The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) If there’s ever been a movie title more truthful than The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, I don’t know what it is. This movie is the definition of fine. It goes down really easily because it doesn’t try to do too much. Because it can dispose of things like character introductions and […]
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) This is the true story of seven people, who choose to live in a foreign land, retire together, and have their lives taped to find out what happens when India stops being polite and starts getting real. OK, it’s not a true story, but the rest is accurate. The Best Exotic Marigold […]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) All good things must come to and end, even Harry Potter. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the eighth and final film in the enormously successful series, lives up the promise of its immediate predecessor, Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and provides the series and its fans with the send-off they […]
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Coming off the high that was Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, my anticipation was off-the-charts for the sixth film in J.K. Rowling’s hugely popular series—Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. Not only is the film based on what is, in my opinion, the strongest novel in the series, but […]
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Finally, the Harry Potter series has really come alive. Order of the Phoenix, the fifth installment of J.K. Rowling’s hugely popular series, is far and away the best of the bunch so far. Now that the kiddy stuff has been dispensed of, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and all the others can begin dealing […]
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Review
RATING: (3 STARS) With Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, the series’ filmmakers reached their biggest obstacle to a successful adaptation thus far—condensing the enormous fourth Harry Potter novel into a manageable 150 minutes. Of course, purists fumed over the cuts, but on the whole, I think screenwriter Steve Kloves did a solid, if imperfect, job. […]
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Review
RATING: (3 STARS) For many, Prisoner of Azkaban marks the apex of the Harry Potter film series. I don’t share that belief, but I do think it’s one of the series’ better entries. Somewhat ironically, most of my issues stem from the narrative itself. I think Prisoner of Azkaban is easily the weakest novel in […]
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Review
RATING: (2 STARS) After Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, one would think it was time for the Harry Potter series to dispense of introductions and the real childlike qualities that, while necessary, held the first film back a bit. I guess director Chris Columbus (back for some reason after the first film) didn’t get […]
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Review
RATING: (3 STARS) In 2001, the Harry Potter phenomenon finally hit the big screen. The first book in the series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, perfectly captures the sense of childlike wonder any of us would feel if we went to a school of magic. The film adaptation, directed by Chris Columbus, does the […]
Gosford Park Review
RATING: (3 STARS) It takes great skill to make a film like Gosford Park. Besides the obvious technical work needed to create the world of this film, director Robert Altman also must work hard to manage a group of nearly 25 important characters. And each actor needs to know his or her place in the […]
