Not-Horror movies I've been watching

I didn't complete the October horror challenge exactly, but that's okay. Here are a few of the not-horror movies I watched over the last month, too.

Stretch 2014
★★★½  
This movie is Collateral and Los Angeles filtered through Joe Carnahan's eyes instead of Michael Mann's.

It helps that everyone is more than game to play along. Patrick Wilson and Chris Pine are pretty fun. The periphery is also filled in with a combination of great comedic actors and unobtrusive cameos.

I'm not going to say that everything works, some of the voiceover could be better. And more than a couple of the developments just don't make sense. But it's still a pretty manic and fun "one crazy night" type adventures.

TRON: Legacy 2010
★★★½  
Jeff Bridges and Michael Sheen are having a great time. The basic DNA / structure of the movie makes this a pretty classic adventure and hero's journey type of tale. Maybe audiences weren't ready for leading man Garret Hedlund. Possibly the ears of the movie-going world weren't ready for Daft Punk back in 2010, before they won every Grammy.

All of that aside - yeah, I can't really figure out why this isn't regarded much higher alongside some of the really big / fun movies like Pirates of the Caribbean. It's a really pretty movie. And of course Daft Punk's score and cameo really add to every scene they're in.

Captain Phillips 2013
★★★★
Tom Hanks and the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad day.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014
★★★½  
When I was a kid, we went on a family trip to New Orleans. I didn't have any interest in the city, though. I was hellbent on making a movie with our new video camera and all the Ninja Turtles toys I took on vacation with me. Let's call the toys and videotapes worth $125. After 20 years and multiplying the budget by a million, this is the closest thing to a remake of my artistic vision.

Let’s Be Cops 2014
★★★  
It's funny enough to make up for the plodding, non-sensical plot. And at least there are more jokes that work than don't.

Felt overstuffed at only 100 minutes. Rob Riggle has a slightly different turn than his usual shtick, which is about the only interesting thing in it.

I hope Keegan-Michael Key has more roles like his turn on the Fargo TV series than his lame caricature here. Also, nobody bothered to wake up Andy Garcia for any of his scenes.

It's worth a laugh, but there are no secret joys to be had. No twist or hilarious subplot or performance. Just another adequate manchild comedy.

Rumble in the Bronx 1995
★★★  
Jackie Chan getting pelted with glass bottles in the dead end alleyway reminded me of a similar glass scene from Die Hard. It was surprisingly brutal in such a goofy movie.

The action is a lot more fun when Chan is whipping gang members with a ski as opposed to the end, when the evil white men in suits take over and use a lot of guns.

But, hell, the hovercraft is REALLY fun.

Room 237 2012
★★★★  
I really enjoyed the format of this movie. It was a fun companion piece to watch right after The Shining. They remind me of the Ancient Aliens commentators in the way they start making a point that's completely sensible and coherent, and mid-sentence just go wildly in an absurd direction.