Rock of Ages

“Rock of Ages” presents a mastery of 80s hard rock music well sung by the notable actors performing in character. It is a problem that breaking out in song and dance works well on stage yet risks appearing abnormal or “hookey” on film. Some of the dance sequences are excellent and some appear cheesy and out of place. The plot could be stronger and the stakes higher. Love interests come and go in a matter of a song. This is a nice visual and audio stroll down memory lane for 80s music lovers. Somewhere in the music a movie breaks down, but not long enough. This movie decided to be a long rock video without the intricacies of music videos when it may have been better as a movie with musical backgrounds. It chose a middle ground that may be less satisfying.

Sons of Anarchy: Season Five

The fifth season of “Sons of Anarchy” is amazing. It continues throwing new obstacles at the characters as they attempt to resolve their problems. There may have to be a bit of suspension of belief that things work as they do, but they do work. Jax has critical decisions to make, and is he turning into the step father he despises? Opie makes critical decisions about what he can do for the club. The results of this are shocking and help guide the continuing storyline. We see sympathy when Tig rescues a defeated fighter dog, and that sympathy follows us as Tig faces more challenges. We see the heartache of Tig watching a most horrific event sees a daughter murdered.

Tara makes moves to solve her family problems only to see them become more complicated than before. This all leads to a suspenseful conclusion where the fates of Clay and Tara hang in the balance. This show continues leaving viewers on the edge. This is one of the most creatively constructed shows in history. Viewers should note that many scenes are violent. The heroes are criminal killers. Yet we see the humanity in these characters, and it makes viewers hope they find their way out of their dilemmas.