Eddie the Eagle

 Pg-13
Starring: Taron Egerton, Hugh Jackman, Jo Hartley, Tom Costello and Jack Costello
Running Time: 1 Hour and 45 Minutes

This movie is based on a true story that took place in 1988. It is about a young man in England, Eddie Edwards (Taron Egerton) who has dreams and aspirations of becoming an Olympic athlete. He is completely determined and won't stop at anything to achieve his dream. He is surrounded by doubters and naysayers, but he still presses forward. He really didn't care which venue to compete in, he just really wanted to be in the Olympic games. He tried to qualify for downhill ski racing and did not qualify. He found a loophole in the English Olympic rules and decided to try to become a ski jumper, England had not had a ski jumper since the 1920's. Bear in mind, most elite Olympic ski jumper's begin to train around the age of 5 or 6 and Eddie was in his early twenties. His father was not at all happy about his son pursuing the Olympics! He wanted Eddie to help him work in the family plastering business. Eddie just wouldn't give up and headed off to Germany to try and qualify. While there he met a snow plow driver and a borderline alcoholic, Bronson Peary (Hugh Jackman) who just happened to be a former ski jumper. The two became great friends and Bronson helped to coach Eddie. They developed a very sweet and tender relationship, I really enjoyed the dynamics of their partnership.
I found this movie to be very refreshing and inspirational! It was motivating and touching at the same time. Helps you to believe in dreams again and it was really nice to see this kind of a movie back in the theaters after so many dystopian and depressing movies. Helps you to believe in the Olympic spirit of the the games and glory of the competition. The audience really enjoyed this movie as well, it just made you want to stand up and cheer!
Parents be advised: I was a little surprised that it was getting a PG-13 rating, but Hugh Jackman caught me off guard when he quickly dropped "mother-f" and I really felt like it was completely out of place! He also told and described to Eddie how to make love to his dream celebrity (Bo Derek) in advising him on how to jump. That also was a little uncomfortable as well. Other than those two incidents, I absolutely loved the movie! I think children ages 10 and over will be okay with this movie.
I am giving "Eddie the Eagle" four bags of popcorn.

Zoolander No. 2

PG-13
Starring: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Will Ferrell, and Kristen Wiig
Running Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

Can you believe that the original "Zoolander" debuted in 2001, shortly after 911.
Fast-forward to 2016 and voila, "Zoolander No. 2". Most of the original cast is back and reprising their same roles.
Ben Stiller stars as Derek Zoolander, a former runway model who wanted to do something more worthwhile and substantial with his life so he decided to build "The Center for Kids Who Can't Read Good". Out of nowhere, it suddenly collapsed because it was built on a bad foundation. Zoolander's wife was killed and he was left alone to raise his son Derek Zoolander Jr. (Cyrus Arnold). He soon lost custody of his son and he was left devastated.
 He teams up with Hansel (Owen Wilson) when they are both summoned to Rome to meet with Interpol's fashion division leader Valentina (Penelope Cruz), to strike back at the always wicked  Mugatu (Will Ferrell) and his cohort in crime Alexanya Atoz (Kristen Wiig). They have Zoolander's son and are threatening to fatten him up! Mugatu enjoys calling Derek Jr. fat!
There is so much going on in this movie that it just falls flat. There are so many cameos by so many celebrities that play themselves that it is just gets confusing. Justin Bieber is found in the very first scene and he gets gunned down and shot repeatedly. Sting has a role as well. There were so many that it would be impossible to name them all. I found this movie to be very disappointing.
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG-13. This is a really hard PG-13 and borders on R. There was a lot of sexual innuendo and sexual references too. Valentina refers to her breasts several times, orgies were common and instant gratification was the name of the game. Zoolander drops the F-bomb once but many other curse words were used frequently.
I am giving "Zoolander No 2" two bags of popcorn..

Hail, Caesar!

PG-13
Starring: George Clooney, Josh Brolin, Ralph Fiennes, Channing Tatum, Alden Ehrenreich, Tilda Swinton, Scarlett Johansen, and Jonah Hill
Running Time: 1 Hour and 40 Minutes

This movie is a production of the Coen brothers, Ethan and Joel. Their first movie in three years since, "Inside Llewyn Davis" in 2013. "Hail, Caesar", takes place during Hollywood's golden age in the 1950's.
It stars Josh Brolin who did a great job as Eddie Mannix, a Hollywood studio executive who is trying desperately to hold everything that goes on at the Capital Pictures Studios together while trying to take care of some of his own personal issues as well.
 There is a lot of chaos on the sets of several motion pictures in production that Eddie is trying to oversee ranging from an epic Biblical picture to a corny comedy picture and a grand swimming pool movie.
George Clooney stars as the big studio headliner, Baird Whitlock who is somewhat of a numbskull brain and has mysteriously disappeared. Later they find out he has been kidnapped by a group of upset screenwriters who just happen to be Communist's who refer to themselves as "The Future".
This movie is many movies within a movie, but it really works! It is a very clever and just a lot of fun. They pay great attention to 1950's detail along with the drama and the comedy!
 I really enjoyed Channing Tatum's "No Dames" tap dance scene. He and his counterparts portray a group of sailors in a bar contemplating life on their ship with no females anywhere to be found for a very long time.
I also enjoyed the spectacular swimming pool scene starring Scarlett Johanssson as DeeAnna Moran (very reminiscent of the magnificent Esther Williams swimming pool movies).
 The real scene stealer for me though, was the young Hobie Doyle (Alden Ehrenreich), a singing cowboy who has been promoted to star as a romantic leading man.This scene was hilarious and I can honestly say that I have not heard the audience laugh that hard for a very long time!
This is really just a fun uplifting popcorn movie.
Parents be advised: This movie is rated PG-13. This movie is pretty light on profanity with the exception of God's name being used and a couple of mild others. There is also a reference to getting "knocked up".
I am giving "Hail, Caesar" three bags of popcorn.