March | 2015 | Spanky's Movie Review

Spanks – 4

Director – Kenneth Branagh

Writer – Chris Weitz

Starring – Cate Blanchett, Lily James, Stellan Skarsgård, Sophie McShera, Holliday Grainger, Richard Madden & Helena Bonham Carter

Release Date – 13 March 2015

MPAA Rating – PG

Run time – 105 Minutes

Cinderella is Disney‘s live action adaptation of the fairy tale they made into an animated film 65 years ago. It is the story of a teenage who has a great life until her mom dies and then a few years later her dad dies, but after he remarries. The step-mom is evil and treats her two kids like princesses and Ella as a servant. Things start to look up for Ella after she meets a handsome man hunting in the woods and the king announces a ball to find a wife for the prince.

The film starts off a little slow for they younger viewer. This version has more back story than the cartoon which could get boring for a kid, but I liked the added touch. Other than that, the film is a great fairytale. It has a pretty princess, beautiful dresses (to quote my wife), and will be enjoyed by the whole family.

Spanks – 5

Director – Matthew Vaughn

Writers – Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn

Starring – Taron Egerton, Colin Firth, Mark Strong, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Caine, Sophie Cookson, Sofia Boutella, Jack Davenport & Mark Hamill

Release Date – 13 February 2015

MPAA Rating – R

Run time – 129 Minutes

Kingsman: The Secret Service is like a rated R version of an earlier classic Bond flick. It is based off of a graphic novel called The Secret Service written by Mark Millar. The movie is about a secret spy organization called the Kingsman and at the beginning of the film one of their spies is killed and they then have to recruit his replacement. Each Kingman chooses a recruit. “Galahad” chooses a teenage who was the son of another Kingman who died saving his life 17 years ago. He then gets thrown into more then he was expecting in his training thanks to a plot to “save the world” by billionaire Richmond Valentine.

The film is awesome. It was full of action, had lots of suspense and it was very funny. However, there was one scene that got a bit gruesome and goes a little far, but it doesn’t take anything away from the movie. The story feels like the old spy movies from the 60’s and 70’s like the way they created the villain and the heroes use of ridiculous toys to “win”. Kingsman is a lot of fun, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It is totally worth heading to the theater to see. I am hoping 20th Century Fox finances a sequel.