Morning Glory Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Morning Glory reminded me of eating Oreos. It’s rather hollow—a comfort film, if you will—but settles in a place so easygoing and feel-good that you can’t help but smile. This is a crowd pleaser, plain and simple. But sometimes that works, and director Roger Michell’s film has all the right ingredients. It […]
Farewell Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Few could argue that Farewell treads new territory. Cold War thrillers have been done dozens of times before. But the story in this film, written and directed by Christian Carion, is so expertly crafted that it’s easy to forgive the sense of familiarity we feel throughout. And while the film isn’t airtight, […]
Conviction Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Conviction isn’t a film that’s meant to surprise or challenge you. From the minute the film starts, there’s no doubt how it will conclude. But storytelling this good shouldn’t be written off simply for being predictable and familiar. Like Secretariat and, to a lesser degree, The Blind Side, this film takes advantage […]
Catfish
How does one go about writing a review for the movie you aren’t supposed to know anything about going in? I’ll admit to being a little perplexed about this. I want you to read what I have to say, but I also want you to enjoy Catfish as much as I did. So consider this […]
Waiting for “Superman”
Waiting for “Superman” is a heartbreaking and infuriating look at our nation’s educational system. Any idiot could tell you that American students aren’t getting the best, but I for one had no idea how dysfunctional things in our schools are. Director Davis Guggenheim takes no prisoners when it comes to assigning blame, but what elevates […]
Hereafter Review
RATING: (2 STARS) Director, actor, and all-around bad-ass Clint Eastwood has rattled of an unprecedented number of hits in the last few years. Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Letters from Iwo Jima, Gran Torino, and Invictus were all, on one level or another, successful. His latest, Hereafter, is a major bust on almost every level. […]
It’s Kind of a Funny Story Review
RATING: (3 STARS) It’s Kind of a Funny Story might be the most aptly titled film of 2010. It’s sweet, breezy, and kind of funny. It’s not remotely challenging, and I was a little bummed to see writing/directing duo Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck abandon the hard-hitting realism that made their previous features, Half Nelson […]
Secretariat Review
RATING: (3 STARS) All the comparisons to The Blind Side had me cringing. I’ve railed enough against John Lee Hancock’s saccharine Sandra Bullock vehicle on these pages, but suffice it to say, I wasn’t a fan, and I’ll admit to not being too high on Secretariat as I sat down in the theater to watch […]
The Social Network Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Having gone through college while the ubiquitous Web site Facebook went from niche obsession to global phenomenon, I can say that I’ve spent far too many hours scouring its pages for status updates, newly posted pictures, event invites, and private messages. It has undoubtedly changed the way college students interact, and now […]
The Town Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The strongest praise I can muster for Ben Affleck’s new film The Town is to say that it’s good. It features good acting. The direction and writing are good, and it has some good action sequences. I can’t really get too excited about it though. I felt like it had all been […]
Easy A Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Easy A takes the traditional high school comedy formula and throws it on its head. Instead of a schlubby male virgin trying to get laid, it focuses on a smart, attractive young woman telling everyone she got laid. It’s an interesting premise, but director Will Gluck and screenwriter Bert V. Royal take […]
Get Low Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) In the face of tragedy, people often do strange things. In Get Low, a guilt-ridden man completely shuts himself off from others. He builds himself a prison of isolation in which to punish himself, and nearly 40 years later, he still hasn’t quite come to terms with his mistake. The film, from […]
The American Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The American is an altogether new breed of spy film—one that almost completely disregards plot and action in favor of character. It’s quite straightforward, which ironically makes it unconventional. It regularly plays with the viewer’s expectations, but in such a way that it will frustrate many. Director Anton Corbijn and his star, […]
The Other Guys Review
RATING: (3 STARS) When I first saw Anchorman back in 2004, I thought Will Ferrell was the king of the world. He could do no wrong in my book. It was by far the funniest movie of that year, and it remains one of my favorite comedies of the past decade. Slowly but surely, Ferrell […]
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Forget Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Forget Max Payne. Forget every other shitty video game adaptation you may or may not have seen in the past few years because Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the movie gamers out there have been waiting for. No, it’s not technically based on […]
Despicable Me Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Despicable Me is what I would consider a great animated film—if only Pixar didn’t exist. It’s fun and heartwarming, but the Pixar magic isn’t quite there. The arc is completely predictable, and the laughs are fewer and far between than any Pixar film. I think the bar for animation has been set […]
