'Man on a Ledge' (2012)

An ex-cop in prison is a bad thing at 'Sing Sing'.  After a beating, Nick Cassidy gets a visit from ex-partner Mike Ackerman.  After getting the news that all of his appeals are extinguished and that he's looking at a life in prison for a crime he insists he didn't commit, Nick makes a rash decision; escape.  Running from the law, Nick threatens to jump to his death from a well-known Manhattan hotel - the 21st floor, that is.  It's a long way down, but the female negotiator has more on her hands than just trying to keep Nick from going over the edge.

Our review: The title is pretty straightforward, but the plot isn't what they lead you to believe it is at all.  It is much more than a movie about a man who plans to take his life in front of the Manhattan crowd who've gathered and are actually cheering him on to jump.  Think cop who has been wronged, knows it and fully plans to prove his innocence.  He'll go to extreme lengths to convince the negotiator that he is willing to go all the way.  Great cast and a great time.

(Our rating)

Genre:  Action, Crime, Thriller

Rated PG-13 for violence and brief strong language

Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks and Jamie Bell

Family Guide: Brief shot of a woman in underwear is limit to sex and nudity in this film.  Violence, including fights between convicts vs. convicts and police officers (use of guns as weapons), fist fights, and some blood related to fighting and the discharge of a gun is shown.  Threat of suicide and/or self-harming behavior.  Profanity is limited to some mild obscenities, name-calling, stereotypical references to race(s) and gender(s).  Drugs are spoken of in reference to criminal activities.  Alcohol consumption shown briefly.

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'This Means War' (2012)

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Tuck and Frank (FDR) are best friends, but they're also CIA agents who've been sat on the bench because they've got a price on their heads.  Frank is a ladies man, always on the prowl.  Tuck is divorced with a son he hasn't been close to.  Trying to find a way to connect to the world again, Tuck places his profile on a dating website.  Enter Lauren.  In a twist of fate, Lauren sees Tuck's profile but also bumps into Frank offline.  In a hilarious mission impossible way, Tuck and Frank must try to get Lauren to chose one of them, even if it means that using CIA tactics of sabotage and surveillance must be used no hands barred.

Our review:  It's silly and ridiculous, yet entertaining in a strange way.  The fact that two guys could fight over the same girl happens all the time.  The botched mission in Hong Kong that benches them keeps the two guys moody and desperate for action.  The fact that Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy are thrown together in this mess is funny enough.  The executives who put this together couldn't have picked a stranger trio, but it works.  Who will win the war?  You'll have to watch to decide.

(Our rating)

Genre: Action, Comedy, Adventure

Rated R for some sexual content

Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy

Directed by:  McG

Writing Credits: Timothy Dowling and Marcus Gautesen (story), Dowling and Simon Kinberg (screenplay)

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'The Grey' (2012)

DVD/Blu-Ray Release Date:  May 15, 2012

The Grey (Two-Disc Combo Pack: Blu-ray + DVD + Digital Copy + UltraViolet)

Based on the short story Ghost Walker by Ian MacKenzie Jeffers, Academy Award nominee Liam Neeson stars in a thriller packed with adrenaline in 'The Grey'.  John Ottway (Neeson) and his team of oil rigging 'roughnecks' have finished a job and are on their way to Anchorage for a two-week break when their plane falls from the sky into some of the most terrifyingly remote frozen vastness only the Alaskan wilderness can provide.  Using the survival skills he has, Ottway leads the group on a trek that will prove to be more than dangerous; they will be lucky if they draw their next breath.

Our review:  Liam Neeson has been handling some rather strenuous and thrilling roles as of late.  His last movies include: 'Taken' (2008), 'The A-Team' (2010), 'Unknown' (2011) and 'Wrath of the Titans' (2012).  'The Grey' adds yet one more remarkable performance to a long list of big-screen achievements for Neeson.  Neeson makes a fantastic oil rigger and survivalist; a born leader.  The fact that his team includes six other men that are all fighting for their lives in a frozen world that seems so foreign to us, makes it that much more exciting when trouble comes in both expected and unexpected ways.  Imagine hell is ice, throw in the fact that the main character (Ottway) has some excellent skills with a rifle, the fact that the group is made up of men who do better far outside normal social circles and wolves - you've got yourself a thrill-ride guaranteed to leave your gut tied in knots. 

(Our rating)

Genre: Thriller, Drama, Action, Adventure

Rated R for violence/disturbing content including bloody images, and for pervasive language

Starring:  Liam Neeson,  Dermot Mulroney and Frank Grillo

Family Guide: This movie is appropriately rated by the MPAA.  Talk of sexual acts, human sexuality and some brief nudity are present.  Intensely graphic scenes involving an airplane crash, crash victims, blood, wounds, animal attacks and death are involved throughout the movie.  Language is this film is harsh and crudely pervasive throughout.  Alcohol usage is shown. 

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

Writers: 

Joe Carnahan		(screenplay) &
Ian Mackenzie Jeffers		(screenplay, short story Ghost Walker)
Production Companies 1984 Private Defense Contractors (in association with) Liddell Entertainment Scott Free Productions

Distributed by: Open Road Films (II) (2012) (USA) (theatrical)

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'Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" (2011)

The fourth installment of the 'Mission Impossible' series; Ethan Hunt and his new team find themselves locked in a multinational race against time to hunt down a dangerous terrorist determined to cause nuclear war in order to create a new world.  Gathering intel and working together, the disavowed IMF team is implicated in the bombing of the Kremlin in an attempt to thwart the terrorist who seeks not only Russian nuclear launch codes, but the means to access a tracking satellite and use it to attack the United States and pit the country against Russia for world dominance.

Our review:  It's a spy movie with a twist.  Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) helped produce the film, and is, of course, the main character.  His team performs some incredible feats, but many of them are almost ridiculous to the point of being predictable and at times, hilarious.  Spoiler alert:  When Hunt just happens to have goggles in his breast pocket after scaling the tallest building in the world and goes hunting for one of the members of the terrorist's inner-circle, it's amazing how handy they are in the middle of a giant sandstorm.  How does his GPS get a near-constant signal when our own cell phones drop our calls all the time, even in perfect weather?  Not the best in the 'Mission Impossible' series, but the movie has a feel-good side to it that makes it worth watching.  We suggest renting or streaming online instead of buying.  The many fight scenes are worth the watch.

(Our rating)

Genre:  Action, Adventure, Spy, Thriller
Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence
  
Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg

Family Guide:  This movie is appropriately rated by the MPAA. Suggestive clothing and actions, kissing, brief scene of woman in underclothing, intense action violence, guns, gunshots, some blood, two car accidents shown (from inside vehicles), intense hand-to-hand combat, two people fall to their deaths, threats of violence, building demolished, brief and fairly mild language, brief scene of smoking, alcohol consumption, suspense, bombing, threats of nuclear explosions and war.

'Haywire' (2011)

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Mallory Kane is a professional.  Working for a government contractor, she has been given a covert operation by her handler to perform the types of jobs governments never acknowledge.  Following a hostage rescue in Barcelona, Kane is sent immediately on another mission to Dublin.  As the mission begins to fall apart, Kane realizes that she has been double crossed.  It will take every skill and ability in her arsenal to return to the United States, protect her father and find those responsible for her situation with deadly force if necessary.

Review:  If you love action flicks with tough chicas, then this is going to be a thrill for you.  Think the Borne series with a beautiful woman who is just as skilled and elusive.  A former marine and daughter of a father who was also in the corps, Mallory Kane is a heroine you can cheer for.  Good action scenes with very realistic mixed martial arts fight scenes, proving that having a weapon other than your hands and feet aren't necessary.

(Our rating) 



Genre:  Action, Thriller
Rated R for some violence


Starring: Gina Carano, Channing Tatum, Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Ewan McGregor

• Official site
• Family Guide:  Sexual situation implied, brief scenes of wounds, realistic mixed martial arts sequences, few exchanges of cursing, alcohol consumption, smoking, violence, use of weapons.  This movie could have easily been rated PG-13 if not for some graphic fight scenes and four examples of pervasive language.
• Produced by:  Relativity Media (as Relativity), Bord Scannan na hEireann/Irish Film Board
• Distributed by:  Lionsgate Home Entertainment (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

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