Category: 2.5/4
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Seeking A Friend For The End Of The World [2012] ★★½
This enjoyable take on the end of the world benefits from the presence of Steve Carell who plays a lonely, heartbroken man who fears that his last days on earth will be as crappy as the rest of his life was. Then he meets his downstairs neighbor Keira Knigthley and together, they decide to go…
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Premium Rush [2012] ★★½
If you’re looking for a thrilling ride, try “Premium Rush”, a crackling blend of suspense and fun that delivers exactly what you would expect from it, nothing more, nothing less. Joseph Gordon Levitt is perfectly cast as a daredevil bike messenger. His latest job? Make a run from uptown to Chinatown to deliver a very important ticket.…
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The Campaign [2012] ★★½
Will Ferrell is the go-to guy if you want to laugh your-self silly. He could just stand there staring at you and get you giggling. Then there’s Zach Galifianakis, a smart actor with a natural clown’s gift for playing dumb. Both actors rip off each other with inspired lunacy in “The Campaign”, playing candidates for an upcoming…
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2 Days In New York [2012] ★★½
Amusing but uneven follow-up to the 2007 movie “2 Days In Paris” finds Julie Delpy’s family coming to visit her and her boyfriend (Chris Rock) in New York. We previously met Delpy’s character Marion in the first movie, in which she traveled to Paris with her American boyfriend Jack (Adam Goldberg), who could barely handle her…
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Casa De Mi Padre [2012] ★★½
Will Ferrell is having the time of his life in this enjoyable B movie (the opening logo is proof that it’s strictly a B production), playing Armando Alvarez, a Mexican rancher hot for the fiancee of his brother (Diego Luna) and trying to deal with a drug lord , played by Gael García Bernal. Yes Ferrell…
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The Magic Of Belle Isle [2012] ★★½
Since multiplexes are crammed with lousy movies this month (with the exception of the solid “The Amazing Spider-Man), you might want to run to your nearest DVD store and get this feel good, family friendly film. Plus the fact that it stars the great Morgan Freeman is reason enough to check it out. It’s not…
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Ice Age 4: Continental Drift [2012] ★★½
If you have kids, you’ll want to take them to see “Ice Age 4”, and they’ll almost certainly have a good time. If you’re an animation buff, like myself, you may have a problem with the film, which looks great but isn’t up to the standards in terms of story. That’s the problem with producing…
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Rock Of Ages [2012] ★★½
There’s nothing inherently wrong with “Rock of Ages”, a movie with a killer soundtrack and a brilliant performance by Mr. Tom Cruise, but there’s nothing special about it either. This is a situation where audiences will go into the theater humming the featured songs, and while the movie they see offers no surprises, it does something relatively…
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Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter [2012] ★★½
Forgive me people for I have sinned: I liked “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”. And contrary to what I expected, the movie is a fun experience, meant to be savored on the big screen. Producer Tim Burton offers up a big, impressive, eye-opening production. It’s also well cast, with two forceful male characters played for all they’re…
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La Délicatesse [2012] ★★½
Not every movie has to be an event, or a blockbuster. Sometimes, all I ask of a film is that it offers an entertaining diversion for a certain period of time. That’s exactly what I got from “La Delicatesse”. During this current movie season, when it’s all about superheroes and visual experience, small movies tend…
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Men In Black 3 [2012] ★★½
Says it isn’t so. Are they actually releasing a third Men In Black movie even though part two was a total disaster? Seems like it. But here’s the good news: the sequel nobody asked for is actually pretty enjoyable. Why? It’s not that the characters got more interesting; Will Smith is still Will Smith, while…
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The Five Year Engagement [2012] ★★½
Here’s the thing about comedies: Even when the script is freighted with formula, the right actors can keep it afloat, even airborne. That’s where “The Five Year Engagement” really lucks out, even though it goes on for two hours (that’s too long for a comedy in my opinion). For that, all credit to Jason Segel, who’s…
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Friends With Kids [2012] ★★½
“Friends with Kids” is a strikingly original comedy with serious undertones. Judging from the cast, it may sound like another “Bridesmaids”, while in fact it’s not. Some moviegoers may be disappointed with the lack of “vulgarity”, but I was not. This is a movie that takes its time, as it covers a long time in…
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Comme Un Chef [2012] ★★½
I’ve been in the grip of a bad cold for almost 4 days; I somehow managed to work a little bit on my blog, but I hadn’t seen a movie since Tuesday (which in my book is about a century). By Friday afternoon I was frustrated, so I did what I’ve always done when I’m feeling…
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American Reunion [2012] ★★½
“American Pie” hit theaters in 1999, which in Bieber years is about a century ago. The movie was followed by two decent enough sequels and another four unrelated direct to DVD films. Did we need another installment? Not really. But writer Adam Herz and director John Hurwitz, who’ve been working this gig for a while now,…
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The Big Year [2011] ★★½
“The Big Year” is an enjoyable comedy with an unusual premise about three dedicated “birders” (that’s bird watching) and their attempt to track as many species as possible during a whole year. Stu Preissler (Steve Martin) is a successful businessman ready to retire and spend 12 months travelling around the country in search of birds. Brad…
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What’s Your Number? [2011] ★★½
Start hating me now, but despite its silly and cheesy premise, there’s something likable about this romantic comedy, starring Anna Faris and Chris “Captain America” Evans (yep that’s his nickname now). If you’re in the mood for mindless entertainment, look no further. Personally, I had no expectations whatsoever, so imagine my surprise to find this…
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Trust [2011] ★★½
David Schwimmer’s second attempt as a director is a strong reminder of the dangers of online networking. “Trust” is about a young girl, Annie (newcomer Liana Liberato) who lives a comfortable life in suburban Michigan with a loving family. Father Will (Clive Owen) and mom Lynn (Catherine Keener) are involved in every aspect of their…
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