Get Out (2017)
Suspenseful, well-made, and some wonderful social commentary in there. Behind the story being told, there is a nice, gently explored angle on racism here. Kaluuya is good. For an English guy, he authentically conveys the American experience with perfect accent and mannerisms. He’s also good at crying. Allison Williams is…
Full ReviewMulholland Drive (2001)
If you spend 75% of the movie trying to tolerate completely horrible dialogue and acting and 25% trying to figure out WTF, that’s not a good movie. If you fail to find anyone smarter than you on the internet to explain what you just watched, then it’s not a good…
Full ReviewDunkirk (2017)
An experimental epic from Nolan. You can tell that a lot of care went into the film’s structure, visuals, and seat-shaking sound. The experience is visceral, and the action is riveting. Truly stunning visuals. Reviewers around the country are encouraging viewers to see it in IMAX, and for good reason.…
Full ReviewWhat We Do in the Shadows (2014)
Pretty funny. I had a grin on my face throughout. A lot like the British version of The Office with its mockumentary structure, quick dialogue, focus on the mundane, and comedic timing. Effects are very good and used just enough to to keep things interesting. To nitpick, I think it…
Full ReviewJohn Wick: Chapter 2 (2017)
A collection of action scenes filled with unbelievably extreme brutality. The number of graphic, execution-style headshots in this one is just shocking. The story that loosely holds the whole thing together is pretty thin, with actors in just about every scene trying to outcool each other with crappy dialogue. The…
Full ReviewEddie the Eagle (2016)
Nice little sports movie. Impressive turn for Egerton, coming fresh off a role as stud in Kingsman: The Secret Service that put him on the map.
Full ReviewBaby Driver (2017)
Some decent music, pretty good car chases, and some admittedly great editing, maybe even Oscar-worthy. But with a nearly nonexistent story, this is one of the most boring movies I’ve ever seen. The soundtrack, goofy anachronisms, and overly stylistic visuals act as icing on the worst cake you’ve ever had.…
Full ReviewGifted (2017)
The story is a bit formulaic, and the characters are a bit stock. It’s the performances that give the film a bit of warmth. Evans has looks, coolness, and subtle control of his expressions to effectively convey a full range of emotions. Grace is charming. Duncan is really good in…
Full ReviewWonder Woman (2017)
The relatively inexperienced Patty Jenkins takes on a huge project and does great. As Zack Snyder’s visually masturbatory direction threatens to cheapen the DC universe, Jenkins’ more traditional direction and storytelling allows for good character development while still remaining faithful to the Snyder look and feel. People and places are…
Full ReviewNot Without My Handbag (1993)
Weird, almost Tim Burtonish. But it’s slow and drags a bit, even for a short.
Full ReviewCreature Comforts (1989)
Park establishes what would be his signature claymation look. I love how the audio track is made of actual interviews of people. It definitely feels natural.
Full ReviewAchtung Baby: A Classic Album Under Review (2007)
For a big fan, it’s an interesting look at the band during a transformative period. Playing music samples in the background would have been a great way to liven up the critical interviews, which tend to drag a bit.
Full ReviewThe Human Condition I: No Greater Love (1959)
A tragic story about the injustice of war, one man’s existential journey and exploration of the failings of humanism in wartime, and a harrowing descent into madness. Thought-provoking, but a bit slow. Epic in scale, especially when considering that this long work is only part of a trilogy. Director Masaki…
Full ReviewThe Redemption: Kickboxer 5 (1995)
Direct to video is right. Dacascos is a nice specimen from the same mold as Brandon Lee, but this is a pile of crap. Odds of hitting three numbers in a row on that roulette wheel is 1/50,653, or 0.002%.
Full ReviewHouse of Flying Daggers (2004)
Mystical kung fu with extravagant costumes on beautifully decorated sets, with slow-mo and and wire work to heighten the action, much in the vein of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. The formula is getting old. Ziyi Zhang is a treat, and the kung fu is decent. But the story is lame,…
Full ReviewThat Thing You Do! (1996)
As an actor, Hanks’ roles have been very funny or very dramatic. This movie, though, is quite plain. Neither funny nor dramatic. It’s well-made, but there’s just not much to it. Why is that? Did Hanks just want some safe material so that he could give directing a shot and…
Full ReviewAbortion: Stories Women Tell (2016)
Not a documentary of the biology and history and legality of the procedure as much as it is a profile of women who have dealt with it. A delicate, even-handed look at a very complicated social issue.
Full ReviewBeauty and the Beast (2017)
This is a quality production. The story is deep and well-told, the effects are all motivated and realistic, and the musical numbers are well-choreographed and shot. The live-action retelling is new territory, but tis is one of Disney’s best. Watson does a great job. Overall, it’s a great cast, with…
Full ReviewNeighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016)
A fun continuation of the story. If you liked the first one, you’ll like this one. Is the whole girl power thing is a joke? It’s a confusing message for those who take it seriously. A guy helps them make it all happen, and being slutty is ultimately what allows…
Full ReviewSeven Samurai (1954)
A rich story for its time, with a nice, slow build to the climactic battle scenes, dynamic camera movements, and innovative lens choices. There are a lot of qualities here, and I see how the film has a place in film history. But it’s all a bit slow by today’s…
Full ReviewBobby Jones: Stroke of Genius (2004)
A boring film with a boring actor playing a seemingly boring real-life historical figure. Horner ripping off his own Braveheart themes was distractingly awful. Why are they playing Scottish music, anyway? I know the game originated there, but this movie is about a guy from the American south playing in…
Full ReviewDoctor Strange (2016)
Good character development. I was skeptical, but Cumberbatch ended up being a good choice for the lead. I always found him to be a bit stiff, but he’s actually kind of funny in this one, and his American accent and personality is pretty authentic. The dialogue feels a bit stunted…
Full ReviewRogue One (2016)
People are making a big deal about it, but I don’t see it as any better than the rest of the movies in the franchise. Faithful to the look and feel of the other Star Wars movies, but if you take away the nostalgia and effects, the actual drama is…
Full ReviewMoana (2016)
Creatively, it’s an interesting, and perhaps the most successful, Disney/Pixar collaboration. The story of innocence and growth, the respect for tradition and elders, the mystery of folklore, and all the musical numbers are pure Disney. The quality of the animation is pure Pixar, and it’s pretty great. Looks like they…
Full ReviewRace (2016)
Pretty good casting with James. He nailed the running posture, I wonder if he got the personality right. Sudekis is quality. It’s a good story, but it’s all a little plain and formulaic. The football players all look and talk and sound like bullies, the Nazis all make mean faces.…
Full ReviewJohn Wick (2014)
Pretty standard revenge story. The violence, polished visual style, and ambient funk rock techo laid on top of just about every scene helps to hide that this is a pretty boring and thin storyline. Reeves looks pretty cool, and it’s obvious that he did a lot of tactical training for…
Full ReviewSully (2016)
It’s a dramatic real-life story, but maybe it’s not dramatic enough for a movie. Eastwood did what he could with the source material, but I’m just not sure there’s enough there. Not sure that all the flashbacks improved the story. If they did anything, they distracted from the fact that…
Full ReviewDirty Pretty Things (2002)
Kind of interesting, but it’s all a bit weird. The story doesn’t really build, it just kind of hovers in this unfamiliar, unstable place where you’re not really sure what’s going to happen next or what ever should happen next. It sort of delivers in the end. Ejiofor and Tautou…
Full ReviewGhostbusters (2016)
Lame story, good effects, a few small giggles. The girls have good chemistry. McKinnon’s got some talent. Appreciated all the cameos.
Full ReviewTickled (2016)
Interesting and a bit scary. Farrier’s careful organization of the content and casual and friendly eloquence makes it a pleasure to watch.
Full ReviewHell or High Water (2016)
Another story about the Texas cop smarter than all the rest, like No Country for Old Men and Nocturnal Animals. Overrated. Pretty good shootout scene, but not much else. Story is thin, decent performances. Is Ben Foster trying to look shittier with every passing year?
Full ReviewExam (2009)
Noble effort to make a small, claustrophobic drama like 12 Angry Men, but the mood is ruined by the characters trying to outcool each other with dialogue. Whoever was pulling focus on this film should be fired. Many of the closeups are distractingly blurry.
Full ReviewMarley & Me (2008)
Polished and easy to like with all of the fun actors, but it’s a bit weird thematically. This is a tragedy disguised as a comedy.
Full ReviewResident Evil (2002)
Awful. Jovovich is nice to look at in a few scenes, but that’s about all there is.
Full ReviewX-Men: Apocalypse (2016)
Getting hard to keep all the stories straight. And to be honest, they’re all starting to get a bit repetitive. Quicksilver’s mansion run was good comedy.
Full ReviewLogan (2017)
At the start, I’m confused about where and when we are. This is obviously a continuation of the X-Men story, but what has happened? Why are these the only mutants left? What happened to Magneto and all the others? I’ve been pretty faithful to the X-Men franchise, but did I…
Full ReviewThe Invitation (2015)
The characters, the actors who pay them, the way story is told… The whole thing oozes LA. Everybody is pretty and trendy and cool, hiding their insecurities and hollow lives with big smiles, well-timed laughs, and hipster fashions. The story is superficially tense, the scenes are are unrealistically awkward. Just…
Full ReviewMoonlight (2016)
Bold subject matter, but Best Picture? If the award is given to the film with the boldest subject matter, and not the one which is most engaging or well-made or entertaining, then I think that’s a shame. Even more confusing is the Best Supporting Actor. He was only in the…
Full ReviewDeuce Bigalow: European Gigolo (2005)
A couple of laughs and some hot women, but overall it’s pretty goofy.
Full ReviewZero Days (2016)
Great collection of footage and high-quality interviews. Good explanation of some pretty technical stuff. It all really opens your eyes to how much is going on that we don’t know about. The visual effects, diagrams are ever-present but help to make things more stimulating and informative. The subtle droning of…
Full ReviewTowelhead (2007)
Strange title, and I understand the controversy around it. This movie is less about racial slurs (she’s never even shown shown wearing a hijab) than it is about a young girl’s sexual awakening. Sexual coming-of-age stories seem to be Alan Ball’s thing. It’s no coincidence that he wrote and produced…
Full ReviewMotel Hell (1980)
It’s a little cheesy and goofy, but as far as horror films of the 80’s go, it’s gruesome and creepy and surprisingly good. Sticks with the horror movie traditions of gore, camp, black comedy, hot women, sex, deviancy, and of course, chainsaws. The formula works. And it actually has a…
Full ReviewNocturnal Animals (2016)
Three stories told in parallel, and there are some interesting metaphorical connections between them all. But the experience of watching the film, as cleverly layered as it is, is quite disturbing and unsettling. Tom Ford is an interesting dude. The desert story alone would have been a good movie. A…
Full ReviewManchester by the Sea (2016)
An odd story oddly put together. Flashbacks are jarringly subtle. Some scenes with delightful sarcasm start to be funny but are lost in the greater tragedy of the movie. A few other scenes, entertaining as they are, involve characters other than the obvious protagonist, which makes me wonder what role…
Full ReviewCarol (2015)
I wasn’t born in the 50’s, but I imagine this is how it really looked, this is how people acted, and this is how people talked. Even the photography has a slight fade and color cast to it that evokes another time. Oscar-worthy in terms of it’s costumes and visual…
Full ReviewThe Sessions (2012)
Heavy and well-made. Definitely a unique storyline. I know it’s based on a true story, but I really enjoyed the complex relationship between the patient and the surrogate. It lost a bit of steam when it veered away from that plotline just as things were getting interesting toward the end…
Full ReviewMagic Mike XXL (2015)
More of the same. Tatum’s got a few more sweet dance moves in this one, though.
Full ReviewRabbit Seasoning (1952)
Wonderfully violent. Daffy’s one of the best Looney Tunes characters.
Full ReviewSteve Jobs (2015)
A LOT of talking. It’s a blurry mumbo-jumbo of product names, operating systems, and business directives. Names are dropped, characters fly in an out in a rush to tell some sort of story. None of the relationships Jobs has with his family, peers, bosses, or competitors is explored with any…
Full ReviewStraight Outta Compton (2015)
Great casting and respectful performances. The whole thing seems authentic.
Full ReviewAnnie (1982)
I remember loving this as a kid, and it actually holds up pretty well. Heartfelt and well-made. Aileen Quinn is cute and turns in a great performance. And all of the other kids are great too, with well-delivered lines and impressive song and dance numbers. Look at how long they…
Full ReviewCinderella (2015)
Nicely realized by Branagh. I was skeptical of James and Madden at first, but they ended up doing a pretty good job. James has got a bit of Geena Davis in her.
Full ReviewSaving Mes Aynak (2014)
Interesting look at a sliver of land with an interesting and turbulent history.
Full ReviewDelicatessen (1991)
A quirky, tongue-in-cheek look at dystopian future, similar to Terry Gilliam’s Brazil. Anachronisms and sillyisms and goofy TV clips make it nostalgic and timeless at the same time. But Jeunet makes this one distinctly French, with goofy-looking and overly expressive characters, exceedingly silly humor and physical comedy gags, and bouncy…
Full ReviewAnnie (2014)
The focus here is not on the story or characters or performances, but on being updated and fresh and pretty. It doesn’t have the charm, warmth, cohesiveness, and naturalness of the 1982 film. Along with the modern-day references and jokes, there are updated lyrics, and new songs. The biggest problem…
Full ReviewThe Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2015)
Like the first, lots of deep and valuable messages delivered by old people in the quirky and exotic surrounds of India. Natural acting by veteran actors. Gotta assume it’s fun for them to make these movies.
Full ReviewThe Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
A deep, insightful look at being the unpopular kid in high school, though it got unexpectedly dark at the end. Obviously a very personal movie for Chbosky, the author and screenwriter and director of the film. It’s interesting and surprising that Chbosky’s hardly done any other directing. I wonder how…
Full ReviewSleeping with the Enemy (1991)
Aside from Roberts, who was a relatively talented and exceptionally mature young actress, acting is this movie is completely awful. Every actor moves robotically and talks as if reciting from a script. It’s ironic that Ben plays a drama teacher in the movie. And it’s not just the acting. This…
Full ReviewBaby Mama (2008)
Cute with some funny lines. Fey and Poehler are pretty good, and a nice supporting cast.
Full ReviewStranger Than Fiction (2006)
Not the Will Ferrell comedy I was expecting. He doesn’t have a single funny line, playing the straight man in a borderline sad story. Was Ferrell miscast? Or was he giving drama a serious attempt? I’m not sure how his OCD fits into the story. And it’s all a bit…
Full ReviewLa La Land (2016)
An impressive musical, with beautiful sets, dramatic lighting, nice photography, a great score with wonderful instrumentation and original pieces, lively dance numbers, and quality performances. Perhaps most impressive are the long takes of musical numbers, executed with a degree of difficulty that is probably unappreciated by the casual viewer. There’s…
Full ReviewOnce (2007)
Nice, simple story. The music and talent is great, though maybe there’s a bit too much of it and not enough dialogue and character development.
Full ReviewThe Light Between Oceans (2016)
Gently paced, cleanly told, beautifully shot. Some of the shots are subtle but carefully chosen and metaphorical. This is a polished, smart movie. Fassbender’s performance is wonderfully restrained, and the old age make-up and performance is spot-on. Vikander, with her wonderfully expressive puppy dog eyes, puts in a great dramatic…
Full ReviewI’m Here (2010)
Spike Jonze is an interesting dude, isn’t he? He’s a genius, but something’s a little off-center with him. A strange, charming but nightmarish story. Nice effects. Why English accents?
Full Review13 Hours (2016)
This movie oozes with Bay’s visual style. Scenes are overly color-treated and contrasty, characters are all good-looking, orange, shiny, each trying to out-cool the other with macho lingo. Editing is predictably kinetic and with predictable interludes of slow-motion. Good action, though, with firefights and explosions that are intense and believable.…
Full ReviewFinding Dory (2016)
Nothing really stands out about this one. Basically an continuation of Finding Nemo, only the story is not as crisp and the comedy is not as funny. Dory’s memory issue goes from cute affectation to downright annoying. Isn’t the story more about Dory finding her parents than it is about…
Full ReviewDavid Brent: Life on the Road (2016)
I love Gervais and Brent, but this one just didn’t have the engaging humor of The Office. Main reason for that is the thin plot, a lack of subplots, and a shortage of supporting characters with real personalities. Gervais is trying to carry this thing solely with Brent’s schtick, and…
Full ReviewThe Accountant (2016)
Well-structured, seriously and methodically and efficiently told, with carefully constructed flashbacks revealing character and the motivations for the story, obviously written by someone who knows a lot about the legalities of corporate accounting. This feels literary, almost Grisham-y. Affleck plays a character that’s a mix of Raymond Babbitt and Jason…
Full ReviewFantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2016)
A showcase of visual effects, but it’s all incredibly boring. I’m just not a fan of Harry Potter or magical fantasy stories. I went into this not knowing it was a Harry Potter film. My mistake. Ooh, a quirky little animal that is exotic and strangely cute and makes unusual…
Full ReviewFastball (2016)
Great biography of the fastball. Nicely paced, well-shot, with plenty of first-hand commentary from established players and some of the all-time greats. If anything, would have liked a bit of conjecture about how fast the balls were thrown in the early days of baseball. The math that brings it all…
Full ReviewAllied (2016)
Like Mr. & Mrs. Smith, only with a historical setting and the polish of Robert Zemeckis. Story and characters are engaging throughout. Great sets and costumes help make it feel like an authentic period piece. Slow-paced, but the editing is good. Cotillard is great, but I think Pitt is bad…
Full ReviewPaprika (2006)
Weird-ass movie, a roller coaster acid trip of dreams. Evokes Gondry’s Eternal Sunshine, Strange Days, Inception with its dreams-in-dreams confusion, and maybe also Matrix. Animation and music are great. Not sure if the weird dialogue is a byproduct of bad translations, but there are weird word choices, no dramatic pauses,…
Full ReviewArrival (2016)
I thought we might be getting a quality film about alien contact, a subject that hasn’t been treated with the proper care since Contact, but this one ended up being a disappointment. Started off right. Wonderful tension when first meeting the aliens, and the effects and sound mixing for the…
Full ReviewPrimer (2004)
A really impressive personal project by Carruth. The whole thing was made for $7000? That’s amazing. The whole thing is shrouded in mystery from the start. These guys are smart, but what’s their background? They seem to be some sort of engineers, but no hint is given of their educational…
Full ReviewKon-Tiki (2012)
A paint-by-numbers film about a few guys in a raft for three months. This is a boring story. The fact that fictional liberties were taken to make things more exciting is evidence that maybe this not the greatest story for a movie. Why was this trip so important? The archaeological…
Full ReviewThe Normal Heart (2014)
This is not just a showcase of gay people doing gay things. There is a good story here, made with heart and class. It’s too bad this didn’t get a theatrical release. It deserved one. Great casting, even better acting. Ruffalo and Bomer are fantastic. Where were the Oscars? What’s…
Full ReviewAn Honest Liar (2014)
A great documentary about a fascinating man and his noble principles. Well-made and interesting throughout.
Full ReviewHacksaw Ridge (2016)
Gibson is drawn to Jesus-like characters who stick to their convictions and sacrifice everything for a greater good. These are passionate stories that he tells, stories that are usually great for movies. Good, authentically American characters played by a mostly Australian cast. Garfield is amazingly authentic, nailing it in a…
Full ReviewThe Sociopath (2016)
A decent collection of Trump-related footage, but most of it is superficial media coverage, and much of it seems to have been recorded from a TV screen and is strangely cropped. The droning music in the background is manipulative and unnecessary. Let the subject matter speak for itself. Available here:…
Full ReviewPiper (2016)
True to Pixar form, the animation, characters, emotions, expressions, and timing are all fantastic. But the revelation here is that he learns a new way to find food? Cute, but some of the other Pixar shorts are better.
Full ReviewCaptain Fantastic (2016)
Like The Mosquito Coast, a genius shuns modern civilization to create a utopia for his family in the forest. Nice mood, and the characters and acting are great, but it meanders a bit.
Full ReviewStar Trek Beyond (2016)
Inspired by Abrams, but this one’s not as good and not as smart. Spock’s dialogue is basic, McCoy’s quips are forced. Pegg’s Scotty doesn’t have a single good line, even more surprising when you consider that he wrote the screenplay. Effects are dizzyingly good, with silly smooth camera movements through…
Full ReviewLife Itself (2014)
A candid and depressing look at one of the most beloved figures in film history, and such a personal, heartfelt project from Roger, Chaz, and James. That Roger was self-aware of the film’s production makes it that much more meaningful. I know he valued this. Cleanly crafted and well-organized. How…
Full ReviewSong of the Sea (2014)
Creatively and beautifully animated. Almost too mystical and wishy washy for me, but I was surprised at how touched I was at the end.
Full ReviewThe Jungle Book (2016)
Not sure which, but either the original Rudyard Kipling novel or this movie is a crap story. Why are we supposed to care about any of these characters? What makes Mowgli good? His youthful innocence? What makes the tiger bad? The scar? There’s no character development, and consequently, I don’t…
Full ReviewJason Bourne (2016)
Getting a bit tired of the formula. Bourne looking around, in super-close-up, with a furrowed brow, trying to remember who he is. Music builds when he’s about to be apprehended. Handheld and shaky camera throughout. The dizzying car chase at end was good, just wish it had more drama behind…
Full ReviewSing Street (2016)
Cute and charming, pulling some of the same strings as Almost Famous. Carney did a great job capturing the 80’s authentically and making fun of it at the same time. Actors are all great. Walsh-Peelo pulls off a great first performance as the lead, and there’s something really appealing about…
Full ReviewBatman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
Overall, better than I thought it would be. It’s Zach Snyder, so it’s beautiful and polished and graphic, but the story is a bit jumbled and the acting is pretty blah. There were a few moments when I didn’t really know what was going on, including a ghost sequence and…
Full ReviewHunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Silly and odd. Neill is good at playing crotchety. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen him play anything else. But does he really think he did a good thing here?
Full ReviewO.J.: Made in America (2016)
Epic and powerful and masterfully crafted. A complete story is told with no narration and almost no titles. An amazing assemblage of footage. Even the drone B-roll footage is beautiful and effective. And the way it’s arranged is an unbelievable editing accomplishment. A dramatic and beautiful score pulls it all…
Full ReviewBlue Thunder (1983)
Like WarGames (another Badham movie) and Red Dawn and Spies Like Us and many other movies of the early 80’s that take a distrustful look at military technology and the people who use it. This was at the forefront of people’s minds at the time. Helicopters were in vogue around…
Full ReviewI’m the Angel of Death: Pusher III (2005)
Refn has created a series of sequential but interconnected stories, and they all work. The characters and stories are unique and interesting enough to hold interest, and the consistent pacing, visual style, and natural acting keep it all glued together. Seems he was going to make a fourth movie with…
Full ReviewWith Blood on My Hands: Pusher II (2004)
A pretty good sequel, with the same intensity and style as the first. The story isn’t quite as engaging, though
Full ReviewThe Nice Guys (2016)
It’s polished and star-powered, but aimless and silly. I wanted to laugh but I couldn’t. I wanted it to end but it wouldn’t.
Full ReviewPusher (1996)
Haunting, intense, and brutal. Drugs are bad. Appealing characters and actors, amazing how far Mads has come. Bodnia is great to watch, with an fixed expression throughout revealing only the most subtle changes from scene to scene. He has a Tom Sizemore/Kevin Spacey peacefulness quality to him. Shooting style really…
Full ReviewCaptain America: Civil War (2016)
This is really Avengers 3, but the title of the movie kept expectations lower and helped make it a pleasant surprise. It’s a big, ambitious effort with real plot lines and great action, and it’s nice to see everyone together again. The regular all-star cast gives us more of the…
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