11.29.2013
Frozen
Frozen; At some point before Toy Story 3, Disney supplanted Pixar as the superior storytelling studio. Frozen continues the trend; A-
Notables:
A-,
Alan Tudyk,
Idina Menzel,
Jonathan Groff,
Josh Gad,
Kristen Bell
11.16.2013
Thor: The Dark World
Thor: The Dark World; Marvel does it again w/great cast. Blend of fantasy & sci-fi strikes perfect balance of action, humour & gravitas; B+
Notables:
Anthony Hopkins,
B+,
Chris Hemsworth,
Christopher Eccleston,
Idris Elba,
Jaimie Alexander,
Kat Dennings,
Natalie Portman,
Rene Russo,
Stellan Skarsgard,
Tom Hiddleston,
Zachary Levi
10.26.2013
Man of Steel
Man of Steel; Looks incredible but feels hollow. You will believe a man can fly, but you won't care. Well done but ultimately meaningless; C
9.28.2013
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2; Instantly forgettable. Looks great, has laughs, recycles storylines. Another listless sequel; C+
8.18.2013
Clear History
Clear History; Hoping it would be funnier, still nice to see the cast of David, Keaton, Hader, and others goofing off. Mildly funny fun; B-
Notables:
B-,
Bill Hader,
Kate Hudson,
Larry David,
Michael Keaton,
Philip Baker Hall
8.07.2013
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters; What Harry Potter would be with less story development and subpar acting. Fun, nonetheless. CG overload; C+
8.01.2013
The Wolverine
The Wolverine; What happens when the best comic book stories are done right. The character serves the story. Best film since Dark Knight; A
7.24.2013
7.23.2013
Zero Dark Thirty
Zero Dark Thirty; Showcases the determined spirit of one woman in the male dominated arena of war. A triumph for unsung voices everywhere; B
Notables:
B,
Jessica Chastain,
Joel Edgerton,
Kathryn Bigelow,
Mark Strong
7.21.2013
The Bourne Legacy
The Bourne Legacy; Top notch actors bring intensity 2 another tense, thrilling Bourne film. Not surprising by spy genre but exhilarating; A-
Notables:
A-,
Edward Norton,
Jeremy Renner,
Rachel Weisz,
Tony Gilroy
7.13.2013
Searching for Sugar Man
Searching for Sugar Man; Sweet soul songs fuel a mystery too bizarre 2 not B true of a Jesus from Motown rising again in South Africa; A-
7.09.2013
The Tragically Hip in Bobcaygeon
The Tragically Hip in Bobcaygeon; FANtastic footage of a one of a kind show. Cameras in all the right places. Lovingly captures the band; A
7.03.2013
Despicable Me 2
Despicable Me 2; W/o Gru's evilness and Vector's goofiness the sequel can't recreate the charm of original, but does offer Minion laughs; B
Notables:
B,
Benjamin Bratt,
Kristen Wiig,
Steve Carell
6.26.2013
Robots
Robots; Inventiveness is seen throughout with great voice casting, Rube Goldberg world design, clever word play and double entendres; A-
6.23.2013
Monsters University
Monsters University; Sullies the original only slightly while having fun with school movie tropes. It works but feels like a let down; B+
5.26.2013
5.20.2013
Iron Man 3
Iron Man 3; Manages 2 keep Downey out of suit 4 most of the film creating a Bond feel. Less fun than 2 & 1, but still blows up good: B+
Notables:
B+,
Ben Kingsley,
Don Cheadle,
Guy Pearce,
Gwyneth Paltrow,
Robert Downey Jr.
3.31.2013
The Croods
The Croods; Surprisingly fun & enjoyable on several levels. Nice to see something new, even if it is a mish mash of movies past. Cool art; B
Notables:
B,
Catherine Keener,
Emma Stone,
Nicolas Cage,
Ryan Reynolds
3.14.2013
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Perks of Being a Wallflower; Sweet portrayal of the heart wrenching highs and lows of adolescence. Poignantly beautiful and honest; A-
Notables:
A-,
Emma Watson,
Ezra Miller,
Logan Lerman,
Paul Rudd,
Stephen Chbosky
3.13.2013
Oz the Great and Powerful
Oz: The Great and Powerful; Imbues the spirit of Baum's work without sullying the 1939 classic. Scares & laughs for all ages. Well cast; A-
Notables:
A-,
James Franco,
Michelle Williams,
Mila Kunis,
Rachel Weisz,
Sam Raimi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)



















