2016 Movies
OSCARS Won/Nominated
10 Cloverfield Lane
Dir: Dan Trachtenberg Stars: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman It takes a gentle, talented hand to make a doomsday bunker thriller work. Is there an apocalypse? Is the owner of the bunker just a crazy conspiracy theorist? Is he just an abducter? All these questions are handled so well...making this film scary, thrilling, tense, and it creates an atmosphere where the audience is DYING for resolution. When that resolution comes...I found it satisfying...especially among the JJ Abrams/Cloverfield world...but some may find it odd. They may react just the same way Mary Elizabeth Winstead did..."You gotta be F***ing kidding me!!" B+ |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Makeup & Hairstyling
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31
Dir: Rob Zombie Stars: Malcolm McDowell, Richard Brake, Sheri Moon Zombie My wife introduced me to Rob Zombie...and this man has a specific style and vision that is completely unique. House of 1000 Corpses was insane, disjointed, but grossly gorgeous. The Devil's Rejects is his masterpiece. His Halloween remake is fantastic..but as of late...he has lost his way with Halloween II and The Lords of Salem. He is back to shape with 31, a Hunger Games style arena where unwilling captives are forced to survive the murderous mayhem of homicidal clowns named things like Sickhead, Doomhead, and Schizohead. It is purely erratic gore and depravity...and not enough time was spent fleshing out the where and why of this sinister game...but it is so deliciously entertaining. Come on...there is a Spanish, Midget, Clown Hitler...and it is scary...not funny. Totally works...if this is your thing. B Bluray |
The Age of Shadows
Dir: Kim Jee-Woon Stars: Kang-Ho Song, Yoo Gong, Byung-Hun Lee Kim Jee-Woon is quite the chameleon. He has so far wowed me with dark comedy, vengeance horror, Sergio Leone-esque Western Adventure, and now he has shown me he can do espionage period pieces as well. The Age of Shadows tells the story of the Korean resistance to Japanese occupation in the 1920s. There are resistance fightersm turncoats, vicious loyalists, and then each and every one of them may be a double, or triple-agent. It is a bit of The Departed and a dash of Inglourious Basterds, but all completely compelling. Sure it is a bit long and talkie, but the performances are superb, the production design is top notch, and the violent bursts of graphic violence are perfect Korean cinema. B+ |
OSCARS
Best Costume Design
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Allied
Dir: Robert Zemeckis Stars: Brad Pitt, Marion Cotillard This is just simply fun cinema. Good Ol' Robert Zemeckis has made a cool little Spy thriller/romance that shows what a talented man he is. It is polished to a high shine, has two beautiful A-listers, and has a few fun twists and turns that really make the entire thing a roller coaster ride. The opening scenes, about the first 30 minutes, was absolutely inspired by Casablanca to such a point where I wouldn't have minded if the film WAS a Casablanca remake. Such fun. B |
Amanda Knox
Dir: Rod Blackhurst & Brian McGuinn The Amanda Knox Saga, about a 20-year-old American girl who was accused of killing her roommate, was a media frenzy back in the day...and the level of frenzy was quite fascinating. Those aspects of this documentary are interesting, but the murder itself wasn't as interesting. Actually, this documentary is very well done...but it just isn't as interesting when it focuses on Amanda and the case. The bloodlust that surrounded the case was much more intriguing but the documentary fails as it passes over those stories. Someone getting murdered is a tragedy. Someone getting accused of the crime they did not commit is also a tragedy. There just wasn't those sexy details to the case that makes it compelling cinema. C |
Andron
Dir: Francesco Cinquemani Stars: Alec Baldwin I'm going to spoil this movie...because the IDEA of the movie isn't awful...but everything else about it fails miserably. It basically takes the Hunger Games conceit where several people are in a competition to the death, run by the government. Instead of a National Pride idea...it is a culling procedure, because the slaves that bet on certain contestants will die along with their competitor if they fail. Not bad. But the game is never fleshed out...the characters have memory wipes...which makes no sense. The arena is just a warehouse with no explanation. The acting is atrocious, highlighted by the most important character. Ugh...it was an infuriatingly amateurish disaster. F |
ARQ
Dir: Tony Elliot Stars: Robbie Amell, Rachel Taylor When there is a great Time-Loop movies out there like Edge of Tomorrow...and you want to make a small-scale version of it...it better be something special. This Netflix original movie isn't anything special, but it sort of works. I found myself more frustrated every time the day resets, more than excited...but I liked how the story came in bits and pieces and I really liked the pessimism and the ambiguity of the ending. Too often filmmakers do not have the courage to end a movie like this in such a way. The actors were serviceable as well. Good for a small, little sci-fi fix, of which I crave constantly. B- |
OSCARS
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Arrival
Dir: Denis Villeneuve Stars: Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die This is one of the most nerve-wracking, tension-filled films I have seen in a long time. Denis Villaneuve has created a smart, patient, poetically spooky sci-fi film about contact with aliens. I love these types of films, like Contact and Sphere, mainly because of the terror that must be accompanied with such an encounter. Amy Adams is superb with conveying such terror and wonder, and the movie never falls into an unbelievable cliche. I must say though...the climax and reveal are a bit of a letdown...even though they reveal a clever storytelling twist. The entire concept takes a HUGE leap of logic right in the middle of a film that seemed to embrace logic and scientific possibility as its greatest strengths. Still...solid, mature entertainment. B+ |
Bad Moms
Dir: Jon Lucas & Scott Moore Stars: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate This movie irritated me. There are certainly some laughs...and my preconception was that this was going to be about women wanting to act like women and less like moms. That idea is enjoyable. Young moms getting overwhelmed with motherhood and just need an escape now and then. This idea is only HINTED on, and then the most important plotline is whether or not Mila Kunis will become the new PTA president. I just didn't buy it. Nevermind that Mila Kunis and Kristin Bell don't pull off the young mom personna. Katherine Hahn is superb though and all but steals the entire movie. I just couldn't really enjoy myself. I felt like Moms were getting the short end of the stick where their biggest conflict was with the PTA. Missed opportunity in my opinion. C |
Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice
Dir: Zack Snyder Stars: Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill, Jessee Eisenberg, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams I never liked Superman's character, but Man of Steel could have been worse I guess. Ben Affleck is a fantastic choice for Batman and does what he can in this film. The DC Comics Cinematic Universe is just so dark, dire, and devoid of all fun and enthusiasm that it is actually hard to enjoy yourself watching it. Also, Jesse Eisenberg is wasted and the appearance of Doomsday is so pointless and random. Lots of money up there on the screen but so bland. C+ |
Bedeviled
Dir: The Vang Brothers How do movies like this get made? I really don't understand it. It stars a bunch of terrible actor nobodies and it has a premise where teens download a personal assistant app like siri, which has the ability to subject you to your worst fears, because it is a conduit to the spirit world or something. It makes zero sense, has zero scares, and has the audacity to have teddy bears chasing people around. Are people only afraid of humanoid things? So actors can portray scary clowns, asian women, and other nonsense? What about heights? or spiders? or claustrophobia? Ugh...what complete trash. D |
The BFG
Dir: Steven Spielberg Stars: Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton, Rebecca Hall I don't like picking on kids...but the kid at the center of this Steven Spielberg fantasy is one of the biggest problems with the film. Ruby Barnhill is a terrible actress with no charisma. It is that simple. In an impossibly gorgeous film about the friendship between a giant and a child, who are trying to save us from the bad giants, if you have zero connection to the protagonist...it is all for naught. This actress was snatched out of her bed in the middle of the night by a giant and whisked away to a far away, magical world. Not once is she scared, sad, excited, angry...nothing...she is just woodenly spouting lines that angered me more and more. That's enough. I feel bad. Again...this is a Spielberg film so it is made with precision and imagination...but there is no weight, sympathy, or even much excitement to be had. C+ |
Blair Witch
Dir: Adam Wingard All I have to say is that this movie has absolutely ZERO creativity. This is almost a beat by beat remake of The Blair Witch Project, under the guise of a sequel. I had hopes for it...since it "uses" drones and various technological apparatus, but it just devolves into the exact same movie. The original was successful and something unseen before...but it still wasn't a great movie. This is garbage. D- |
The Boss
Dir: Ben Falcone Stars: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage Again...Melissa McCarthy bombs. I figured it out. She does not do well with black, mean-spirited comedy. Bridesmaids, Spy, The Heat....she's great. This, Identity Thief...she is atrocious. Throw in the mix that her husband was the director? That means there was no one around to tell her she is not funny...and it creates a disastrous film. One funny physical comedy moment early...and some funny lines from Tyler Labine later on, is the ONLY thing here. I just hated every aspect of this film...and somehow it turns into a freakin' heist movie. So dumb!!! D- |
The Brand New Testament
Dir: Jaco Van Dormael Stars: Catherine Deneuve Jaco Van Dormael is a wonder. I fell in love with his Mr. Nobody because it raised such grand philosophical questions about choice while telling a glorious, heartbreaking love story. This time around, he has made a Terry Gilliam-esque farce about a slovenly God, how he screws with his creation, and how his daughter sabotages him and heads to Earth to create a New Testament out of pity and shame for her father. But beneath that hilariously clever premise is again, a philosophical rich exercise about death and how one chooses to live their life. Take away Catherine Deneuve's horrible misfire of a section and this is an A movie...simply because of its whimsy, its gorgeous and brilliant style, and its ideas. What an amazingly, thought-provoking filmmaker. B+ |
Cafe Society
Dir: Woody Allen Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively This is a bit of a shame. Woody Allen's latest film is full of WONDERFUL performances, anchored by the superb chemistry between Jesse Eisenberg and Kristen Stewart...their third pairing after Adventureland and American Ultra. But the story, starting out strong and interesting, just continues to get duller, and duller, and more predictable, and then almost rushed, and ultimately abandoned. It was very strange. Also...Woody Allen is getting a bit old, and his iconic voice does not have the pep and silliness it once had...and he is an AWFUL narrator. Started Strong...ended with a huge flop. B- |
Captain America: Civil War
Dir: Anthony Russo & Joe Russo Stars: Chris Evans, Robert Downy Jr The Marvel Cinematic Universe is still chugging along, putting out entertaining stuff to be sure. This one is a bit weaker than most, but it is nice to see, what is essentially an Avengers movie, where the stakes aren't world-ending. Its a more personal story and I liked that...but since no one seems to want to actually hurt each other...the action feels all the more cartoonish. B Bluray |
Central Intelligence
Dir: Rawson Marshall Thurber Stars: Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart Kevin Hart is starting to get old. Every movie...he is the antithesis of the Black stereotype, thrown into a situation that's way over his head, and he reacts comedically. My problem with this movie? NOTHING that happens is believable. If some guy I knew from High School, 20 years ago, showed up in my life the way The Rock does to Kevin Hart in this movie...I would tell him to piss off. I'd be polite at one point...but if things escalated the way they do in this film...PISS OFF. The level of so-called loyalty that Kevin Hart has to some guy from his high school class is so absurd, it totally ruins everything in the movie. The action, the comedy, the mystery...all pointless. C- |
Clown
Dir: Jon Watts In lesser hands, the idea of a clown suit that is made from the skin of an Icelandic, clown-like demon, that a man can't get off once he dons it, and he is slowly turning into said demonic clown, would be absurdly ridiculous. Somehow...the absurdity of this premise is handled so well that I actually didn't laugh at all. I found myself feeling horrible for the man and ready to accept the new creature as a worthy horror slasher. And the film delivered that. Enough gore, enough tension, enough nightmarish visuals...and it somehow avoids the near inevitable corniness. Of course it can't be great....but it serves horror fans well. B- |
The Conjuring 2
Dir: James Wan Stars: Patrick Wilson, Vera Farmiga, Frances O'Connor Man oh man are these good. This sequel is essentially a formula but it works SO WELL. Again, everyone is at least open to the possibility of the paranormal, there are doubts, fears, and desperation...and nightmarish visuals that are not just jump cuts, false alarms, and loud scoring hits. I just love these movies. They are getting the ghostly horror films almost exactly right. B+ |
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon:
Sword of Destiny Dir: Yuen Wo-Ping Stars: Michelle Yeoh, Donnie Yen There is no reason for this movie to exist. Gone is the majesty, the love, and the lyrical dance of martial arts that captured the imagination of the world in 1999. What remains is people flying as a mode of transport instead of a ballet-style expression of beauty in fighting, silly instead of exhilarating fight sequences, and for some absurd reason...everyone speaks English instead of Mandarin...so the acting is stilted and emotionless. It is as if someone went out to parody the original film and forgot the humor. Its most saving grace is the fight on a frozen lake....THAT was the only point where the original magic showed its face. C- |
Deadpool
Dir: Tim Miller Stars: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin Ryan Reynolds was born to play Deadpool...and not the monstrosity that was in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. This R-Rated , 4th Wall Breaking, vulgarian is the most refreshing thing to come to superhero movies in years. Even though it points out its own undercooked-ness...it is a bit undercooked. The studio shamefully didn't have all the confidence in the world that this would work. B+ Bluray |
OSCARS
Best Sound Editing
Best Visual Effects |
Deepwater Horizon
Dir: Peter Berg Stars: Mark Wahlberg. Kurt Russell This movie is almost unbearably terrifying. Peter Berg has the directing chops to pull off one hell of an action film...especially one where the setting is confined to one structure...and we already know the outcome. Every performance feels authentic, with special props to Mark Wahlberg and Kurt Russell, but the real star is the special effects and action sequence of the destruction of the drilling platform. My armpits were soaked and my heart was racing. It was superb. B+ |
Denial
Dir: Mick Jackson Stars: Rachel Weisz, Tom Wilkinson, Timothy Spall The subject of Holocaust denial is fascinating and sickening, and this story about a famous libel trial in London is a great story...but it isn't much more than a great story...its not a great movie. This is a procedural that explains the intricacies of British justice and the specifics surrounding the trial...but it is a bit too sparse on actual arguments for Holocaust denial, and that irked me. A scene with Tom Wilkinson and Timothy Spall sparring over a specific building and what it was in Auschwitz and how it was used was incredible, and upsetting to the point of tears, and it really underlines the absence of those discussions throughout the film. It is a good thing the actors are top notch, squeezing tears at many junctions simply because of how profound these questions are. But as a movie...it was lacking a bit. B |
De Palma
Dir: Noah Baumbach & Jake Paltrow Stars: Brian De Palma More of a testimonial than a documentary. Baumbach and Paltrow were friends with Brian De Palma and filmed him spouting stories about his career for their personal records. It wasn't until a few days in that they realized they had a documentary among the footage. It is basically De Palma sitting in a room and he talks about every. single. one of his films. It is comprehensive and enlightening, and I like how he doesn't think his work is important, and doesn't care if people don't buy in to his vision. He just makes the movies he wants to make and hopes they click. Brian De Palma talking, cut to film clips and stills. That's all it is. A lot of fun information, but not a good documentary per se. B- |
OSCARS
Best Visual Effects
|
Doctor Strange
Dir: Scott Derrickson Stars: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Benedict Wong, Mads Mikkelsen This movie is outrageous...and its greatest asset is that it embraces its absurdity and outrageousness in a way that makes the entire endeavor exciting, mesmerizingly beautiful, and surprisingly funny. However, this solid introduction of Benedict Cumberbatch as Dr. Stephen Strange renders the rest of the Avengers pretty much moot. What good is Iron Man, Captain America, and even the Vision, when you have a guy that can bend space and time at his whim. Regardless of that problem, this is just a fun movie, with astonishing effects that really imbue the fantastical world below the surface of the Marvel Universe. B+ Bluray |
The Do-Over
Dir: Steven Brill Stars: Adam Sandler, David Spade Not one of the joke-a-minute ridiculous movies like That's My Boy, but a solid action-comedy with a bit of heart and a few surprises to be had. David Spade isn't that great...nowhere near what he did in his Chris Farley Team-Up days...but Sandler is fine . Sometimes the movie slips into such farce that it can be unbalanced, specifically with the tall gymnast, but stuff Like Nick Swardson's small part and the flare-gun scene make it worth your while. B- |
Eye in the Sky
Dir: Gavin Hood Stars: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman This movie is just flat-out superb. It is tense, exciting, mesmerizing, and wonderfully balanced. Drone strikes are a hot-button issue in out society. This film incorporates the British Colonel running the operation, the upper-echelon politicians, the drone pilot, and the men on the ground providing intel. No one is wrong, no one is right, and the entire film is a grey area. On top of that...it is one of the most exciting films of the year. Never would I have thought that selling bread would be so excruciatingly exciting!!! A |
OSCARS
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Costume Design
|
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
Dir: David Yates Stars: Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Dan Fogler The Harry Potter-verse is still sublime entertainment. This movie continues the tradition of special-effects, production design extravaganzas, full of creativity, authentic performances, and the height of cinema magic. I love the introduction of American-based wizarding and I thought every bit of effects work was completely believable. If I HAD to nitpick, I would say the lack of children/students does take a BIT away from the film. Having the students in the Harry Potter films adds a wonder and amazement at their world that really adds a layer of enjoyment. Fantastic Beasts has a world populated with wizards and witches that take all of their abilities for granted. It's not a bad thing, and a seasoned Potter-verse audience WOULD take it all for granted...but the wonder and awe is a bit lacking. B+ |
Fifty Shades of Black
Dir: Michael Tiddes Stars: Marlon Wayans The Wayans' spoof movies are not Zucker-level inspired, but they do choose the correct material to lampoon. Since Fifty Shades of Grey was such a terrible movie...it was an easy target...and this is pretty funny. It's also interesting that in spite of the spoof, its actually a better adaptation of the novel than the REAL movie. Enough laughs to get by but still not great. C |
Finding Dory
Dir: Andrew Stanton & Angus MacClane Voices: Ellen Degeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O'Neill In what universe does anyone think this movie would not be wonderful? It is. Simply put...it is probably the most gorgeous movie you will see all year. It effortlessly continues the story in a way that makes watching it back to back with the original effortless. The addition of Ed O'Neill as the "septapus" is pitch perfect. Finally...the geniuses at Pixar find ways to make me laugh, cry, care, and be excited throughout the film without me even realize it is happening. I feel like these guys can really do no wrong. B+ |
The Founder
Dir: John Lee Hancock Stars: Michael Keaton, John Carroll Lynch, Nick Offerman I really enjoyed this film. It tells a story about one of the staples of American culture, and exposes how McDonald's came about in a bit of a cutthroat way. The direction and editing make an otherwise simple, unexciting premise and injects a lot of kinetic energy into it. Michael Keaton is superb as Ray Kroc...a persistent man who seems so sure of his eventual success that you never see him as desperate. This was kind of a 1950s version on There Will Be Blood, where Ray Kroc is Daniel Plainview and the Fast Food industry is oil. Not quite as good as that but perfectly serviceable. B |
Get a Job
Dir: Dylan Kidd Stars: Miles Teller, Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranston Anna Kendrick seems to be the queen of comedies you have never heard of. Sometimes they are pleasant surprises (Mr. Right). Somtimes they are harmless (Rapture-palooza). And sometimes it is so inconsequential, you wonder why they even bothered. This film, with a ridiculously good cast, is about how everyone has a hard time finding, keeping, enjoying their job. That's it. Who cares. The actors are so talented that it is fun to watch them, but I would rather watch a film of these actors having lunch together. It would be equally pointless and forgettable. C- |
Ghostbusters
Dir: Paul Feig Stars: Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Chris Hemsworth I didn't hate this movie quite as much as I expected to. I guess that is because Fieg, McCarthy, McKinnon, Wiig, and Jones are very talented, funny people. The movie should never have existed, as remaking Ghostbusters was a really dumb idea. But since it does, it should have at least existed as sort of a pseudo-sequel to the originals. But since it doesn't, it should have such brilliance behind it that it can stand alongside the original. But since it doesn't...it remains a mediocre film with a few good laughs in it. C- |
The Girl on the Train
Dir: Tate Taylor Stars: Emily Blunt, Rebecca Ferguson, Haley Bennett, Justin Theroux, Luke Evans, Edgar Ramierez, Allison Janney This movie got lambasted when it was released...and almost certainly because half of the country read and loved the book...so the movie could only disappoint. I hate that, and I have said it before...these are 2 different mediums and comparing them really isn't fair. This movie is perfectly fine. It is a bit one-dimensional of icky-ness. This involves depressed, sorrowful, horrible people doing despressing, sorrowful, horrible things to each other. The actors are superb, but again, in only the one level of sadness. The mystery is pretty fun, whereby our main character has a history of blacking out from inebriation and unable to remember details clearly. Nothing that's going to change the world...but it certainly kept me interested. B- |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Documentary
|
Gleason
Dir: Clay Tweel This has got to be to saddest, most excruciating documentary I have ever seen....but it is also brilliant and inspirational. The story of Steve Gleason, a famous New Orleans Saints football player, being diagnosed with the dreadful ALS, follows his journals to his unborn/infant son since he knows he will eventually be unable to communicate with him and he will most likely die. It is so sad that it is almost unbearable. Watching this man's body gradually fail over a few years in a 2-hour run-time is fascinating but devastating. However, the access these filmmakers had with Steve, his wife, and his family shows how hard it is, and how human these people are behind the mythos of heroism when the public sees them as troopers and philanthropists. Rarely have I seen a more poignant documentary. A |
Gods of Egypt
Dir: Alex Proyas Stars: Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler This movie is one of those movies that basically throw my critical integrity out the window. It is a pretty awful film objectively. But subjectively, I kind of really dug it. The acting is over-the-top...almost Shakespearean. The stellar cast isn't laughing at themselves...they are taking this all seriously. The costumes, sets, and effects (Large gods alongside the normal-size humans is flawless) are gorgeous in a way that you NEVER believe any of it. The action is fun to watch, the absurdity reaches levels of utter astonishment...and in the end I was finding myself wishing they made more audacious movies like this. B |
Green Room
Dir: Jeremy Saulnier Stars: Anton Yelchin, Patrick Stewart, Macon Blair Jeremy Saulnier is an extremely talented, unique voice...who has the ability to get the most cinematic pleasure out of the simplest of concepts...to an almost unbearably tense level. His Blue Ruin was just about a guy seeking revenge. No twists, no absurd plot devices...just hypnotic thrills. The same goes for this film. A heavy metal band sees what they shouldn't have in a skinhead bar. That simple. It is tense, gross, and utterly terrifying. I will see everything this guy does. He is such a great filmmaker and he doesn't need to fool us all into that fact. B+ |
OSCARS
KEVIN'S PICKS
Best Director
Best Editing Best Sound Editing |
Hacksaw Ridge
Dir: Mel Gibson Stars: Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving IMDB #176 My god, this film is as powerful a war film that I have seen in a long time. Mel Gibson is back in prime form and he really transported me onto that Japanese battlefield and I felt like I was right there while Andrew Garfield dragged all those men to safety. One would think the conscientious objector aspect would become a bit corny...but it never does. And he gave Vince Vaughn the thankless job of emulating R. Lee Ermey from Full Metal Jacket, but I have to say...he brought it. I laughed, I cried, I winced, and I was thoroughly exhilirated. A |
OSCARS
Best Production Design
|
Hail, Caesar
Dir: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen Stars: Josh Brolin, George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johannson, Ralph Fiennes, Jonah Hill, Alden Ehrenreich A bad Coen Brothers is better than most other movies...and this is a good example. It is gorgeous and there are parts that are hysterically funny...and Alden Ehrenreich is a star in the making. But the movie is a but meandering and almost uncooked and incomplete. This might be because there are aspects of it, like the Scarlett Johansson and Jonah Hill stuff, that is completely pointless and out of place. There is enough silliness here to give it a pass...but it is similar to their Burn After Reading...The Coens are just trying to recapture their The Big Lebowski comedy chops. B- |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Actress
Best Supporting Actress Best Adapted Screenplay Best Cinematography Best Production Design Best Foreign Film |
The Handmaiden
Dir: Chan-Wook Park 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Chan-Wook Park is a master filmmaker...and this film is nearly as good as Oldboy. It is hypnotic, tense, puzzling, titillating, and nearly every other positive adjective I can think of. This story about the lady niece of a rich, perverse book collector and how people are scheming to possess her and her fortune always kept me guessing and held me almost excruciatingly at the edge of my seat. The performances are all top notch, and I never knew what to expect next. Park also has a way of shocking the audience...not in a gratuitous way...but in ways that are so blunt, sexual, and violent, that it refreshingly takes you by surprise. I loved every moment of this film. A |
Hardcore Henry
Dir: Ilya Naishuller Stars: Sharlto Copley This is something you have never seen before. It takes the found footage idea to the next level putting the audience inside the head of the star, and it is exhilirating. Sharlto Copely is very funny and the movie is chock-full of "How the hell did they do that?" moments of excitement. Not high art...but a complete technical success. B- Bluray |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor Best Original Screenplay Best Editing |
Hell or High Water
Dir: David Mackenzie Stars: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die This is a solid movie. Great story, great visual style of a modern western, and great performances by Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges. There are a few laugh-out-loud moments, and a few gasp-in-horror moments, and when all is said and done, I was satisfied. However, I found myself wanting the entire escapade to elevate to something very special. This is a competent movie filled with talented actors...I wanted a gobsmacking movie with acting tour-de-forces. I would certainly recommend this film...but I doubt you will remember much of it a few months down the road. B |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actress Best Adapted Screenplay |
Hidden Figures
Dir: Theodore Melfi Stars: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges There is nothing SPECIFICALLY wrong with this film...but it was only fine. The acting is solid but not thrilling or unexpected. The screenplay is enjoyable but more serviceable than poignant. And in order to get a more family friendly rating...we are expected to believe that early-1960s NASA had no cigarettes, no N-words, no misogynist language, no cursing at all, and no violence or sexual harassment. The entire film felt so sterilized that it became fake to me...and it is a shame because it was an important history lesson that I appreciated. I enjoyed it but I feel like it could have been so much more. B |
Holy Hell
Dir: Will Allen I love me some batshit crazy documentaries. However...the best documentaries have equal parts a great story and great access. There isn't better access to a documentary about a cult mired in sexual assault allegations than having the director, a former member, have had videotaped hundreds of hours of life while part of the Buddhafield. When the doc starts, and outlines a bunch of gorgeous, free-spririted men and woman coming together for nothing much beyond exhalted happiness...You can get behind the philosophies. Then the leader of the group, Michel, started to get weird...and then get dangerous. It is a rollercoaster of a ride that will leave your jaw dropped to the floor. A- |
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
Dir: Taika Wiatiti Stars: Sam Neill, Julian Dennison Taika Wiatiti has an uncanny ability to choose an absurdist subject and inject so much heart and emotion into it that you can hardly contain yourself. Take this film for example. The story is a bit silly, whereby a foster kid's new mother suddenly dies, his foster father doesn't want him and just wants to depressingly retreat into the New Zealand bush. But the kid follows him and ignites a nationwide manhunt for the pair due to a suspicion of kidnapping. What follows is an exciting, hilarious, and surprisingly poignant adventure where Neill and Dennison learn how to trust, respect, and even love each other. This was an adventure I did not want to end. It hits ALL the right notes. A- |
Independence Day: Resurgence
Dir: Roland Emmerich Stars: Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum I was hoping for a nostalgic thrill ride of a twenty-year-old franchise a la Jurassic World last year. Unfortunately, I was utterly and completely disappointed. This ID4 sequel just forgot EVERYTHING that made the original exciting and charming. Will Smith's absence is detrimental. The wonder, surprise, awe, and fear of the encroaching aliens is taken almost for granted by the characters, so its a bunch of "who cares". Jeff Goldblum is bored, and trades his triumphant spaceship ride in the first film for a school bus. Judd Hirsch? Why is he in the movie? The effects are superb and the one short disaster sequence is solid, but damn...all the magic is gone. D+ |
OSCARS
Best Actress
Best Costume Design Best Original Score |
Jackie
Dir: Pablo Larrain Stars: Natalie Portman, Peter Sarsgaard 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die It just didn't work for me...at all. This movie about the aftermath of JFK's assassination, solely from the viewpoint of the first lady, is melodrama of the highest order, in a bad way. Even Natalie Portman, whom I love, feels like one-note melancholy to a point that it becomes excruciatingly boring. I understand that this point in history was dire...but this film is just 90 minutes of moping and describing how and why they were mopey. There was never anger, hope, fear....just a lot of whomp whomps. C- |
Keanu
Dir: Peter Atencio Stars: Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele Again, this all hinges on your appreciation of Key & Peele. I was a huge fan of their show, and their first movie is a lot of fun, but is nothing more than a well-polished sequence of skits involving the same subject...straight-laced black guys trying to pass themselves off as thugs to infiltrate a gang in order to get their pet kitten back. A lot of the scenarios are funny but it never gave me much more than I used to get from their show. A few huge laughs, a few misfires, and a few more amused chuckles. B- |
Keeping Up With the Joneses
Dir: Greg Mottola Stars: Zach Galifianakis, Isla Fisher, Jon Hamm, Gal Gadot I hate characters that don't act like anything that resembles a real person. If Galifianakis's character was actually like this, he would be working in HR. If Fisher's character were following her neighbor in ANY kind of recognizably human way, she wouldn't have on a huge hat or sunglasses. I HATE that crap. But...somehow, when Hamm's and Gadot's secret is out and they involve their neighbors, the movie actually clicked into place and I enjoyed it. Hamm is the star here. He acts CIRCLES around his co-stars and almost single-handedly saved entire film. C+ |
Kill Command
Dir: Steven Gomez Simply put...this movie could be a lot worse. Netflix is going pretty strong with these smaller Sci-Fi flicks, with ARQ and Spectral, by doing what they do pretty well and not taking stuff for granted like a lot of huge budget action films do. Sure there is very little characterization...but this movie is about a simple, robots-gone-wild premise and the marines who need to stop the threat. The action is fun, exciting, and most importantly...oriented in ways that you can follow it. Also...enough money was put into the project that the special effects of these advanced robot killing machines was completely believable. Nothing great about it...but again...you could do a LOT worse. B- |
OSCARS
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La La Land
Dir: Damien Chazzelle Stars: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die Damien Chazelle is a modern master of filmmaking. His enthusiasm and creativity are so infectious that it is refreshing. The music, the acting, the camerawork...it is all top notch with this film...but the story is just a bit bland. I found myself glossing over a few times when the story was progressing...simply because it was a trope that we have heard many times before. Still...when the movie works, it injects adrenaline into the audience. The whole follow your dream or follow your heart concept isn't original...but it is sure entertaining with this film. You haven't seen anything like it in many, many years. This is an old-fashioned musical in the best way. B+ |
The Legend of Tarzan
Dir: David Yates Stars: Alexander Skarsgard, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz Alexander Skarsgard is an adonis, and a perfect choice to play the Lord of the Jungle...but David Yates's take on the famous iconic character doesn't live up to his actor's look and talents. In this movie, Tarzan is now Lord Greystoke, living in London, and married to Jane. The Belgian King is enslaving and extorting the Congo and Tarzan is persuaded back. The story is dumb, and the presence of Samuel L. Jackson is dumb, Christoph Waltz is a dumb villain...but some of the effects and action are acceptable. It is just a shame that the franchise will not continue with Skarsgard because this film just isn't good...because you couldn't choose a better Tarzan. C |
Life, Animated
Dir: Roger Ross Williams Rarely is there a documentary that causes me to weep as much as this film did. Not in a sad way, but in a wonderful, inspirational way. The stories that Owen Suskind's parents reiterate about how their extremely autistic son broke out of his cognitive prison through Disney Movies destroyed me. The artistry, the music, the story...it is all fantastic. My only complaint is that it is unauthentically manipulative in parts where it doesn't have to be...and it comes across as desperate and insecure...as if the actual story isn't enough. At nearly every important milestone in Owen's life, the filmmakers show him watching the Disney film that PERFECTLY illustrates the scene and the emotions behind it. I didn't believe that for a second. They felt staged. However, the story is worth your time though. It is so inspirational. B+ |
Lights Out
Dir: David F. Sandberg Stars: Theresa Palmer, Maria Bello Ever see the Lights Out short? It is 2 1/2 minutes and terrifying. That filmmaker was given a budget to make a full-length film. The opening scene is superb and scary. The idea that something is visible and only lives in the dark is a great concept...and this movie continually handles that CONCEPT well...but the story and the acting are so bad as to destroy the movie's enjoyment. The dark figure in the blackness is frightening...but it would infinitely scarier if we cared about the characters who are being terrorized. It's so simple. C- |
OSCARS
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor Best Supporting Actress Best Adapted Screenplay Best Cinematography Best Original Score KEVIN'S PICK
Best Picture
Best Supporting Actor |
Lion
Dir: Garth Davis Stars: Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara It has been years since I was exposed to a film with such emotional resonance and poignancy. Lion starts off simple enough with the cutest child ever finding himself lost and adopted to Australia. What follows is a whallop to the psyche...its devastating but inspirational. Movies like this can so easily slip into melodrama but Lion never does and all the tears that continually flowed felt natural and un-manipulated. When a simple thing like looking at a candy dish can illicit an almost uncontrollable cascade of tears....your movie is doing something right. This movie does EVERYTHING right. A Bluray |
London Has Fallen
Dir: Babak Najafi Stars: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman Gerard Butler is pretty damn good at R-rated action. The mayhem, gunplay, and knife play throughout this film are worth the price of admission. It isn't as well fleshed out as the first, and the trope of being imprisoned in the White House really made the movie that much more intense, but you could do a lot worse. There is a sequence where Butler and some British military guys are storming a building, and the direction is absolutely superb...added a portion of the grade immediately. B- |
Love & Friendship
Dir: Whit Stillman Stars: Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny This movie is a delight. It is quick-witted, light, fluffy, whimsical, impossible to define, and ultimately forgettable. I don't really say that as a derogatory ...I say it because it is so small in scope and it all goes by so lightning fast that I may have a problem remembering any set pieces, any particular lines, or any particular performances. However, Kate Beckinsale's performance as the fulcrum upon which every other character pivots is excellent. Such a fun experience. B |
The Magnificent Seven
Dir: Antoine Fuqua Stars: Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke Antoine Fuqua is an accomplished director...and he populated this film with some wonderful actors. Denzel, Pratt, D'Onofrio, Hawke, Sarsgaard...they all are great and the production quality is absolutely top notch. Put that all together...you have a perfectly serviceable action western...but you also don't have much more than that. There just doesn't seem to be any heart in this film. Villain doing villain things, Meet Denzel, Damsel pleads to Denzel, Denzel recruits, the 7 show their ferocity, Villain arrives, 45 minute fight sequence. That's the entire movie and there is nothing beyond that. It's still fine though. B- |
OSCARS
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Manchester By the Sea
Dir: Kenneth Lonergan Stars: Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die This movie is immaculately acted and written...to the point that its rather long running time flies by...but fair warning...it is almost unbearably sad. I couldn't figure out what it was while watching it...but it finally came to me. The emotions simmering underneath the surface of these characters and their lives feel like they need a release that never comes...but when some do bubble to the surface...it is excruciatingly sad and devastating. This is a wonderful movie but it is tough. Casey Affleck has catapulted himself into A-list with this one though. B+ |
Man Vs. Snake: The Long & Twisted Tale of Nibbler
Dir: Tim Kinzy & Andrew Seklir I Loved 2007's The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters...and this movie can absolutely be considered a direct sequel. Actually...more of like a Marvel movie fits into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, we can call this the Twin Galaxies Cinematic Universe...and it is as engaging, funny, upsetting, and exciting as King of Kong was. The brilliance of these documentaries is that they are populated with amazingly interesting characters...and the idea that these world records in 1980s video games are SO important to these people, is equal parts sad and inspiring. On one hand, you recognize (as the characters often do) how absurd this whole thing is...but then you realize that this is almost all some of these people have...so you feel like shouting out to encourage them to succeed. I want more and more of these films. A- |
Mascots
Dir: Christopher Guest Stars: Chris O'Dowd, John Michael Higgins Christopher Guest makes movies that are quite unique...and his humor is extremely dry and loony. This film, about a mascot competition that you can never believe actually exists, with characters that would never exist, squeezes out a lot of humor. I guess it is inevitable when you have such great comedic minds and acting talent upfront. I found myself actually caring about the results of this dumb competition and laughing about it thoroughly. B |
Masterminds
Dir: Jared Hess Stars: Zach Galfianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis How can a cast so chock full of the funniest people in the business be so dull? I'll tell you how...the director. Jared Hess struck lightning with the "Weird/odd is funny" idea with Napoleon Dynamite....and to a much lesser extent, Nacho Libre. But that ship has sailed. When all you do is put these comedians on screen and have them be odd and expect laughs...you are bound to fail. I felt like every single person was held back and aching to burst out of this weird-for-the-sake-of-weird shell Hess put them in. It was forgettable, unfunny, and ultimately unpleasant. D |
Mechanic: Resurrection
Dir: Dennis Gansel Stars: Jason Statham, Jessican Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh There is nothing to this movie. The story, the characters...all pointless. The success of this movie hinges on your love for Jason Statham...and I always enjoy seeing him. There is some solid fights and action sequences...but the acting is pretty terrible...the plot is so run-of-the-mill...and there are some horrible special effects that involve explosions. Still...it will satiate a bit of your action hunger. C |
The Mermaid
Dir: Stephen Chow This film is a patented Stephen Chow affair, with all the outrageous slapstick comedy and oddly charming but mediocre CGI. The issue with this movie is that it tonally shifts all over the place. The premise is a rich playboy has been using sonar to clear out an area of the sea for himself, and he is killing off the mermaid population in the process. The mermaids are sending their cutest to seduce and kill him. Good enough. But the slapstick makes way to deep romance, which at point makes way to violent horror. The film never really settled on what it wanted to be. Is is fantasy? romance? thriller? It tries to have it all ways and becomes uneven in the process. Still, Chow is a really fun director and this film is no exception. B- |
Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates
Dir: Jake Szymanski Stars: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Audrey Plaza Comedies, seemingly grounded in some sort of reality but include characters that act in ways that do not exist in real life, really irritate me. I think the central premise of the film is fine, two off-the-hinge brothers bring two girls to their sister's wedding as dates but don't realize the girls are more off-the-hinge than they are. But Adam Devine's character is so insane and stupid, that it gets old very quick. Anna Kendrick has little to do but look strange. But Zac Efron and Audrey Plaza are good. The entire thing just irritated me. Ugh. C- |
Miss Sloane
Dir: John Madden Stars: Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alison Pill, Sam Waterston, John Lithgow Jessica can command the screen like no other actress working...and possibly better than any actor. This is a dirty movie, exhibiting how gross the current state of politics is and how morally repugnant lobbyists are. Chastain's titular character is a hyperbolic version of this and the absence of any personal morals, drives, or desires outside "winning" makes her impossible to sympathize with, even though I agreed with her platform. Still...it is exciting and she is a magnetic presence. It is almost James Bondian in its tone...but it is a bit emotionally sterile...and even when emotion slips in, you either don't buy it or think it is another ruse. B |
OSCARS
Best Animated Film
Best Original Song |
Moana
Dir: Ron Clements & John Musker Voices: Dwayne Johnson Recent Disney films have fallen into a very predictable pattern. The almost always focus on a young girl, often a princess, overcoming adversity, performing beyond expectations, and breaking stereotypes. Almost always the same...and Moana is no different...but Disney is SO GOOD at doing what they do. This movie is gorgeous to look at, its laugh out loud funny, it's exciting...in fact...the only thing I have against it is that it is predictable. Disney is great at their job...and I wouldn't really change anything they do. My Niece won't stop playing the theme song through her necklace...so it obviously it works. B+ |
OSCARS
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Moonlight
Dir: Barry Jenkins Stars: Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die The performances in this film are its major strong suit.. even though I recognize how profound the movie is...I found myself wanting more and felt a bit undernourished. Since Chiron, the young Miami black man who struggles with his own sexuality while dealing with his crackhead mother, is so introverted and quiet...this movie moves along slowly and silently. What you do get is fantastic...but I felt like it wasn't enough. Characters drop off without any explanation or exposition...and probably because it takes so long for Chiron to get a sentence out. Riveting when it works...I just wanted more. B |
Mountain Men
Dir: Cameron Labine Stars: Tyler Labine, Chace Crawford This is a very weird movie, it is meandering, and constantly shifts genres. Each portion is certainly interesting, but as a whole...it is a mess. It starts as a comedy with Labine playing his usual schtick. Then it turns to drama rather abruptly and you notice that you aren't having fun anymore. Then it drastically shifts to full blown survivalism. All over the place. C+ |
Moonwalkers
Dir: Antoine Bardou-Jacquet Stars: Ron Perlman, Rupert Grint This movie is a complete mess. Rupert Grint is not a leading actor. I think Harry Potter was the Apex of his appeal and he should just not bother anymore. Everyone loves Ron Perlman, and when he is in badass mode...this movie shines gloriously. But when he is playing drunk/drugged/tripping...its horribly unfunny. The concept of the movie, where the government wants to hire Stanley Kubrick to fake moon landing footage in case Apollo 11 fails and a loser finds out and impersonates Kubrick in an attempt to make off with the money...not bad. But this movie has no concept of what is funny or what actually works in the film. It is all over the place. I just wish Perlman throwing his muscle around was the entire movie. I loved those scenes...and only those scenes. D+ |
Mr. Right
Dir: Paco Cabezas Stars: Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick When the movie started with Anna Kendrick being super kooky, I thought I was going to hate everything about it...but when Sam Rockwell shows up as a hitman with a conscience, the sparks fly and it is a surprising success. I enjoyed the story, the chemistry, the violence, and the humor. It all just kinda clicked. When Sam Rockwell interacts with the RZA...it is hilarious. It is because of these sleeper hits that sometimes I give movies a shot...even if no one had ever heard of them before. B |
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2
Dir: Kirk Jones Stars: Nia Vardolos, John Corbett This movie is almost desperately unoffensive and so lighthearted as if it is about to float away...but it is undeniably fun and pleasant to sit through. Every second Michael Constantine is on the screen, he steals it...and his performance as Gus goes a LONG way toward the film's pleasure. Unfortunately for Nia Vardalos and John Corbett...their parents' problems and their daughter's problems FAR outweigh their own and delegates them to almost simple, familiar window-dressing. A few nice nuggets of life truism sneaks in here or there...but it is all going exactly where you think. This isn't re-inventing the wheel in any way...but it is rolling along smoothly. B |
My Blind Brother
Dir: Sophie Goodheart Stars: Nick Kroll, Adam Scott, Jenny Slate it took me a while to get on board with this film. I like all three of these actors, but early on, they are quite insufferable. Adam Scott is VERY unpleasant to the level that you can't sympathize with his blindness. Nick Kroll is just a layabout that isn't funny or interesting enough to care about. Jenny Slate is so "woe-is-me", you find it hard to believe anyone is attracted to her. That all being said, when everything was wrapping up, I found myself 100% invested, caring, and significantly, emotionally affected. The movie won me over without me even realizing it. B |
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising
Dir: Nicholas Stoller Stars: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zach Efron, Chloe Grace-Moretz Neighbors was successful because it was somewhat surprising and charming. This movie seems like a complete rehash, with too much emphasis on a specific agenda, and the pranks feel even more mean-spirited. The interaction about escrow and keeping things under control for a month is not an outlandish idea so the immediate war that breaks out feels so forced. Zac Efron is still very funny in his role, but I also missed Rose Byrne's role from the first, where she can use her womanly guile to manipulate the frat guys. No way Seth Rogen was going to do that with these girls. Not awful but ok. C |
Nerve
Dir: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman Voices: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco This is a cool concept...and completely believable in our technological age. There is an app called NERVE. If you are a "Player"...you perform an ever-escalating series of dares for money. If you are a "Watcher", you pay to watch the players and add input about what types of dares should be offered. The last player in the game wins all the money. Simple, exciting, well-filmed, and well-acted. However...I don't like how some filmmakers feel like they really have to tie everything up in a nice bow. The denouement feels so tacked on, so outside the reality of the film...I was disappointed. Saying how foolproof something is early in a film...only to instantly ignore that premise later on...sucks the life right out of it. It is still a fun ride though. B |
OSCARS
Best Supporting Actor
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Nocturnal Animals
Dir: Tom Ford Stars: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson. This is a shame. Tom Ford's story about an unhappy woman receiving a manuscript from her ex-husband and providing us a story within a story concept...was extremely promising and interesting. But this film is a perfect example of how a bad ending can ruin an experience. I was invested in this film, because what happens in this story is so emotional and brutal that it insists on investment...but I truly think Tom Ford did not know how to end his story...so he just didn't. In a film that I should have walked away from feeling icky, depressed, excited, and several other emotions...I left completely unfulfilled and disappointed. Ugh...I hate that feeling C+ |
Now You See Me 2
Dir: John M. Chu Stars: Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliffe, Morgan Freeman Meh. I enjoyed the first movie about a group of Magicians as modern-day Robin Hood thieves. This time around...everyone just seems so bored and too often there is nothing going on that has to do with magic. This cast is stellar, with Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrleson, Dave Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Daniel Radcliff, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine...but they are all WAY too talented to be in a movie like this...and they all come across as disinterested and uninvested. I do have to say...the heist scene that has to do with playing card manipulation is GREAT. That was done so well that it actually injected some real excitement in me for the rest of the movie...but there wasn't much left. C |
Office Christmas Party
Dir: Josh Gordon & Will Speck Stars: Jason Bateman, TJ Miller, Olivia Munn, Kate McKinnon Simple and funny. Throw some really funny people on screen, give them a decently funny premise, and it is hard to go really wrong...but you probably won't reinvent the wheel. Jason Bateman, TJ Miller, Jennifer Aniston, Rob Coddry, Kate KcKinnon, and many others...they are all funny...and they are funny here. It is all you really want from something dumb like this...and I am happy to see TJ miller a bit more forefront instead of the silly sidekick. B- |
Ouija: Origin of Evil
Dir: Mike Flanagan Ouija was awful, so I just don't know why I bothered with its sequel. However, even though this is not a good movie...it is Citizen Kane compared to the previous film. The movie is filmed and treated like a 60s horror film...and that was effective. There were enough nightmarish visions and crash-scares to get your fill...but the demon board trope is tired. You can only do so much with a board that speaks to the dead....and it has all been done before. C |
Out of Time:
Saving the DeLorean Time Machine Dir: Steve Concotelli It goes without saying that this simple, 65-minute documentary is incredibly esoteric. As such a huge Back to the Future fan, the story of Universal hiring a bunch of fans to restore the original "A-Car" from the trilogy for the 100-year Anniversary of the movie studio, is must-see. It is perfectly serviceable for the BTTF fan, to see what the car had been used for over the decades, how far it fell into disrepair, and how meticulous the restoration project was. This isn't an important documentary by any means, and it will mean nothing to people who aren't die hard-fans. Still...I enjoyed it. B |
Paradox
Dir: Michael Hurst Stars: Zoe Bell, Adam Huss Decent enough story, and the shoddy effects are forgiven because this was obviously a small budget affair, but the screenplay and some of the acting is SO BAD. My fellow high school alumnus Adam Huss shines and holds his own is a sea of acting disasters. And the way the characters talk is so bad that sometimes it feels like their conversations are made up completely of Schwarzenegger quips. D |
OSCARS
Best Production Design
Best Original Score |
Passengers
Dir: Morten Tyldum Stars: Jennifer Lawrence, Christ Pratt This is a gorgeous movie, starring talented gorgeous people. It has all the makings of superb science fiction. But, infuriatingly, this movie never evolves beyond its synopsis...whereby some folks wake up only 30 years into a 120 year intergalactic voyage. I will admit that this movie was engaging...throughout...mostly because I figured that since there was so much talent and money on the screen...the movie would have some sort of philosophical theme or moral. It is so straight-forward that I found myself so unsatisfied. The abrupt ending doesn't help...because there was about 15 minutes of a denouement that I could write that could inject a HUGE amount of life to the story. Ask me about it sometime. C+ |
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping
Dir: Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone Stars: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, Jorma Taccone, Tim Meadows Hilarious. The success of this movie hinges on how much you like Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island troupe. If you are a fan, like me, then you will really get a kick out of it. It perfectly skewers the pop music scene, mockumentary style, and some of the self-deprecating cameos are spot on (Mariah Carey is the best one). There are a few misfires and things do slow down midway through, but there are a lot of laughs. I haven't been so hysterical as I was during the TMZ sendup scenes in a very long time. Howling, side-splitting laughter. B Bluray |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Actor
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The Program
Dir: Stephen Frears Stars: Ben Foster, Chris O'Dowd, Jesse Plemons It was inevitable that the story of Lance Armstrong was going to be put to film, and Director Stephen Frears and Ben Foster do it admirably. Foster brings such an intensity to the role that we may not have ever seen in real life, but is 100% believable. The movie's beats are perfectly handled and the supporting roles are all up to the high standard that Foster and Frears set. My only complaint of the movie was I felt that the fame and importance of Lance Armstrong was only just exhibited...but not very well fleshed out or underlined. This was an international giant that fell from grace harder than anyone from history...that gravity was a bit missing. Still, this was a THRILLING movie. I hope Ben Foster is remembered come Oscar time. A- |
The Purge: Election Year
Dir: James DeMonaco Stars: Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell I still love the concept of the Purge, but I feel like thay just haven't figured out what to do with the idea yet. "Anarchy" is the superior film of the franchise thusfar, and this one isn't awful, but there isn't enough gore, enough depravity, or enough social commentary. Everything about it feels undercooked but I guess it could be worse. C+ |
Raiders: The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made
Dir: Jeremy Coon & Tim Skousen 30 years ago...a few 11-year-olds set out to make a shot-for-shot remake of their new obsession, Raiders of the Lost Ark. They made it over the course of 7 more summers, completing all but the final airplane scene...and in the following decades, it became something of a cult phenomenon. It was passed around by movie gurus like Harry Knowles and Eli Roth. The recap of these early years is FASCINATING. As a movie lover, to watch these kids and their commitment is inspiring. When the movie focuses on present day, and these kids are 40-somethings, raising tens of thousands of dollars to film the final scene...it loses ALL of its charm. The level of sophistication their movie shoot rises too totally misses the point of the original fan film. And these idiots may get fired for "Following their dream?" Grow up!! Half of this documentary is brilliant...the other half is boring and annoying. C |
Ride Along 2
Dir: Tim Story Stars: Ice Cube, Kevin Hart I liked Ride Along because the chemistry between Kevin Hart and Ice Cube was great. This time around, even though they do get a few laughs here and there, everything is COMPLETELY forgettable and pointless. One of those times where a movie is a surprise hit so a sequel HAS to be made, even if they don't have anything new to say. C |
OSCARS
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects KEVIN'S PICK
Best Sound Mixing
Best Visual Effects |
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Dir: Gareth Edwards Stars: Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Donnie Yen, Forest Whitaker I have to go out on a limb here...but I think this is the 2nd best Star Wars film after Empire Strikes Back. Yep...I bought it hook, line, and sinker. After a bit of a slow start...Rogue One transported me back to my childhood while simultaneously showing me a darker, more adult Star Wars film that I have been craving. Not once during this film did I feel the marketing department suggesting characters that would sell toys. It just felt complete...and it main-lined nostalgia right into my psyche in a way that made me giddy. If the opening 20 minutes were handled a bit better and more interesting...this would be an "A" film. A- Bluray |
Sausage Party
Dir: Greg Tiernan & Conrad Vernon Voices: Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill Seth Rogen et al have certainly done what they set out to do. They made a cartoon for adults, using the design and animation usually used for beloved children's films. Since they respect the medium to animate it properly and professionally, it continually lulled me into complacency and I snapped into huge laughs when the profanity arrived or the sexual humor showed its face. This movie is so depraved that I loved it. It lost a BIT of its charm when it so blatantly spelled out its message about respecting beliefs...but I digress. I guess I shouldn't have cared about any themes and morals once an anthropomorphic supermarket slips into an orgy. B |
Search Party
Dir: Scot Armstrong Stars: TJ Miller, Thomas Middleditch Everything about this movie is mediocre. The story is stale and predictable, like a retread of The Hangover type hijinx. But there are a few really big laughs here and there that edges the film out as a recommendation. I love Middleditch and Miller from Silicon Valley so that helps. C+ |
The Shallows
Dir: Jaume Collet-Serra Stars: Blake Lively Early on in The Shallows, the camera really exploits the gorgeously perfect specimen that is Blake Lively. I was rolling my eyes and thought this whole thing would be fluff. I was very wrong. I would equate this movie to Danny Boyle's 127 Hours. They both involve a perfectly capable adult stuck in an impossible situation, both have harrowing, graphically violent bursts of gore, and fantastic performances by their star. Blake Lively's fear and desperation are perfectly depicted as she tries to save her injured leg and keep out of the water as a Great White Shark circles her small rock formation. The aquatic effects are pretty terrible, but the underwater cinematography and editing more than make up for it. This is a minimalist thriller that is truly effective. I hardly moved during the 90-minute runtime because I was so riveted. B+ |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Original Song
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Sing Street
Dir: John Carney I didn't even know John Carney, of Once fame, had a new movie...and I loved it so much. This story about a troupe of young, poor, Irish lads forming a band in 1985 and trying to find out where they fit in. Every character is believable, every song is catchy and fun, and there seems to be not an ounce of fat in the entire movie. There isn't much to make you laugh out loud and not much to make you sob...but every second was charming and enjoyable. I couldn't get enough of it...and I will be hearing Drive It Like You Stole It for days and days. A- Bluray |
Snowden
Dir: Oliver Stone Stars: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Shailene Woodley When Oliver Stone is not using his movie as a liberal soapbox, this movie is actually well done. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is decent but with a very odd accent that did not seem necessary...as is Nicholas Cage and Rhys Ifans. I wasn't a fan of Shailene Woodley...but that may be personal preference. The film tells an interesting story about a brilliant patriot who found out about some very shady things that his government was doing...and felt it was his duty to reveal this to the world. The debate is there to be had...but when Stone starts waxing through the voice of his characters...it gets WAY too preachy. Otherwise...it is an interesting, well-made film. B |
Southbound
Dir: Various Most horror anthologies get by with a single good premise and a lot of misfires. Southbound is a rarity where all 5 loosely-connected stories are solid, even if only ONE is the slightest bit weak. The first is an unknown pursuer horror which is fantastic. The second is good samaritan turned bad thriller...also solid. The third, and best sequence, follows a man who hit a girl with his car, and what his 911 call devolves into, is one of my favorite pieces of film all year. The fourth is the weaker one, which is a breakout kind of story...but still effective. The last is analogous to The Strangers...but even creepier. Everything about this anthology left me uneasy and unsettled...and I love that. A- |
Special Correspondents
Dir: Ricky Gervais Stars: Ricky Gervais, Eric Bana, Vera Farmiga What a disappointment. I love me some Ricky Gervais, and his The Invention of Lying is a certain kind of brilliant fable...but this movie just felt like it was trying to do a bit of Wag the Dog and not living up to it at every turn. I don't know why but I didn't hear Gervais's voice anywhere in the film. In his previous successes, the characters and stories felt personal and they worked so much better. C |
Spectral
Dir: Nic Mathieu Stars: James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, Bruce Greenwood After ARQ, Netflix is releasing some solid sci-fi. This movie is just like Battle: Los Angeles...where the story is about how the soldiers are taking care of an impossible problem. In that film it was aliens...in this film, they are faced with an anomaly they can't explain, that can walk through walls, kills instantly by freezing anyone it touches, and is slowed by iron filings. This is a solid thriller...and even when the explanation and solution takes a GIANT leap of faith..I didn't mind because it was fun and done with a lot of enthusiasm. B |
OSCARS
Best Make-up & Hairstyling
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Star Trek Beyond
Dir: Justin Lin Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Simon Pegg, Anton Yelchin, Sophia Butella, Idris Elba Star Trek has become a bit simple and straight-forward with Justin Lin directing instead of JJ Abrams. But having Simon Pegg write the screenplay and having a cast that just WORKS...I had a blast. The villain is stupid and his motivations are pointless...but the action is astounding. Also...the banter between the crew mates is so good that it is enough to make you care about the characters. This movie didn't re-invent the wheel...but it rolled along on that old wheel perfectly. B |
OSCARS
Best Make-Up & Hairstyling
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Suicide Squad
Dir: David Ayer Stars: Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie DC has finally got a good one. Man of Steel was pretty emotionless and dull to me. Batman V Superman was so dark and absurd that the filmmakers forgot how to have fun. Not so here. Will Smith as Deadshot and Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn really hold this movie together as a bunch of villains brought together to fight as one. The problems are addressed, the stakes are serious, and the action and humor are wonderfully balanced. Unfortunately...the main villain of these movies is very important, and when it wasn't Jared Leto's effective Joker and it was Carla Delvigne 's Enchantress...it really suffered. B Bluray |
OSCARS
Best Sound Editing
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Sully
Dir: Clint Eastwood Stars: Tom Hanks, Aaron Eckhart This is a great, tight-little-package type of movie. Under 100 minutes and meticulously directed by Clint Eastwood...one of our greatest directors, and wonderfully acted by Tom Hanks...one of our greatest actors. A lesser team would have tried to make a sweeping epic about Sully's life and career. Here we focus on one event, the "Miracle on the Hudson" and the NTSB investigation immediately following. It is riveting and interesting, and there is not an ounce of fluff. Laser focused and precise...it is a great film. B+ |
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Original Screenplay
Best Original Score |
Swiss Army Man
Dir: Daniels Stars: Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe This movie is out of its fucking mind. I read a review that called it "Terence Malick's 'Weekend at Bernie's'" That is a brilliant comparison because the movie almost defies description. A man deserted on an island finds a dead body which proves to be a useful tool in his survival, both physically and psychologically. This film is so weird and different, you never knew where it was going to go, and it was glorious. It owns its oddity and never takes it for granted. Is this a psychological thing? Is it a crazy fantasy? Is it a dream? The movie decides and leaves it up to the viewer. But, behind the lunacy, there is deep themes of survival, life, restriction, love, and a dozen others. The swelling music is so gorgeous that it almost makes you want to weep. This film really is something special, the likes of which I have never seen before. A |
Synchronicity
Dir: Jacob Gentry I love my wife. However...if I met her the day the machine I had been researching for the past decade finally succeeded in opening a wormhole, thus proving time-travel exists...I may wait a few days for the courtship. This movie doesn't think that is realistic and the movie tries to tell us that this obsessed scientist finds a hot piece of ass and forgets about everything he has worked for in a matter of hours. So stupid. D |
Tale of Tales
Dir: Matteo Garrone Stars: Salma Hayek, Toby Jones, Vincent Cassell, John C. Reilly It took me a bit to get into this film's groove. It is a trio of stories about different monarchs. Hayek is a queen that used magic to become pregnant. Cassell is a king who lusts after a woman he's only seen at a distance. Jones is a king who gives his daughter away to an ogre. That all seems simple, and it felt that way initially, but then each story goes off in directions I could not have imagined, and I was seduced. It is high fantasy, but it is R-rated for adults...so it is a unique concoction. B+ |
Tickled
Dir: David Farrier & Dylan Reeve Documentaries can be quite enigmatic. They have the possibility to be about the craziest subject but be boring. They also have the possibility to be about the most mundane subject and be fantastic. Tickled is of the former type. The subject is about a New Zealander journalist who stumbles upon Competitive Endurance Tickling competitions...you read that right...and while investigating, he falls down the rabbit hole of legal, personal, and physical threats, shifting identities, and the tickling underground. However...it all unfolds in a pretty boring way and it felt like it had no life in it. Maybe the filmmakers weren't reacting the way I wanted them to with such absurdity going on. It was just blah. C |
Train to Busan
Dir: Sang-Ho Yeon The zombie genre is a cool thing. There is no real zombie archetype. They can be shambling dead or they can be rabid sprinters...and everything in-between. If a movie can create a cool mythos (Why are there zombies? How do they attack? How to they spread?) and put the zombies into a clever situation...you got something special. Train to Busan does this masterfully. Their zombies are stiff sprinters that infect and spread in seconds...and this movie has the audacity to put them onto a South Korean bullet train and populate the train with children, teens, and pregnant women. This movie was so exciting that I just get giddy thinking about it. I spouted profanity many, many times throughout this film...and in regards to the zombie genre...it really does exactly what it sets out to do. A- |
OSCARS
Best Original Song
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Trolls
Dir: Walt Dohrn & Mike Mitchell Voices: Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse Dreamworks is always reliable for a good time...and that is what Trolls is...a good time. The underlying story that Trolls are harvested by larger troll-like beings in order in ingest their happiness...is a bit dark...but there is a lot of joy and laughs to be had here. Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Corden, Christopher Mintze-Plasse, Zooey Deshanel, etc...all great voice talents that bring a vibrancy to their characters. The music choices are superb and really move the story along in a fun way. Trolls isn't reinventing the wheel in any way...but its enthusiasm was a bit infectious. B |
Warcraft
Dir: Duncan Jones Stars: Paula Patton, Ben Foster "Sigh". This movie is outlandish, ridiculous, cartoonish, video-gamey, nonsensical, high fantasy. Usually, those movies can be epically disastrous and unwatchable...but there is SOMETHING here...maybe it's its audacity that makes this one entertaining. I didn't buy the orc for a second. They looked great and the design was superb, but I never accepted them as being REAL as I would the orc in the Lord of the Rings films or the apes in the new Planet of the Apes films. But it is fun and exciting...even though it is like watching someone play an advanced video game. Duncan Jones is a great filmmaker, but he had too much nonsense here to keep it together completely. B- |
War Dogs
Dir: Todd Phillips Stars: Jonah Hill, Miles Teller Todd Phillips is a very talented director. This movie proves that more than any movie he has done before. He has vision, creativity, and verve while framing his stories. However, War Dogs, about a couple of young guys, in way over their head in the arms-dealing trade, shows that neither Jonah Hill or Miles Teller is quite up to carrying their own movie yet. I was intrigued by the story of these two hot shots and how they are trying to make a profit off the Iraq war...but I continually found myself underwhelmed by the two lead performances. Jonah Hill is NOT a badass. His performance just came across as goofy and strange. Teller seems bored with his role...not living up to roles as rich as he had in Whiplash. Also...the movie wasn't funny enough to be a comedy and not exciting enough to be a thriller. So it was all over the place. Phillips needs a hell of a screenplay an some top notch talent and he will eventually make something astonishing. B- |
Weiner
Dir: Josh Kriegman & Elyse Steinberg I really can't say that I ENJOYED Weiner per se, but it is a fascinating documentary about the disgraced former congressman and his attempt to get back into politics by running a NYC mayoral campaign. The fly-on-the-wall idea of the documentary obviously started out as a story of redemption, allowing the filmmakers intimate access to Anthony Weiner and his family. But when more and more improper texting and phone call allegations surfaced during the campaign...the filmmakers realized that they had gold. Weiner was promising, and in all honesty...what he did only made him a bad husband...not a bad politician or leader. The man can talk his way out of a corner with the best of them and he really seems to care about public service. It is just a shame he couldn't have the self-control to keep himself out of the tabloids and murky the waters. B+ |
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot
Dir: Glen Ficarra & John Requa Stars: Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman This movie was terribly marketed, and that is because the studios thought that since Tina Fey is the star, no one will go unless they think it is her usual faire. It isn't. This movie is a drama, and it is superb. It starts as a Fish-out-of-Water story where a new war correspondent is out of her element, and there is certainly comedy to be had. But as her tenure in Kabul, Afghanistan advances, so does the tone and the quality of the story. It was so well done...respecting the military, respecting the correspondent's job, and respecting the Afghan people. The ONLY misstep I felt, in the entire movie, was the kitchy performance of Alfred Molina. Make him a bit more down to earth and intimidating...and you have a near-perfect film. A- |
The Witness
Dir: James D. Solomon 50 years ago, William Genovese's sister, Kitty, was raped and murdered in Kew Gardens, Queens (around the corner where I lived), and the media reported that there were 38 witnesses that did nothing, and it became a national story about New York City apathy toward crime. William is now out to try and understand what actually happened and why it happened. What unfolds is a heart-wrenching, disturbing, and infuriating account of William's quest to understand that 1965 event. William is a great documentary subject, being an intelligent, compassionate man who acknowledges his decades long obsession with the loss of his sister...and he is a Vietnam vet who lost his legs...so the fact that he isn't an angry jerk during everything says a lot about his character. Some of the stagings and questions that occur in this film are a bit over-the-top...but it strikes a strong emotional cord and watching the closure that seeps into William's psyche is satisfying. B+ |
Why Him
Dir: John Hamburg Stars: James Franco, Bryan Cranston This movie completely hinges on how much you like James Franco...and I like him more times than not...and he is very good in this film. The story is very obvious, and you know exactly what is going to happen throughout the film...but the interactions with Franco, Bryan Cranston, Keegan Michael Key, and Megan Mullaly are almost always funny and often times they are riotous. I also really liked the ongoing joke of Kaley Cuoco as the voice of Franco's "Siri" assistant. It is what you expect...but it's a bit funnier than that. B |
X-Men Apocalypse
Dir: Bryan Singer Stars: James McEvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac Days of Future Fast was great because it melded the old and the new classes of X-Men. When you look at this film and First Class...I don't think the new class is going to hold up. This time around...it is just ridiculous mayhem. The first mutant ever can do everything and anything and wants to wipe out everyone. And he can. X-Men try to stop him. It really is that simple. The best part of the X-Men films in the past are the social allegories that shine through. Not so here. The actors are fine...and Evan Peter's Quicksilver once again steals the show in his big scene...but it is just an overblown, special effects monstrosity. C+ |
Yoga Hosers
Dir: Kevin Smith Stars: Harley-Quinn Smith, Lilyrose Depp, Johnny Depp Kevin Smith is an enigma these days. Tusk was such an outrageous absurdity, birthed from hyper-stoned podcasting ramblings...that I had an odd sense of respect for him for trying to make it. Here is the next in what he is calling his True North Trilogy...and again...it is so ridiculous and pointless...and probably only an excuse to put his daughter and her best friend in a movie. That isn't to say there isn't some charm, some laughs, and Johnny Depp's character is a bit funnier and more tolerable this time than he was in Tusk....but come on...these aren't quite movies . They are Kevin Smith pet projects. That being said...it is pretty harmless. C+ |
Zoolander 2
Dir: Ben Stiller Stars: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Penelope Cruz This isn't a great comedy by any means, and its success hinges completely on one's love of the first movie. If you aren't...this movie is nothing. If you are a huge fan, as I am, this is a wonderful, nostalgic concoction of cameos, throwbacks, and stupid hijinks. My favorite cameo? Kiefer. He is amazing. Goes down smooth for Zoolander lovers. Probably not for everyone else. B |
OSCARS
Best Animated Film
KEVIN'S PICK
Best Animated Film
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Zootopia
Dir: Bryan Howard & Rich Moore Voices: Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba I love it that Disney Animation can make superb entertainment outside of the Pixar label. This tale of a Bunny becoming a cop is great kiddie fun at one level and wonderful adult allegory on another. The messages of Xenophobia, racism, and misogyny are so obvious but well-handled and controlled that this movie feels complete. Tells a story, entertains, and leaves a morale lesson behind. B+ |