Directed By : Brian Helgeland

Starring : Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, and Nicole Beharie

Rated :

42 Movie Review

  42 is a movie for baseball fans, movie fans, and those

who enjoy a great story of perseverance and the struggle

to overcome ignorance and hatred. It is the story and legend of 

the first African American, Jackie Robinson, to play Major League

Baseball. 

  The historical account takes place in the 1940's and 1950's ,

when Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford), general manager and

president of the Brooklyn Dodgers, decides to break the race

barrier and, in 1945, signs Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman).

  42 provides the audience a snapshot of a great American 

athlete who not only faces normal challenges of a professional

competitor, but must also endure abuse from fellow players and

spectators.

  Robinson soon proves he is a superstar on-and-off the field.

The movie has the one most important ingredients of any good

motion picture, a well written story with great one liners and

dialogue. The director (Brian Helgeland) is masterful in getting the 

most from his cast, and keeping the audience engaged from 

beginning to end. 

  Stand out performances from Harrison Ford (one of his best ever),

Chadwick Boseman, and the underrated Lucas Black, along with a

terrific supporting cast. 

  42 is a home run on every level, and we give it our highest

recommendation.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Joseph Kosinski

Starring : Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, and Olga Kurylenko

Rated :

Oblivion Movie Review

   Oblivion is set in post-apocalyptic future earth where 

Jack ( Tom Cruise ) and Victoria ( Andrea Riseborough )

are an "effective team" assigned to extract earth's remaining

resources. Jack, a drone repairman,  begins to question his mission

after drones fire on human targets.

  Billed as a sci-fi thriller, Oblivion is an ambitious, futuristic

adventure that delivers incredible visuals and stunning

special effects. Fans of video games will most certainly enjoy

the "dragonfly" space craft and drones, yet may be disappointed

to find Oblivion's schizophrenic storyline is one of high speed 

battles mixed with an obligatory romance narrative that appears

to be combined for marketing to a broader audience.

  Beech ( Morgan Freeman ) the leader of the human resistance is 

beyond cool despite having limited screen time.

  Oblivion is good escapism at best in what otherwise could have been 

a great franchise had it stuck to delivering what its core fans had expected.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Antoine Fuqua

Starring : Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, and Morgan Freeman

Rated :

Olympus Has Fallen Movie Review

  Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) is 

on detail  to protect the First Family. The presidential motorcade

is on route from Camp David to Washington D.C., during a 

terrible snow storm.  The motorcade loses control on an icy bridge

where Agent Banning is able to save the President (Aaron Eckhart) and

his son, but the First Lady perishes.  Afterwards, Agent Banning is 

reassigned to a desk job in D.C.  where he still struggles with the loss

of the First Lady.  

  North Korean terrorist attack Washington and the White House,

(secret service code name "Olympus").  Agent Banning immediately 

responds to the carnage after viewing the initial attacks from his

office window. The terrorist manage to take the White House

and capture the President and several high ranking members of

his cabinet.

Terrorist leader Kang (Rick Yune) plans to detonate the entire U.S. 

nuclear arsenal on American soil, leaving it a nuclear wasteland.

  Banning, during the initial attack, manages to make his way onto the

grounds of the White House, and remain hidden from the terrorist.

   Seeking to redeem himself, after the loss of the First Lady, Banning's

goal is to rescue the President, his son Connor, and put the terrorist

down.

  Although highly predictable, Olympus Has Fallen delivers non-stop

action, nail biting suspense, and gives the audience a fast paced ride

of high tech warfare.

For fans of action flicks, Olympus Has Fallen delivers an adrenaline 

rush with an ample dose of patriotism.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Sam Raimi

Starring : James Franco, Michelle Williams, and Rachel Weisz

Rated :

Oz The Great And Powerful Movie Review

    Oz The Great and Powerful is the prequel to 

The Wizard of Oz. The story begins in Kansas where

Oz (James Franco) is a magician in a small struggling circus. 

Although a talented magician, Oz lacks success in his chosen

profession and his romantic life. He is less than virtuous and

slightly unethical.  He flees the circus in a hot air balloon only

to be thrust by a tornado into the electrifying Land of Oz.

  Director Sam Raimi has lined the screen with cinematic

gold.  Oz The Great and Powerful delivers a spellbinding

and extraordinary story for the entire family.

  Actor James Franco has mastered his craft and gives the 

audience a more-than-memorable performance.  One simply

can not look away as The Land of Oz and all its mystical characters

draw you into this fantasy world of the unimaginable and amazing.

  Stand-out performances by Mila Kunis, Zach Braff, Rachel Weisz,

and a terrific supporting cast.

 Oz The Great and Powerful, a new classic, is a must see and we

give it our highest recommendation.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Seth Gordon

Starring : Jason Bateman, Melissa McCarthy, and John Cho

Rated :

Identity Thief Movie Review

  Sandy Patterson (Jason Bateman) is an under appreciated

mid-level Denver executive who finds himself a victim of identity

theft.

  After an arrest for an outstanding assault charge, in distant

Florida, and with a new job on the line, Sandy now faces a

dilemma, lose the new job and wait six months to a year for 

unlikely detective work to take its course, or go to Florida

and bring in this seemingly harmless thief to justice.

  Diana (Melissa McCarthy) has learned the skills of a master

identity thief. She is not the kind of thief who keeps a low

profile but rather enjoys the spoils of her trade.  This includes

rowdy bar scenes and expensive shopping escapades.

  Sandy soon decides to take matters into his own hands and

arrives in Florida, home to the con-artist Diana who has stolen his

identity. 

  Although at times the story stumbles and then gains traction,

the comedic talents of Melissa McCarthy elevate this caper to

a higher level of hysterical escapism when paired with the 

consummate straight man Jason Bateman. 

  A fun supporting cast with stand-out performances by T.I. ,

Genesis Rodriguez, Robert Patrick, and Eric Stonestreet.

  Identity Thief isn't a laugh a minute, but it's close.

Dig out your sock money and see this one on the big screen.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring : Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix, and Amy Adams

Rated :

The Master Movie Review

  The Master is a masterpiece of combined story telling

and brilliant acting. It deals primarily with the intense

interaction between the film's two central characters

and, as a result, the final resolution of the plot.

  Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman) is a charismatic

leader and self proclaimed Master to a group of devoted

followers. When Dodd meets Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix),

he encounters a highly disturbed young man beset with 

deep, psychological problems, a man prone to violent behavior.

Dodd decides to personally direct Quell's conversion to the 

Master's espoused belief that man is not an animal and is 

capable of taking charge of his life, curing himself of past traumas.

Consequently, during the conversion process, new discoveries

about both men begin to emerge.

  The Master takes its audience on a conversational journey and,

along the way, has them wondering how the overt and subliminal

messages in the film will finally be resolved. It may take some

introspective thinking on the part of each viewer to discern, but it

will be well-worth the journey as the complexity of the human

condition becomes more unraveled.

      Footnote : Two powerful scenes that bring closure to the film's meaning are :

The motorcycle incident, and when Dodd sings the song "Slow Boat to China."

We give The Master our highest recommendation.

Tom Cloud

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Jee-woon Kim

Starring : Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, and Johnny Knoxville

Rated :

The Last Stand Movie Review

  Sheriff Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has decided

to slow down a bit, after serving as a decorated officer with

the Los Angeles Police Department. He has chosen to become the

sheriff of the small, sleepy town of Summerton Junction.

The demands of Summerton Junction are few, and the threat

of crime, minimal.

F.B.I. Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker) has the task of

moving Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega) the notorious leader

of a drug cartel, to a maximum security prison, where he will

never see the light of day.

  Feel your adrenaline begin to rush, as The Last Stand goes into

full speed, action-packed "fun-tainment." Bad guy, Cortez, and his

henchmen pull off a daring escape from the F.B.I., and soon

Cortez is behind the wheel of a special one-of-a-kind Corvette,

where police cruisers are simply no match for this beast. His plan

is to make it to the U.S./Mexican border, where he will make his final

flee from the clutches of the U.S. justice system. Unfortunately, for

Cortez, his path will soon cross Summerton Junction, where 

Sheriff Owens and his small town posse will be waiting.

  Great supporting cast with fun performances from Luiz Guzman

and Peter Stormare. Director Jee-woon Kim gives the audience

a classic version action-film, using a proven formula for success,

while adding his own personal style into the mix.

Ignore the "haterz', if you are a fan of good action films Schwarzenegger,

though a little more seasoned, delivers the goods.

There are enough car chases, shootouts, and fist fights to make

any hard core action fan give a "Hell, Yeah" by the final credits.

       See this one on the big screen !

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : David O. Russell

Starring : Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, and Robert De Niro

Rated :

Silver Linings Playbook Movie Review

  Pat (Bradley Coooper), with his mother's assistance has

been released from a Baltimore Mental Health Facility, where

he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He agrees to

live with his parents, upon his release and stay on his meds.

  Silver Linings Playbook gives the audience a behind the scenes

take on those with the disorder, and the often unappreciated

caregivers who dedicate themselves to the circumstances and

the demands that can surround caring for patients suffering

from mental illness.

  Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) is the unemployed father now running  

 a lucrative, local bookmaking operation. He is a complex

man forced to deal with the loss of a career, the challenges of

his new enterprise, and a son with mental illness living

now back home.

   At a welcome home dinner, Pat meets Tiffany Maxwell

 (Jennifer Lawrence), a widow, and a recovering sex  addict.

 Tiffany is a speak-your-mind-kind-of-gal. She appears 

to suffer from neurosis. The two soon strike a deal; Pat will be

Tiffany's partner in a dance competition, and Tiffany will deliver

letters and act as a go between Pat and his wife, Nikki, who has

a restraining order to prevent any contact with her husband.

 What follows is a mix of romance, love, laughter, and a

touching story about the human spirit.

   Silver Linings Playbook is a romantic comedy with a most unusual

set of characters, managing to find joy and happiness in the

oddest places.

   A great script, excellent direction, matched with stand-out

performances by Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Bradley Cooper,

and a wonderful cameo by Chris Tucker.

  No "bad juju" here, this one's a winner.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Tom Hooper

Starring : Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, and Anne Hathaway

Rated :

Les Miserables Movie Review

  The film opens in 1815 Paris, during the post -

French Revolution Period. It tells the story of of a

man named Jean Valjean, who falls from grace, after

stealing a loaf of bread, and spends 19 years in prison.

After his release, he breaks his parole, prompting a 

government inspector to pursue him, relentlessly, with

the intent of capturing him and returning him to prison.

  It is only, years  later, when Valjean encounters the plight

of  a child living in squalor and poverty, amongst thieves

and scoundrels, that he is able to begin the journey to 

recapture his own salvation and humanity, by adopting the

child and raising her as his own daughter.

  This story is about individual survival, love, and humanity,

and the fight for justice, freedom, and dignity for all, not

just the rich and powerful.

   Hugh Jackman, as Jean Valjean, gives a powerful performance

as a man who descends into the depths of despair and is 

resurrected by the power of love.

  Russell Crowe, as Inspector Javert, is excellent. One may not

think of him as a typical musical star-type, but he proves himself

a talent unlimited. The songs he sings resound with conviction, as he

doggedly pursues Valjean.

  Anne Hathaway as Fantine, a victim of poverty and prostitution, 

gives a heart wrenching performance that will bring tears to the

eyes of many. Through song and dramatic expression, she is able to

touch the deepest of emotions. 

  An excellent supporting cast with stand-out performances by

Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helena Bonham Carter,

and Eddie Redmayne.

  The Musical drama, Les Miserables, based on Victor Hugo's novel,

incorporates stunning cinematography, superb acting, an excellent

musical score, authentic sets and wardrobe, all appropriate for the

period.

  Les Miserables is a cinematic accomplishment, and we 

give it our highest recommendation.

Tom Cloud

www.theglobaldigital.com

Directed By : Kathryn Bigelow

Starring : Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, and Chris Pratt 

Rated :

Zero Dark Thirty Movie Review

    Zero Dark Thirty is about Maya (Jessica Chastain)

and the intelligence team that spent more than a 

decade in the manhunt for Usama Bin Laden.

   The story begins with a black screen and audio

clips from victims in the World Trade Center on

September 11th.  Next, we find Maya has joined

Dan (Jason Clarke)  and his team of intelligence officers

who are interrogating and torturing a suspected terrorist

and money man for al-Qaeda.

   Director Kathryn Bigelow is careful in her depiction of the

events that take place. Rather than distorting the horrific

situations perpetrated by either the terrorists or the by

those who hunt them, she simply gives the audience a glimpse

into a world rarely seen by the public at large.

  Maya is a strong, determined operative, who must not only

prove she has got what it takes to succeed in a field dominated

by men, but summon an inner strength to overcome the 

red tape and bureaucracy in her quest to bring down U.B.L.

   After numerous dead-end leads, and conflicting intelligence

reports, Maya and her team believe they have located their

target  in a concrete fortress in Pakistan. Her job now is to

convince those in power to make the decision to strike, although

she and her team are unable to provide 100% confirmation 

backed by facts and intelligence, that indeed, the compound, is 

the secret lair of U.B.L.

  Once those in Washington are convinced to take action, 

Seal Team Six is deployed in a secret operation to raid the 

compound in Pakistan and capture or kill the high level

target.

   Bigelow takes the audience on a journey of intrigue, action,

and suspense, while never bowing to the politics or the rights

and wrongs of the events surrounding the greatest manhunt

in history.

   Jessica Chastain delivers another remarkable performance,

demonstrating her unique ability and talent. This is an actress

who can not be typecast by a single role, and will only make

one long for her next performance.

  A great supporting cast, an excellent script, and a director who

ignores the naysayers time and again. She is successful in making 

one look at images where at times are disturbing and difficult

to watch; yet, you can not take your eyes away and risk missing

a moment of this compelling narrative.

  Zero Dark Thirty is a must see movie and we give it

our highest recommendation.

Bill Palmer

www.theglobaldigital.com