As I am not a fan of raunchy comedy it should surprise no one that a raunchy comedy like Fist Fight is painful for me. I simply don’t understand the appeal of stupid comedy; that is, comedy of people being stupid. […]
Continue reading »Category: Recent Releases
John Wick, Chapter 2 (2017) ☆ ☆ 1/2
I had missed the original John Wick (2014) until seeing it on DVD recently. I was surprised how slick and entertaining it was, but then was not surprised to learn of an upcoming sequel (and yet another in the planning stages). […]
Continue reading »The Great Wall (2017) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
I wasn’t sure what to expect with this Chinese fantasy adventure film, but to my delight I really enjoyed it. The first half-hour or so is simply great, the next hour is really good and it’s only the finale that […]
Continue reading »Fences (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆
The last of the nine Best Picture nominees I had yet to see is Fences, which is an adaptation of August Wilson’s play, directed by and starring Denzel Washington. Like a lot of plays adapted for film it is very stagy […]
Continue reading »The Space Between Us (2017) ☆
I liked the premise for The Space Between Us, which tells the tale of a teenage boy born and raised on a Martian settlement who travels to Earth to see how the rest of humanity lives. It’s an intriguing fish-out-of-water allegory […]
Continue reading »Patriots Day (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
It’s been quite a roll for director Peter Berg and star Mark Wahlberg; their first teaming, Lone Survivor in 2013 was excellent, while 2016 produced both Deepwater Horizon and now Patriots Day. All are based on real events and people, and Patriots Day is […]
Continue reading »Hidden Figures (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
I’ve been a space supporter and advocate my whole life, yet I was completely unaware of this side of the space program. Hidden Figures serves as an historical document as much as a mainstream entertainment, and it succeeds tremendously on […]
Continue reading »Lion (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
Lion shares a premise with Moonlight, in that it presents a young boy in distinct peril in an environment fraught with danger, all alone until he is taken in by people who wish to help him. Moonlight takes place in […]
Continue reading »Jackie (2016) ☆ ☆
Another film I saw awhile ago bothered me even more than Manchester by the Sea. It’s Jackie, the post-JFK assassination story of how first lady Jackie Kennedy (Natalie Portman) reacted to her husband’s horrible killing and spent the next week trying to […]
Continue reading »Manchester by the Sea (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆
I’ve held off on reviewing this film for three weeks, hoping to come to a better understanding of it. Today it received six Academy Award nominations. I still don’t like it. Let’s discuss. Kenneth Lonergan’s film is very personal, following […]
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