Dog’s Movie House: “Straight Outta Compton” Compelling, Emotionally Charged Depiction Of The Rise Of “Gangsta” Rap!

 

The Cast of "Straight Outta Compton"

The Cast of “Straight Outta Compton”

 

Howdy Folks!  It’s The Kendog!

 

 

 

I was in high school when NWA (Niggaz Wit Attitudes) changed the face of rap culture, bringing in the hard core era of “gangsta” or reality based rap.  I didn’t have to like the music (still don’t, by the way) to appreciate its origins or the cultural effect it had on the American landscape.  The new music bio-pic “Straight Outta Compton” profiles the rise and fall of this game changing Southern California based rap group with grit, gusto, and a tone of honesty that sets this apart from other flicks of this kind.  Continue reading

Dog’s Movie House: “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.” Light On Its Cinematic Feet!

 

 

Howdy Folks!  It’s The Kendog!

 

Henry Cavill And Armie Hammer In "The Man From U.N.C.L.E."

 I was never a fan of the Robert Vaughn-starring 60’s television series “The Man From U.N.C.L.E” so I don’t know how faithful this cinematic adaptation is going to be.  But I will tell you that, on it’s own, Guy Ritchie’s (“Snatch”, “Sherlock Holmes”) latest is a loving, light-on-its-feet homage to a bygone era of cold war espionage and 60’s fashions.  It doesn’t reinvent the wheel and is not particularly deep, but “The Man From U.N.C.L.E. is marvelously entertaining.  Continue reading

The Trailer Dog Park: Three New Releases To Look Forward To This Winter!

 

Howdy Folks!  It’s The Kendog!

 

With the summer winding down, it’s time to start looking forward the next big season in movie going: the winter.   And boy does it look like it’s gonna be huge.  Not only do we have the final Hunger Games film on tap, but we’ve got a new James Bond and, oh yeah, a little movie called Star Wars that you may have heard of.  To whet your appetites, here are the latest trailers for each.  Enjoy! Continue reading

Dog’s Movie House: “The Gift” A Pleasure To Unwrap!

 

 

Howdy folks!  It’s The Kendog!

Joel Edgerton as Gordo in "The Gift"

Joel Edgerton as Gordo in “The Gift”

 

 

 

Debuts behind the camera can be a tricky thing, especially if you’re an actor.  Angelina Jolie, Ben Affleck, and others have had success as directors, but other acting luminaries such as Sally Field, Jean-Claude Van Dam, and Johnny Depp have found that changing their day jobs not quite as successful as they might have thought.   So it’s with a great deal of delight that I report that actor Joel Edgerton (Warrior, the upcoming Black Mass), has crafted a solid effort in the thriller genre not only as star and director, but as a writer as well with the vastly entertaining “The Gift.” Continue reading

Dog’s Movie House: “Fantastic Four” A Fantastic Mess!

Howdy folks!  It’s The Kendog!

 

I have to tell you, when I was reading up on all the vitriol, hate, and behind the scenes shenanigans surrounding Josh Trank’s new Fantastic Four reboot I thought the art of hyperbole was being taken to entirely new levels.  Surely this film couldn’t be as bad as the early reviews were saying, could it?  I mean, Mr. Trank had already knocked it out of the park with the excellent “Chronicle” so surely he would be able to bring Marvel’s First Family to the screen in an original and entertaining fashion, right?

 

Uh, not so much.

 

“The Fantastic Four,” while not the worst bit of film ever committed to celluloid, is an absolute mess, with tonal shifts, slight characters, and a finale that comes out of nowhere and absolutely underwhelms the audience to the Nth degree. Continue reading