I am way behind on reviews so as usual here are some very short movie summaries.
Exodus: God and Kings- I was hoping for much more from this movie since I usually love almost anything that Ridley Scott directs. It had good visuals and was an interesting take on the story of Moses, but it just came off a little flat. It had an interesting portrayal of God and sort of offers a explanations to all of the miracles Moses did in Egypt. It was however, much better and less offensive to believers than the Noah movie that came out last year was. I give it 6.1 stars.
Generation Iron- This is a bodybuilding documentary about the most recent competitors in the Mr. Olympia Contest. It is a modern day version of the 1977 film Pumping Iron. It follows the top 8 participants but ultimately boils down to Kai Greene and the returning champion Phil Heath. I was entertained by the different personalities, determination, and interactions between each bodybuilder. You don't need to be a bodybuilding enthusiast to enjoy this documentary. I give it 7.0 stars.
Avengers: Age of Ultron- This is the sequel to the first Avengers movie and includes a huge cast of super heroes and villains. It is very entertaining and has plenty of action, twists, and humor. If you liked the first Avengers movie than you will like this one too. Good to know since you probably already saw it since it came out a long time ago. I give it 7.5 stars.
Cinderella- I couple months ago I did something I hadn't done in about 10 years. I took my entire family to a movie. We saw Cinderella and I would never have watched it had it not been for all my kids but I was really surprised at how much I enjoyed it. It is a nice adaption of the story without any animation. I'm a tough guy and movies about princesses are not my thing, but it was a great family movie and they did a good job with the story. I give it 7.4 stars.
McFarland USA- This is a movie based on a true story about a coach who starts up a Cross Country team in California. His students are Mexican immigrants who spend the morning picking agriculture with their families as a regular job before they are able to go to school. Despite their busy schedules and lack of competitive running experience they develop a championship team. The film is just as much about prejudice and racial issues as it is about sports. It is a bit formulaic but it was good. The best part was the end when it gave real life updates about the runners and showed how many of them were able to get college degrees as a result of running. I give it 7.3 stars.
San Andreas- This is a disaster movie staring Dwayne Johnson "The Rock". He works as a rescue helicopter pilot and the movie shows his efforts as he attempts to find and save his family after a massive earthquake destroys many California cities. The special effects were entertaining but it is not great movie. Johnson is good as always but there is just so much fake stuff that it's hard to believe or get into. My biggest dislike was the English character and his side kick little brother. If you want to see a disaster movie it's entertaining but it's not great. I gave it 6.3 stars.
