Brooklyn’s Finest (R) — 2 1/2 — Opens March 5, 2010
March 6, 2010 on 3:22 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsStandard issue police drama with shades of “Serpico”, “The Departed” and “Training Day” cooked up by “Training Day” director Antoine Fuqua. Dark and gritty and violent, “Brooklyn’s Finest” mixes several stories that come to a mostly violent end over two hours and fifteen minutes. Ethan Hawke plays a stressed Detective and family man whose wife needs to move from their mold filled home or face complications in her latest pregnancy. Hawke turns dirty, stealing drug money from various busts to buy a new home. He puts a face on stress and pressure and delivers some tension filled moments. Richard Gere plays an undistinguished patrolman a few days from retirement trying desperately not to rock the boat. You know where that leads. The excellent Don Cheadle plays an undercover cop whose friendship with drug lord Wesley Snipes puts him in danger of crossing the line, “Brooklyn’s Finest” feels like a lot of earlier movies, especially from the 1970’s. It has some great moments but doesn’t go anywhere new. It leaves me with mixed feelings for this almost generic cop drama. Continue reading Brooklyn’s Finest (R) — 2 1/2 — Opens March 5, 2010…
Alice In Wonderland — 2 stars — Opens March 5, 2010
March 4, 2010 on 4:27 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsJohnny Depp teams with Tim Burton to create a creepy and quite scary version of “Alice in Wonderland.” Depp channels Willy Wonka and Edward Scisserhands into the Mad Hatter—a character upgraded as equal partner to Alice, played by newcomer Mia Wasikowska. She falls down the rabbit hole in an effort to get away from an unsuitably snooty suitor. Once in the new world of “Underland” she realizes she has visited as a child only then they called it “Wonderland.” This “Underland” looks more like Marnia—including a battle between a Good Queen (Anne Hathaway) and an evil Queen (Helena Bonham Carter.) The Jabberwocky turns into a fire breathing dragon which Alice must kill in order to save the day. I missed the playfulness of the original. The scary parts will most likely give a kid under ten the willies. Lewis Carrol might wonder “What’s in this tea?” Continue reading Alice In Wonderland — 2 stars — Opens March 5, 2010…
Ghost Writer — 3 stars — Opens February 26, 2010
February 27, 2010 on 6:55 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments“Ghost Writer” spins a great story for a cold winter’s night. Ewan McGregor plays a writer hired to polish up the memoirs of a former British Prime Minister played by Pierce Brosnan. The job comes after one of Brosnan’s aides dies mysteriously, circumstances guaranteed to put us in a conspiratorial mind. Once in Brosnan’s expensive bunker on a Martha’s Vineyard-like island, McGregor finds himself living with a staff directed by Kim Cattrall, the PM’s efficient personal aide and mistress, and the PM’s angry wife played by Olivia Williams. The Prime Minister stands accused of war crimes, of turning suspects over to the CIA for torture. A thriller in old school fashion, I really liked the way “Ghost Writer” resolves its plot and the main character’s part in it. Also director Roman Polanski allows much of the most grizzly action to happen off screen—much more horrifying that way. I also think it’s nice to see Kim Cattrall in something besides “Sex in the City”. She’s a good actress and I think has a long career ahead of her. “Ghost Writer” delivers the movie equivalent of curling up with a good book on a snowy day in front of a roaring fire. Continue reading Ghost Writer — 3 stars — Opens February 26, 2010…
Cop Out (R) — 1 star — Opens February 26, 2010
February 25, 2010 on 5:12 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsBruce Willis and Tracy Morgan team up for the mismatched buddy thing. They’re bumbling cops put on suspension who chase a gang of Mexican drug lords who have a valuable baseball card owned by Willis. I suppose Willis and Morgan have good chemistry but they don’t get very good jokes. ”Cop Out” feels like a by the numbers project. it offers nothing new or creative except in the area of language—”Cop Out” contains a remarkable amount of bad language, so much that it starts to hurt your ears. Not my idea of entertainment. Continue reading Cop Out (R) — 1 star — Opens February 26, 2010…
The Crazies (R) — 1 star — Opens February 25, 2010
February 24, 2010 on 9:59 am | In Uncategorized | No CommentsUnnecessary remake of George Romeo classic about a small town whose residents begin acting strange—like Zombies. Could it be something in the water—something the government doesn’t want anyone to know about? With Timothy Olyphant and Radha Mitchell, two quite good actors, whom I hope will find something better next time. Continue reading The Crazies (R) — 1 star — Opens February 25, 2010…
Shutter Island (R) — 3 stars — Opens February 19, 2010
February 18, 2010 on 4:09 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsMartin Scorsese really lays on the atmosphere in “Shutter Island”, a smoky dark period piece set in 1954. Leonardo DiCaprio arrives with Mark Ruffalo, US Marshalls assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from this fortess island asylum for the criminally insane. Since Ben Kingsley runs the place with help from Max Von Sydow, we know something’s up—is it government experiments, frontal lobotomies, or something else? Here’s a hint folks—it’s something else. “Shutter Island” tells its story with beautifully composed images designed to frighten. In classic form, we experience graveyards, heavy rains, a hurricane, bad dreams and flashbacks. I like this kind of movie—the kind where you walk out afterward and say “What the hell was that?” and mean it as a compliment. Continue reading Shutter Island (R) — 3 stars — Opens February 19, 2010…
The Wolfman (R) — 1 star — Opens February 12, 2010
February 12, 2010 on 12:05 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsUniversal Pictures tries hard to update the 1941 classic but oh brother do they fail. Casting Benicio Del Toro as the victim of the wolf bite that turns into a curse should have worked. But the script gets so deadly serious that abotu halfway through it started to feel like satire. The great Sir Anthony Hopkins plays Del Toro’s father and the lord of Blackmoor manor. The always excellent Emily Blunt plays Del Toro’s dead brother’s intended. Both Blunt and Hopkins go around looking like they just sucked a lemon. The new script downplays the role of the gypsy woman who explains the wolf lore to Larry Talbot, the man cursed by the wolf bite. This remake throws in a plot twist that really doesn’t work. At one point, they even put Del Toro in an asylum so he can ravage an auditorium full of doctors and psychiatrists. The original 1941 “Wolfman” had elegant simplicity. This remake tries too hard, and fails. Continue reading The Wolfman (R) — 1 star — Opens February 12, 2010…
Valentine’s Day — 2 1/2 Stars — Opens February 12, 2010
February 10, 2010 on 1:03 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsGarry Marshall puts together an all star cast and juggles several Valentine’s Day love stories. Ashton Kusher plays the most prominent role as a florist who asks girlfriend Jessica Alba to marry him with mixed results. The movie crams in plotlines for Jennifer Garner, Bradley Cooper, Anne Hathaway, Jamie Foxx, Queen Latifah, Shirley MacLaine, Emma Roberts and her Aunt Julia Roberts and even finds a spot for Taylor Swift and “Twilight” wolf hunk Taylor Lautner—which reminds me if they dated in real life they would be Taylor and Taylor. Speaking of Taylor—Swift that is—she puts in one of the all time worst performances as an over energetic high school student—so bad it may be a while before we see her in another movie. Marshall has way too many plots going on, although the completion of a few of them feels satisfying. Not great, but ok, and for this weekend maybe good enough. Continue reading Valentine’s Day — 2 1/2 Stars — Opens February 12, 2010…
Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief-2 1/2-Opens February 12
February 10, 2010 on 12:43 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsAverage teen Logan Lerman discovers he’s a demi-god—the son of Poseidon—Greek mythology’s King of the Sea. Mom Catherine Keener confesses as Zeus comes after Percy—believe he’s stolen his lightning bolt. Based on a series of adventures by writer Rick Riorden, “Percy Jackson” feels a little like Harry Potter and that’s a compliment. I like the references to Greek mythology—which made me want to run home to Google and look up my favorite myths. Nice cast include Pierce Brosnan, Catherine Keener, and Uma Thurman as the snake headed Medusa—a perfect role for her. Rosario Dawson turns up as Hades’ girlfriend and provides some hilarious moments. Fun and playful and better than expected, in spite of a not exactly great title. Continue reading Percy Jackson & the Lightning Thief-2 1/2-Opens February 12…
Dear John — 2 1/2 stars — Opens February 5, 2010
February 4, 2010 on 5:11 pm | In Uncategorized | No CommentsRich girl amanda Seyfriend meets enlisted soldier Channing Tatum on the beach in South Carolina. Of course they fall in love and their two weeks together move her to promise to write every day and wait for him. “Dear John” celebrates the art of letter writing. Better yet, Nicholas Sparks’ story goes to some unexpected places and manages to tug your heartstrings with subplot of parential tension, mental challenges, serious illness, and the effect of the 9/11 attacks. The actors look cute, but the script carries them along for a better than expected movie. “Dear John” reminds me of the weepies they used to make in the 40’s and 50’s. Continue reading Dear John — 2 1/2 stars — Opens February 5, 2010…
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