Between this, “Hail, Caesar!” and “The Nice Guys,” old-time Los Angeles is getting a lot of cinematic visits in 2016… “Café Society” is the latest film from Woody Allen and stars an ensemble cast, including Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg, Blake Lively, Kristen Stewart and Corey Stoll. In the film a young man (Eisenberg) moves to… Continue reading ‘Café Society’ Harmless but Pointless Woody Allen dramedy
I kept thinking two things while watching this: (1) Alicia Vikander is unfairly attractive and (2) I still can’t believe that Matt Damon and “The Martian” won Best Comedy at the Globes last year… “Jason Bourne” is the fifth installment of the Bourne franchise and the first one to feature Damon since 2007’s “Ultimatum.” This… Continue reading ‘Jason Bourne’ Too Familiar, Sloppy To Fully Enjoy
Very rarely is a movie exactly what its trailer paints it out to look like, but this is fortunately one of the times where that is the case. “Nerve” stars Emma Roberts as a high school senior (looks like she still hasn’t graduated since she was a senior in 2011’s “Scream 4”) who starts playing… Continue reading ‘Nerve’ Colorful, Manic Summer Fun
There is a world of difference between potential and reality. “Lights Out” is a horror film about a family that is haunted by a creature that only appears when the lights go out (I know how stupid and simple that sounds but that’s honestly the best way to describe the plot). Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman… Continue reading ‘Lights Out’ High on Production, Low on Scares
Bryan Cranston really needs to stop being in movies that don’t deserve him… “The Infiltrator” is the true story of 1980s US Customs agent Robert Mazur (Cranston), who infiltrated (eh!) Pablo Escobar’s money-laundering organization. Diane Kruger, Benjamin Bratt, John Leguizamo and Amy Ryan also star as Brad Furman directs. Oscar nominee Bryan Cranston (ugh, that… Continue reading Very Little Tension in ‘Infiltrator’
As if getting to be Ryan Reynolds wasn’t reason enough to be jealous of Ryan Reynolds, the dude is married to Blake Lively. So… Relevant to this review? Nah, but it’s worth noting. “The Shallows” stars Blake Lively as a surfer who gets attacked by a shark and stranded 300 yards from shore, and must… Continue reading ‘The Shallows’ is Intense Enough Summer Diversion
Frank Grillo is one badass man. “The Purge: Election Year” is the third installment of the Purge series and is again written and directed by James DeMonaco. Frank Grillo also reprises his role from the second film, this time as the head of security for a presidential candidate (Elizabeth Mitchell) who wants to get rid… Continue reading Third ‘Purge’ a Boring Letdown
Matthew McConaughey? More like, Matthew MEH-Conaughey! … [clears throat] “Free State of Jones” is the true story of Confederate soldier-turned-rebel Newton Knight (McConaughey), who led an armed rebellion in Mississippi during the Civil War. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mahershala Ali and Keri Russell also star as Gary Ross writes and directs. I love me a period piece… Continue reading ‘State of Jones’ Free of Excitement, Intrigue
Hahahahahahahahahah… [exhales] ok. Let’s do this. “Independence Day: Resurgence” is the sequel to 1996’s “Independence Day,” a film that exploded in popularity and has come to define pretty much everything about 90s action films and the summer blockbuster in general. The plot of this movie is: the aliens come back. That’s truly all that is… Continue reading ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Is Laughably Atrocious
And so, the summer of the sequels we didn’t really ask for continues. “Finding Dory” is the sequel to the 2003 film “Finding Nemo” and follows the forgetful fish Dory (voiced by Ellen DeGeneres) as she searches for her long lost family. Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence and Ed O’Neill also star as Andrew Stanton directs.… Continue reading ‘Finding Dory’ Familiar but Fun Family Adventure
The Reel Deal 