The humanization of Batman (Arnett) turns out to be very funny with glitzy animation and some substance to the message. As evidenced by audience reaction at the screening, those familiar with DC comics will get many references that fly past those of us who are uninformed. But even for those unfamiliar with all the Batman […]
If you like paying additional money to see the exact same movie you have already watched, the John Wick sequel is the perfect movie for you. Reeves and his stunt director from “The Matrix Trilogy” return for Chapter 2, which picks up right where the 2014 film left off. The opening sequence is loud, violent
For a completely fantastical (i.e., unrealistic) experience, go see Monster Trucks. The story is predictable, with a teenage boy named Tripp (Till) taunted by a rude classmate; ignored by his irresponsible father; disdained by his mother’s boyfriend, Sheriff Rick (Pepper); thwarted by evil corporation Terravex headed by Reece Tenneson (Lowe); and pursued by a pretty
Sure, Brad Pitt is in Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump, Contact) latest film, the movie and tabloid star even gets the most screen time and drives the narrative. However, the only thing you will be talking about after the movie is Marion Cotillard (Inception, La Vie en Rose). The first and only French actress to win
By far the most entertaining film I saw at the 2016 SXSW film festival. Horror actor, writer, director Ti West (The Sacrament) delivers his most accessible work to date, a western set in 1890 of all things. It was Hawke’s second feature debut at the festival, and by far the better of the two. What’s
It really took some effort to make Jack Reacher 2 worse than the first one. Cruise is on autopilot, making one action movie a year, and this was just the next script in the pile. It’s not exciting, it’s not thrilling, it not only lacks anything new with Lee Child’s character, but it can’t even
Prior to “The Accountant”, Gavin O’Conner had only made one film of note; 2011’s “Warrior” which landed Nick Nolte a supporting actor nomination. “The Accountant” has been swirled in secrecy, skipping film festivals, withdrawing from pre-screenings. Unlike “The Girl on the Train” which dodged its way into a wide release, Affleck’s latest dark thriller packs
The latest Peter Berg / Mark Wahlberg collaboration proves the filmmaking duo have discovered a formula that has a broad mainstream appeal. It started with Lone Survivor, based on a true story, with Wahlberg playing an American war hero. Another extreme circumstance, another heroic situation, this time Wahlberg is saving co-workers during the Deepwater Horizon
The only thing Antoine Fuqua’s version of “The Magnificent Seven” adds to the slew of remakes that came before is diversity. Based on the original 1954 “Seven Samurai” by Akira Kurosawa, then Americanized into a western in 1960, a sequel in ’72, then a TV-series in 1998, this story has been told to death. Fuqua
Remakes have become a plague on American cinema. There are few times in history where a classic film has been remade with improvement. Steven Soderbergh had a good idea when he remade a Frank Sinatra/Dean Martin film that was not well received when originally debuted in 1960; “Oceans Eleven” 2001 however was a huge hit.