"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" Review by Tim Hellman

'THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI': Five Stars (Out of Five)

The critically acclaimed, multi-award winning, Oscar hopeful from Academy Award winning writer/director Martin McDonagh (who previously won an Oscar for writing 2008's 'IN BRUGES', which he also directed). The film is a dark comedy-drama about a grieving divorced mother, who puts up three billboards (outside Ebbing, Missouri) shaming the police for not making any progress in her daughter's brutal rape and murder case. It stars Frances McDormand, Sam Rockwell (who also starred in McDonagh's 2012 hit 'SEVEN PSYCHPATHS'), Woody Harrelson, Lucas Hedges, Caleb Landry Jones, Peter Dinklage, Abbie Cornish, John Hawkes and Samara Weaving. The film has received nearly unanimous rave reviews from critics, and it's also won multiple prestigious awards as well (and been nominated for a shitload of others). It's expected to be nominated for multiple major Academy Awards too. I loved it.

Mildred Hayes (McDormand) is a single divorced mother, who's still grieving over the horrific rape and murder of her teenage daughter, seven months earlier. She is especially upset with the local police department for not making any progress in the case. So she puts up three billboards shaming them, especially Sheriff Bill Willoughby (Harrelson), who's dying from pancreatic cancer. Willoughby, and officer Jason Dixon (Rockwell), are extremely annoyed by her actions, as well as most of the rest of the town, and Mildred and her depressed teenage son, Robbie (Hedges), are harassed for it. Mildred still presses on though.

The movie is especially impressive in how it presents such a diverse range of fully developed characters, that are all extremely flawed and yet still very relatable (as both likable and seemingly very real people). It's an excellent tale of forgiveness, in my opinion, and learning how to accept and tolerate those you don't agree with. The climax and ending of the movie are also both priceless. It's so emotionally charged and totally unpredictable, that the film just really leaves you thinking about it, long after it's over. McDormand and Rockwell are also both outstanding in their roles, and McDonagh proves himself as one of Hollywood's top directors to watch for. The film is definitely a must see!

"Pixels" Review - Written by Tim Hellman

'PIXELS': Three and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Adam Sandler's big budget sci-fi comedy bomb; about an alien invasion, in the form of classic 80s 8-bit video game characters. Sandler stars in the movie, with his buddy Kevin James; along with Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Monaghan, Brian Cox, Sean Bean and Jane Krakowski. It was directed by Chris Columbus (who's famous for directing such popular hits as 'ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING', 'MRS. DOUBTFIRE', the first two 'HOME ALONE' films and the first two 'HARRY POTTER' movies) and it was written by Tim Herlihy (Sandler's buddy, who also co- wrote 'BILLY MADISON', 'HAPPY GILMORE', 'THE WEDDING SINGER', 'THE WATERBOY' and other hit Sandler flicks) and Timothy Dowling (who also co-wrote the Sandler film 'JUST GO WITH IT'). It was based on the 2010 2- minute French animated short, of the same name, by Patrick Jean. It's not nearly as bad as the reviews make it out to be, or the film's Box Office; it's actually pretty entertaining (for an Adam Sandler movie, at least).

The movie takes place sometime in the near future, when aliens have misinterpreted a video feed, from earth, featuring classic 80s 8-bit video games, as a declaration of war. So they attack our planet, in the form of characters from those games. Sandler, James, Dinklage and Gad all play former child video game whizzes, from the 80s, who now need to use their skills to combat the alien invasion. They're given three specific game challenges, in which, upon defeat, they'll lose a life (and someone is abducted). When they lose all three lives, earth will be destroyed. James's character is also the President of the United States (for some bizarre reason).

The movie is a fun 80s throwback; if you grew up with these arcade games, you should get a kick out of it. The effects are just OK, and it's not especially funny, but it is entertaining; it's a fun summer popcorn flick, at least. It's much better than Sandler's usual slapstick garbage, especially the stuff he's been putting out lately, and it's nice to see him branching out, and trying different things. This is at least somewhat different; he's never done an action movie before. It's also a good kids' film, and it's not too dumbed-down; especially for an Adam Sandler movie!

Video Game Characters Run Wild in These Stills for the Upcoming Action Comedy "Pixels"

Columbia Pictures recently released stills for their upcoming release on "Pixels". The film is the latest from director Chris Columbus and stars Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad and Brian Cox.

"Pixels" hits theaters on July 24th.

For more information on this film, you can visit the film's official website at:  http://pixelsmovie.tumblr.com

Plot Synopsis:

In Pixels, when intergalactic aliens misinterpret video-feeds of classic arcade games as a declaration of war against them, they attack the Earth, using the games as models for their various assaults. President Will Cooper (Kevin James) has to call on his childhood best friend, ’80s video game champion Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), now a home theater installer, to lead a team of old-school arcaders (Peter Dinklage and Josh Gad) to defeat the aliens and save the planet. Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcaders with unique weapons to fight the aliens.