When Hollywood tackles history sometimes the result is an uneasy mixture of what really happened and what might have happened. This is certainly the case with Emperor, which spotlights the dilemma facing General Douglas MacArthur (Tommy Lee Jones) when he […]
Continue reading »Category: Recent Releases
Phantom (2013) ☆ ☆ 1/2
I’ve always liked submarine movies (and books, too); their tight, self-contained, claustrophobic, danger-filled environments invite hypertensive intensity and action, often with global consequences. Phantom is an intriguing addition to the genre, positing that in 1968 a Soviet submarine attempts a mission […]
Continue reading »Snitch (2013) ☆ ☆ ☆
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 […]
Continue reading »Dark Skies (2013) ☆ ☆ 1/2
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 […]
Continue reading »A Good Day to Die Hard (2013) ☆ ☆
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 […]
Continue reading »Safe Haven (2013) ☆ ☆ 1/2
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 […]
Continue reading »Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) ☆
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 […]
Continue reading »Quartet (2012) ☆ ☆ ☆
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.) […]
Continue reading »Side Effects (2013) ☆ ☆
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 […]
Continue reading »Stand Up Guys (2012) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
Stand Up Guys is a funny senior-citizen mob comedy, yet it is also a sharp character study. The thing I like most about Fisher Stevens’ movie is that it gets better and better as it goes along; not too many films […]
Continue reading »