The Big Wedding
Ouch. This movie is getting some harsh reviews. So maybe I missed something – or am simply more forgiving - ‘cause I didn’t hate it. I actually thought it was…
Ca$h
Two of my favorite Frenchmen are in this movie: Jean Dujardin and Jean Reno. And it just proves that The Artist was not a fluke. The camera does love Jean…
The Sapphires
In a nutshell, The Sapphires is like an indie version of Sparkle meets Dreamgirls. It’s based on the true story of an aboriginal singing group that was basically Australia’s answer…
Safety Not Guaranteed
Sometimes not knowing what you're getting into can be a great thing. Indie films are perfect for that since they haven't usually been hyped and marketed to death. And though…
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone
The Incredible Burt Wonderstone won’t blow you away any more than (or even as much as) Oz the Great and Powerful. But if you’re looking for a generally innocuous, sometimes…
Quartet
“Ah, Bach!” If you’re a fan of M*A*S*H, you’ll get the reference. Hawkeye advises classical-music neophyte Radar to use the phrase as a catch-all to impress a nurse. Still cracks…
Identity Thief
Identity Thief isn’t terrible. It’s just not very good. Which wouldn’t be so bad, except that the movie could and should be so much better. Make sense? Especially when you factor…
Stand Up Guys
Great actors does not a great movie make. Pardon my grammar, but that’s my final answer on Stand Up Guys, a dark comedy starring Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and, to…
Struck By Lightning
Struck By Lighting is an odd movie - a heartfelt drama/comedy that isn't nearly as laugh-at-loud funny as it claims to be. Chris Colfer (a.k.a. ‘Kurt’ from Glee) plays Carson…
Django Unchained
I am not a huge Tarantino fan. I was when he started out with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, but then he went through a phase that I can only…
The Hidden Fortress 隠し砦の三悪人
The Hidden Fortress may not be one of the most well known of Kurasawa's films, but it is a wonderfully entertaining mix of adventure, comedy and drama. It opens with…
This Is 40
Writer/director Judd Apatow’s midlife crisis comedy This is 40 is not that funny, or even that good – especially for a movie that the studio has been touting for major…
Silver Linings Playbook
Lots of hype surrounds Silver Linings Playbook and I'm not sure I buy into the Best Picture scenario, but as rom-dramedies go, there are not a lot of comparable films.…
The Details
The Details is opening under the radar, and I think for good reason. It tries really hard to be a dark comedy, but doesn't really get either part of that…