Category: 2.5/4
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Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit [2014] ★★½
While everyone is busy with Oscar nominations, “Jack Ryan” sneaks into theaters in time to remind us that January releases don’t have to be strictly terrible (I’m talking to you, Hercules). Yes, it’s a routine spy thriller. Yes, three actors have already played the same role in the past (Alec Baldwin in “Hunt for Red…
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All Is Lost [2013] ★★½
Robert Redford is alone on a sailboat. The boat is sinking. Robert is about to die, hence the title of the movie “All Is Lost”. I’m not spoiling anything here since the main character leaves a farewell message as soon as the movie opens. We learn that the boat has been badly damaged, 17 000…
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Inside Llewyn Davis [2013] ★★½
I wish I could write a thoughtful, positive review of the Coen brothers’ latest film “Inside Llewyn Davis”, but to be perfectly honest, I didn’t love it. I appreciate it, and admire its beautiful soundtrack, but I don’t know quite what to make of it. At least I can start on a positive note: Oscar…
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The Book Thief [2013] ★★½
I don’t like pigeonholing films, and I’ve never been a huge fan of the term “tear jerker”, but I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t tell you that several people at the screening I attended were moved to tears by “The Book Thief”, while I was unresponsive at some point. I’ve never read the book,…
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August: Osage County [2013] ★★½
Meryl Streep is terrific in “August: Osage County”, the big screen adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer Prize- winning show, and she’s worth the price of ticket alone. But I wish I liked it more. I was completely captivated from the first moment she appeared onscreen, playing a mother who is fighting cancer and her family…
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The Butler [2013] ★★½
I have great regards for director Lee Daniels (“Precious”), which pains me to say that I found “The Butler” incredibly uneven. It has many good attributes, including a superior performance by Oscar winner Forest Whitaker as the title role, but the movie itself seems to run out of gas at some point. The story was…
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Grudge Match [2013] ★★½
Before this movie can laugh at itself, which “Grudge Match” (a story about a pair of aging boxers rival who are forced out of retirement for one last fight) does frequently and unashamedly, it must first cope with getting punched with parody titles. “Rocky Balboa Vs Jake LaMotta”, “Raging Old Men”, “Resurrecting The Old Champs”.…
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Last Vegas [2013] ★★½
Some actors don’t always need a great movie. Just the pleasure of their company is enough. And so Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas and Morgan Freeman turn “Last Vegas” into pure entertainment. Add Kevin Kline to the mix and things get a little bit more wacky. The plot involves three old friends, Archie (Freeman), Paddy…
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Blue Is The Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle) [2013] ★★½
Evaluating any movie is a matter of personal taste. Filmmakers who deal in the extreme naturally provoke extreme reactions. That’s one of the reasons why Abdel Latif Kechiche’s “La Vie d’Adèle” won the Palme D’or at this year’s Cannes Festival. Some people at the screening I attended thought it was brilliant. I respect that and I…
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Thor: The Dark World [2013] ★★½
Thor’s second solo adventure (third in total with “The Avengers“) forces the audience to run an obstacle before the fun kicks in. The end result is an enjoyable but easily forgettable ride, because the story never really takes hold. It’s far from being a bad movie, but it’s not as good as it ought to be,…
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The East [2013] ★★½
If you enjoy low-key movies, you’ll probably enjoy “The East”, the latest movie from writer Brit Marling and director Zal Batmanglij. Marling also plays the main character, Sarah Moss, an ex-F.B.I. operative who finds herself recruited by Patricia Clarkson to join her top-secret private intelligence firm. Her mission? Go undercover to join an eco-terrorist group called The East,…
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Don Jon [2013] ★★½
Part of me doesn’t even want to tell you that “Don Jon” is a movie about a porn addict. Chances are you’ll stop reading. That would be a mistake, because “Don Jon” is not infected with the usual comedy formula. It’s far from perfect, but it’s funny, honest and acted with such no bull audacity that…
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Insidious: Chapter 2 [2013] ★★½
When it comes to horror movies, sequels can be a tricky thing. Which is why I’m glad to report that “Insidious 2” isn’t as bad as I feared it would be. Credits go to director James Wan, who did a fine job with the first “Insidious” and this year’s “The Conjuring“. “Insidious 2” doesn’t live…
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Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs 2 [2013] ★★½
I really enjoyed the first “Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs” back in 2009, so naturally I was looking forward to part two. As far as sequels go, this one is entertaining, brightly colored with more plot than is truly necessary. The movie picks up where the last one left off with inventor Flint Lockwood (voiced…
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This Is The End [2013] ★★½
Hate on Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s bizarre comedy all you want. But these dudes know exactly what they’re doing. Yes “This is the End” is built on a one joke premise, but it’s one heck of a joke. Take James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Craig Robinson, Jason Segel and Jay…
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Jobs [2013] ★★½
Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs? Really? That was my first reaction when I first heard about “Jobs”, the latest biopic from director Joshua Michael Stern. But against all odds, Kutcher nails it. And his performance is the best, and possibly the main reason to see this uneven biopic. It isn’t bad (far from it actually),…
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We’re The Millers [2013] ★★½
Two summers ago Jason Sudeikis and Jennifer Aniston hit a peak with “Horrible Bosses“. “We’re The Millers”, co-starring Emma Roberts and Will Poulter isn’t in the same league, but it delivers exactly what it promises, and after a series of disappointing comedies this year (remember the lousy “Hangover 3”?) that is a great relief. Sudeikis…
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The Wolverine [2013] ★★½
Anyone looking for unforgettable thrills in “The Wolverine” is out of luck. The movie isn’t innovative, it isn’t deep, and the characters aren’t particularly well developed (Blame it on Christopher Nolan and Joss Whedon who truly raised the bar for D.C/Marvel at the movies). But I still had a good time watching it. It’s hard…
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The Company You Keep [2013] ★★½
Dramas like “The Company you Keep” usually hold few surprises. But it’s always a pleasure to see Robert Redford back on screen. He also directs the likes of Shia LaBeouf, Susan Sarandon, Terrence Howard, Nick Nolte, Stanley Tucci, Brendan Gleeson, Chris Cooper and Richard Jenkins (what a cast!). The movie opens with Sarandon turning herself in…
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The Heat [2013] ★★½
Think of “The Heat” as the female version of “The Other Guys”. Kick it up a notch by casting Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy (hilarious in “Bridesmaids”), spice with action and snappy jokes then sit back and laugh your ass off. I did and I’m not afraid to admit it. I’m tempted to call it my…
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