Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may never become a powerhouse actor, but he’s certainly a likable, professional presence in a surprising range of motion pictures. Snitch has him as a hard-working construction boss whose teenage son (Rafi Gavron) makes a really stupid […]

Some types of movies (fantasy, for instance) don’t interest me much, but anything with an alien is bound to coax me to a theater.  What struck me about Dark Skies is the feeling of deja vu, the impression that I’ve seen […]

With this fifth in the long-running Die Hard action series, I think I can finally admit that I’ve seen enough of NYC detective John McClane and his family.  This time he (Bruce Willis) is in Moscow, trying to find his wayward […]

The new filmic adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel is a little corny, a little sexy and for the most part rather obvious.  But its stars, Josh Duhamel and Julianne Hough are compelling enough to maintain interest for most of […]

It is difficult for me to imagine a more ill-conceived feature film than this one.  Even with television audiences embracing shows like “Once Upon a Time” and “Grimm,” the idea of bringing fairy tales to life on the big screen is […]

Some films are ensemble pieces, and this one truly fulfills that description.  From the four leads (Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Pauline Collins and Billy Connolly) through the supporting players (Michael Gambon, Sheridan Smith, Andrew Sachs, Gwyneth Jones, Michael Byrne, etc.) […]

I’m not a huge fan of Steven Soderbergh’s work, but I respect his artistry.  Side Effects looks and sounds really good; it is a professionally-made thriller that isn’t easy to decipher and is generally quite effective.  But it is also a […]