Don 'Wardaddy' Collier (Brad Pitt), his four man crew, and the tank they operate. Collier runs a tight-nit crew who loses a member in battle early in the film. The rest of the group Boyd 'Bible' Swan (Shia LeBeouf), Trini 'Gordo' Garcia (Michael Peña), and Grady 'Coon-Ass' Travis (Jon Bernthal) have to adjust to the dynamic of having a new member - Norman Ellison (Lo...

The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), R, 180 minutes - Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio.  As far as I'm concerned, that's all you needed to tell me to get me into the theater to see The Wolf of Wall Street, negative reviews be damned.  Their track record together says it all: Gangs of New York, The Aviator, The Departed, Shutter Island.  You better believe I'd give them the benefit of the doubt. DiCaprio plays Jordan Belfort, and we watch his meteoric rise to billionaire status thanks to some grooming from Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey), a lot of smarts, and a fair share of questionable (morally and legally speaking) business tactics.  He's joined on his journey by Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill) who quits his job and offers to work for Belfort when he is shown a pay stub for a single month that clears seventy grand.  Belfort collects a handful of other friends that have the drive to make big money and behind his brains they launch their own firm.  Success ...