Movies I've watched in January

1. Run Lola Run (1998)
This is a German movie and it is different. I don't want give away the plot but I will say it's fast pace makes it easy to watch. The title probably is one of the best summaries of the plot. If you still haven't figured the plot out it's about a girl named Lola who has to run. As a movie- B+  Fun factor- 8   Should you see it- yes it's fast paced and unique.
2. St. Vincent (2014)
This movie is about a boy and his mom who have moved to a new home after his parents have gotten a divorce. Their new next door neighbor Vinny is a rude drunk played by the always amazing Bill Murray. Through a series of events Vinny ends up as the boys babysitter, and they form a friendship. As a movie- C  Fun factor- 7  Should you see it-  yes it's not a life changing film and by no means would I call it a great movie. But this movie is entertaining and has solid performances from the actors.
3. American Yakuza (1995)
 Viggo Mortensen is an FBI agent working undercover for the Yakuza, and it's as horrible as it sounds.  As a movie- D  Fun Factor- 5  Should you see it- no this movie takes itself way to seriously to have such a goofy plot. If you are like me and are a Viggo fan don't watch it.
4. The Hateful Eight (2015)
This is Tarantino's new film, and it's another western. It is also one of his most violent movies. As a movie- C+  Fun Factor-7  Should you see it- If you are Tarantino fan it has many of his regular actors in it also it is ultra violent as one expects from his movies. So fans see this movie. If you are not a fan with little action and almost a 3 hour running time you'd be better off to skip it.
5. Detention of the Dead
Yet another tired attempt at a zombie comedy. This time an outbreak has happened at a high school and the only survivors are in detention. This movie tries to be a Breakfast Club meets zombies and it fails big time. As a movie-D-  Fun Factor-5 Should you see it- One word no.
6. Darkman (1990)
A man's laboratory is set on fire with him in it. When he wakes up he is severely burnt and on drugs that not only help him feel no pain but also makes him aggressive. Now he's determined to get revenge. As a movie- B-   Fun Factor- 9  Should you see it-  I say yes, but I honestly know most people won't like it. This movie is for nerds. It's cheesy, and over the top. This is classic Sam Raimi if you're an Evil Dead fan than this for you. It is worth mentioning that Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand are in this film. If you like either of them and want to see some of their early work give this movie a try.
7. Dennis Rodman's Big Bang in Pyongyang (2015)
North Korea fascinates me. Any time there's a documentary about the country I watch it. This film is about Dennis Rodman taking a group of basketball players to play against the North Korea national team. The thing is anything one might hope to learn about this isolated country is overshadowed by the the craziness that is Dennis Rodman. But that is okay because it's still fun to watch. As a movie- A-   Fun Factor 10  Should you watch it- yes yes and yes. Dennis Rodman is amazing. Watching him get drunk, yell at people, and make everyone uncomfortable it is well worth your time. Just don't expect to learn much about North Korea.
8. Backcountry (2015)
A couple goes backpacking in the woods, and are attacked by a bear.  As a movie- B  Fun Factor- 6 should you see it-  The main problem I had with this movie is it was a little slow.  Some scenes were just 2 people in the woods talking, and not much more than that. Overall it was a decent indie film. The next day I went hiking and out of nowhere I started to think what if a bear attacks. That's the sign of a good movie it stays with you days later. So for sure watch it just maybe wait a few days before hiking or the movie might mess with your head.