Saint Vincent

Must Go
Curmudgeons of the world unite! The Grumpy Geezer highly recommends this tale of a cranky old misanthrope.
Bill Murray is terrific as Vincent a charming and repulsive neighbor to Melissa McCarthy’s Maggie. Jaeden Lieberher as Oliver is another great child actor. Naomi Watts is wonderful as the heart of gold pregnant prostitute.
This film shows that being good, loved and saintly are within reach of all. It takes great flaws to make a fantastic human being.

Although this has jokes, it is not a comedy. Although this has drama, it is not really serious. It will make your eyes water. You will want to see this movie. If only to see the Catholic Priest explain that Catholicism is the best religion because it has the most rules.

John Wick

No Go
Are you missing Keanu Reeves of the Matrix (good) or as Klaatu in the horrible remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still (total crap)?
This is an action spectacular blood bath. If you like bloody death then you will like this movie. However, Denzel had already killed all the Russian Mobsters in New York in the Equalizer. If you want a movie about dead Russians see that movie.

The Judge

Go
You have to love any movie with Robert Duvall in it, add in Tony Sparks (Robert Downey Jr.) and you have a movie you better not miss. Look for greatness to come to Emma Tremblay, RDJ’s daughter.
This movie is part courtroom drama, part return of the black sheep, and will pull your heart strings a little bit. Overall, you will enjoy this film.

Fury

Go
Do you like tank games? You are going to love Fury. You will really get the feeling that you are in a tank fight. The horrors of war are splayed out for your voyeuristic pleasure. For reference look up “seeing the elephant” and “blooding the troops” O the inhumanity.

Big Tex

DSCN2764

Bucket List
It was great to see Big Tex. If you can name a food they will deep fry it at the Texas State Fair. The best I had was the deep fried chocolate brownies. The least successful was the deep fried lemonade.
The people of Texas are all very nice. They will tell you whatever you want to hear. i.e. Yes, there is a shuttle to the fair when you ask the front desk, now go ask the valet. The valet then directs you to the public transit train.
Texas is BIG and they spread out. The flight from Seattle to Dallas was three hours. The ground transport from the airport to downtown was four hours. Okay we were on the heels of a major storm and the system broke. We had to transfer three times and beg the last bus driver to let us off in the middle of the block. He did it to get rid of the Grumpy Geezer. The trip back to the airport was only two hours.
The hotel we stayed in (the Magnolia) was sweet except the elevators do not work well, so they hand out free drink coupons to the guests. Big mistake for them I drink like a fish. Obviously they did not know that I spent ten years working at the King County Admin building home of the slowest elevators on the west coast.
We only went to the fair for one day because after nearly six miles of walking we saw it all. A little known fact for you is She Who Must Be Obeyed loves pig racing.
Our second day we walked down to the Texas School Book Depository and relived that horrible day, November 22, 1963 when Jack Kennedy was assassinated. I was fifteen taking a history test. The museum is very good. This was truly when America changed.
Our trip to Dallas was highly successful and I recommend it to everyone.

Rocky Horror

at Magnusson Park
Must Go
Don’t dream it be it! Give yourself over to absolute pleasure, swim the warm waters of sins of the flesh. Great advice from a sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania.
You know this would be a so-so play without the audience participation. Although, it does have many terrific songs. I was dancing the time warp in the aisle with a cast member. I wished I had on my fishnets and garter belt. Rocky Horror climbed onto she who must be obeyed’s lap, talk about a face turning red!
I do wish you all would go see this limited run by the Seattle Musical Theatre. They don’t understand advertising and put on solid shows to a half empty house. The parking is free!

The Maze Runner

Maybe Go
You might want to wait for films two and three to come out before venturing into this story.
There are a lot of plot holes that will be explained in the later movies. Still this is a fast paced action thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat as long as continuity does not plague you. (pun intended)
The books are The Maze Runner; The Scorch Trials and The Death Cure by James Dashner. This is young adult fiction at its best ala Lord of the Flies meets Labyrinth.
The teenage cast is very good. I especially liked Will Poulter last seen in the hilarious We are the Millers. However he is one of the biggest continuity problems that will be explained in the later films.