Tag: Movie Reviews

Film Review: Boyhood

Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater in Boyhood.
Ethan Hawke, Ellar Coltrane and Lorelei Linklater in Boyhood.

There are two types of people who are going to see director Richard Linklater’s newest film, Boyhood. There are those who will not know anything about, or perhaps not even care about the history of the making of the film. They may wonder what all the fuss is about. And then there are people like me who know the whole backstory, and will marvel at how this was all done, and realize that what they’re watching is an impossible movie, one that can’t exist. Yet it does, and it’s wonderful. Continue reading “Film Review: Boyhood”

Film Review: Neighbors

It’s a very funny movie. What more do you need to know?

Zac Efron and Seth Rogen in Neighbors, in a scene chosen by me to get traffic if someone searches for "shirtless Zac Efron"
Zac Efron and Seth Rogen in Neighbors, in a scene chosen by me to get traffic if someone searches for “shirtless Zac Efron”

Comedy is subjective. What’s funny to you isn’t necessarily funny to me. There’s absolutely no way I can tell you that a movie is hilarious, and a must-see, and have it necessarily be the case for you. All that said, if you don’t think Neighbors is a very funny movie, I probably won’t take comedy recommendations from you in the future. It’s OK if you give me the same treatment. I’m guessing you won’t, though; this is as good as it gets in modern movie comedy. Continue reading “Film Review: Neighbors”

Film Review: Amazing Spider-Man 2

The attempt to add meaning to a meaningless story drags down what could have been a fun movie.

The Amazing Spider-Man explains to Jamie Foxx that his character is a one-note waste of time.
The Amazing Spider-Man explains to Jamie Foxx that his character is a one-note waste of time.

When you make a summer movie, the one thing you don’t want to do is find the middle ground between mindless popcorn flick and a well-scripted quality film. This is what Mark Webb’s Amazing Spider-Man 2 does, and because of this, it’s a complete bore with a couple of good bits thrown in.

Continue reading “Film Review: Amazing Spider-Man 2”

Film Review: Cuban Fury

This movie will dance its way into your heart … or something like that.

Nick Frost stars in the Nick Frost vehicle, Cuban Fury
Nick Frost stars in the Nick Frost vehicle, Cuban Fury

There’s a type of comedy movie called the star vehicle. It’s an old fashioned concept, but basically, it’s when you take a funny person and write a movie around him that plays to his strengths as a comic actor. That’s what Cuban Fury is. It’s a chance for Nick Frost to do Nick Frost things with a strong supporting cast, and as this sort of film, it absolutely works.

Continue reading “Film Review: Cuban Fury”

Film Review: The Raid 2

The action stuff works so incredibly well, you’ll want a fan edit removing everything else.

Iko Uwais fights his way through a building ... again.
Iko Uwais fights his way through a building … again.

Gareth Evans knows how to shoot an action scene. This is a high compliment coming from me, because it’s so rare. He knows not to do too many quick cuts, he knows where to put the cameras, and he knows to show the performers doing the stunts. The way he designs action sequences to make brutal physical violence seem both balletic and funny is beyond what anyone else is doing in cinema these days.  The action stuff is so good and so fun, it’s a shame it has to be inside of a story, because the story itself drags down the final product. Continue reading “Film Review: The Raid 2”

Film Review: Pain & Gain

Anthony Mackie, Mark Wahlberg and Duane Johnson in Pain & Gain
Anthony Mackie, Mark Wahlberg and Duane Johnson in Pain & Gain

When you hear the phrase “Directed by Michael Bay,” you probably think of some if not all of the following things: giant robots, massive explosions, military hardware, unnecessarily scantily clad and impossibly thin women and an insane amount of quick edits. You probably don’t think “passion project.” But that’s what we get here. In order to say yes to directing Transformers 4 for Paramount, Bay insisted that he be given the opportunity to make this “small budget” film ($25 million) based on a series of articles from the Miami New Times that document the exploits of the so-called Sun Gym Gang. The real story is brutal, full of twists and turns, and more than a little weird. So how would this translate into a Michael Bay picture? Continue reading “Film Review: Pain & Gain”

Film Review: Parker

Jason Statham as Parker
Jason Statham as Parker

starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez and Michael Chiklis

written by: John J. McLaughlin

directed by: Taylor Hackford

MPAA: Rated R for strong violence, language throughout and brief sexual content/nudity Continue reading “Film Review: Parker“

Film Review: “Men in Black 3”

Will Smith in MEN IN BLACK 3

starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson

written by: Etan Cohen

directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content

Continue reading “Film Review: “Men in Black 3””

Fanboy Ramblings: “The Avengers”

Hulk smashes in Marvel's The Avengers
This film is a Hulk Smash! (There, I said it. Now put it on a poster.)

For a well-thought-out, articulate, reasoned, educated review, I strongly suggest you click over to Jason LeRoy’s official review of The Avengers. For the ramblings of someone who’s read too many comics, seen too many comic movies at midnight, and overanalyzes every darn thing past the point of usefulness, read on. Continue reading “Fanboy Ramblings: “The Avengers””