Posted July 22, 2015in Film Review
One year ago, Marvel pitched us a film about a bunch of superheroes nobody remembered. Despite the potential for disaster, “Guardians of the Galaxy” hit all the right notes and became a runaway summer hit, scoring more than $300 million domestic. Now, Marvel is hoping to prove the classic proverb
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Posted July 15, 2015in Film Review
“Self/Less” is a film that explores the themes of family, loss, self-sacrifice and the inherent awesomeness of flamethrowers. When the film begins, we are introduced to Ben Kingsley’s Damien, a self-made real estate tycoon who is dying of cancer. But just because he has only months to live, that is
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Posted July 08, 2015in Film Review
There’s little doubt that “Magic Mike XXL” is a film that was not intended for me. As a critic, I am still able to deconstruct the filmmaker’s work and say whether it is done well or not (it is), but I do not really have a grip on how effectively
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Posted July 01, 2015in Film Review
It can be easy to fault “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” for its non-titular characters. Everyone of them is an over-earnest caricature of themselves. Molly Shannon plays a long-suffering, heavy-drinking single mom who is going through a tough time and gets through it by flirting with the high
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Posted June 24, 2015in Film Review
Pixar does not miss. The animation studio has released 14 films before “Inside Out,” and each one has topped the box office on its opening weekend. That is a streak that “Inside Out” will be unable to extend, thanks to Universal’s dinosaurs, but rest assured, “Inside Out” is the most
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Posted June 17, 2015in Film Review
There are certain elements you need in order to make a “Jurassic Park” film more than just name. Are there dinosaurs? Do they escape in an unlikely fashion? Are there a couple of annoying kids that the film insists upon trying to make you root for? All of these things
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Posted June 10, 2015in Film Review
Television spots for Melissa McCarthy’s new movie “Spy” advertise the film as “this year’s best reviewed comedy.” As it turns out, that is actually true. Head over to Rotten Tomatoes and you will find, as of this writing, 150 different critics from around the globe who are ready and eager
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Posted June 03, 2015in Film Review
A couple weeks ago, I reviewed “Mad Max: Fury Road.” Honestly, though, I do not feel like I explained the situation fully enough: That film is one of the best I have ever seen. Now, we turn our eyes to “San Andreas,” the new disaster porn film starring Dwayne “The
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Posted May 27, 2015in Film Review
Released in 2012, the original “Pitch Perfect” was a surprise hit. It was charming, genuinely hilarious in spots, fun throughout and featured Anna Kendrick, who is delightful. However, the success of the film seems to have obligated the creators into a sequel, and the resulting film is forced, frequently wildly
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Posted May 20, 2015in Film Review
It has been 36 years since director George Miller introduced the world to Max Rockatansky. Now, three decades after the last installment of the franchise, comes “Mad Max: Fury Road.” With this installment, Warner Bros. has handed Miller the keys to the studio and allowed him unfettered opportunity to be
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