I have no idea what the title “Movie 43” means, but I do know what the picture is about. A series of sketches and commercials barely tied together with a flimsy wraparound story, the collection is intended to show off the zanier side of normally sedate talent, pushing Oscar-winners and more dramatically inclined thespians into taboo-smashing blasts...
Now here’s a film with incredible promise, introducing itself as an irreverent horror-comedy with profound interest in pantsing fairy tales and splashing around in thick gobs of gore. “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” aspires to be cheeky entertainment, sold with a wink and a fist to the face (helping out its 3D presentation), with plenty of ghouls,...
Man vs. the elements is a common theme in moviemaking, allowing for an appealing sense of ruggedness and oneness with nature that instantly lends itself to movements of high adventure and the euphoria of personal discovery. “Kon-Tiki” accepts the genre challenge with an incredible story of survival and scientific craving to help power its cinematic...
The title “John Dies at the End” is a clever one, at least before the film begins, promising a cheeky viewing experience with a boldly spoilerific title that presents quite a challenge to the production, tasked with keeping surprises when the very name of the effort gives away the twist. It’s quickly established that “John Dies at the End” isn’t go...
“Knife Fight” often doesn’t know what type of film it wants to be. Attempting to braid together political sincerity, political satire, and a human element of guilt, the feature advances unevenly, stuck trying to make sense of its erratic tone. While an ambitious effort to expose the concentrated fraud of the campaigning process and all its collater...
It’s important to take Guillermo del Toro’s executive producer credit seriously, as “Mama” bears all the signs of his previous work. It’s a ghost tale with an almost storybook atmosphere, despite its search for forbidding areas of confrontation between the unaware and the undead. It’s spooky and weird enough to work, with a knockout resolution that...
It might be hard to believe, but Arnold Schwarzenegger hasn’t starred in a movie since 2003’s “Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines.” Sure, there have been cameos in two “Expendables” screen adventures and a weird part in 2004’s “Around the World in 80 Days,” but the once mighty action hero has laid low over the last decade, fighting different battle...
“Broken City” starts off with tremendous confidence, establishing a story that pits corrupt politicians against corrupt cops during an election season, with the future of New York City at stake. It’s Mark Wahlberg vs. Russell Crowe in a big screen battle of brawn, with director Allen Hughes creating an enticing web of lies to examine as the film un...
Charlie Sheen hasn’t starred in a motion picture since the 2003 release of “Scary Movie 3,” with years of television and, ahem, other pursuits taking up his time in the interim. One would think that Sheen would crave an opportunity to play a character unlike himself, venturing out in the great creative unknown to embody heroism or villainy, or perh...
Director Michael Haneke has built a career out of punishing cinema, slyly merging doomsday dramatics with a bleak sense of pace and an occasional burst of dark humor. Think of “The Piano Teacher,” “Cache,” and “Funny Games,” all powerful, sinister snippets of human behavior, but not films that demand a revisit outside of cinema education purposes. ...
“The Sapphires” is such an earnest film with a distinct soulful beat, it’s easy to forgive its occasional heavy-handed screenwriting and abysmal third act. For the most part a cheery, pleasingly feisty musical comedy set during an era of powerhouse pop songs, the feature is almost too good to be true during the opening hour, delivering broad audien...
“The Factory” finally finds release after an extended period gathering dust on a shelf. Filmed in 2008, the production emerges from the wilted imagination of Dark Castle Productions, home base to such features as the ridiculous “Orphan” and “The Apparition,” one of 2012’s biggest box office bombs. “The Factory” is their worst effort to date, which ...
I’m not sure what type of film “Officer Down” wants to be, but it doesn’t appear particularly successful on any front. Part cop drama, part whodunit, with a dusting of action dynamics, the picture marches forward without a game plan, creating a confusing, overly fussed-with effort that depends on twists to keep the audience invested, only it’s a st...
The Wayans Family already had their way with horror film parodies, having masterminded (or slapped together) 2000’s “Scary Movie” and 2001’s “Scary Movie 2.” Apparently, the lure of slapstick was too great for star Marlon Wayans, who returns to duty with “A Haunted House,” which pilfers most of its material from the “Paranormal Activity” series and...
“Gangster Squad” shoots itself in the foot right out of the gate by suggesting the movie is somehow rooted in fact. Sure, there was a mafia figure known as Mickey Cohen, and yes, he certainly had an interest in dominating Los Angeles, but the rest of this picture is more cartoon than history. While adapting a true crime book by author Paul Lieberma...
“Struck by Lightning” is Chris Colfer’s attempt to wake up his generation while they passively walk into limited futures. Known for his work on the television series “Glee,” Colfer is attempting to expand his interests and employability as the show declines in popularity, scripting himself a chewy leading role in a story that’s built around a Big I...
Superheroes have enjoyed a great deal of cinematic success in recent years, packaged in films blessed with enormous budgets capable of bringing intricate comic book worlds and high-flying superpowers to life. “All Superheroes Must Die” elects the opposite route for its fantasy feel, barely spending any money to detail trouble brewing between a team...
“Storage 24” is aching to be a gripping monster movie, but it’ll have to settle with being a merely serviceable one. The picture benefits from invested filmmaking, with the production working diligently to pull off a haunted house atmosphere populated with rounded characters, while unleashing a creature with a horrifying interest in the innards of ...
Numerous questions are raised after viewing “Texas Chainsaw 3D,” more than any cash-grab sequel/remake should rightfully leave behind. A brazenly idiotic production that doesn’t bother make any sense or deal directly with the screwball timeline it arranges for itself, the picture is basically a glorified DTV effort that lucked into a January releas...
In 2009, director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal hit a career peak with “The Hurt Locker,” a searing exploration of wartime strain and its addictive residue. The effort collected awards and Oscar gold, while bringing Bigelow into the big time after years helming cult hits and ambitious misfires. The pair return to the stress factory of ...
The Tarantino Generation is briefly revived with the release of “Sushi Girl,” a toe-curlingly violent journey into the black hearts of petty criminals and their loquacious impulses. Loaded with barbed interplay and fueled by a mystery of true intention, the movie sustains a certain anxious rhythm that’s superbly entertaining, eased along by exagger...
“Crawlspace” is a good example of a no-budget picture accomplishing quite a lot with very little. A blend of “Aliens” and “Scanners,” the feature has confidence and a definite vision for its claustrophobic scares. Perhaps originality isn’t a top priority for the screenplay, but director Justin Dix manages to fuse his inspirations and his aspiration...
For the first hour, “The Baytown Outlaws” keeps to a persuasive display of violence and colorful characters, with co-writer/director Barry Battles manufacturing a tasty slice of southern-fried grindhouse, populated with seedy characters and outrageous confrontations. The pace isn’t kept as the material eventually begs to be taken seriously, which c...
Released during the same period as Gus Van Sant’s “Promised Land” and its focus on the possible environmental disaster known as fracking, “A Dark Truth” also explores a little-known area of natural resource woe, covering the rise of corporations collecting control of water and land rights in struggling countries. However, instead of a respectful dr...
I could see “Now is Good” appealing to a certain younger audience. Not teenagers, but pre-teen girls dreaming of adolescent experiences that could help to define them, while happily observing a traditional rebellious attitude. Schmaltz of the highest order, “Now is Good” is particularly punishing melodrama without a clear understanding of its messa...
Regular moviegoers, the weekend warriors, are repeatedly assaulted with images of disaster, often taking on a global reach of apocalyptic doom. One becomes desensitized to such grand illusions after a while, regarding the end of the world as a time when the Capitol Records building eats it, the Eiffel Tower takes a tumble, and Red Square is reduced...
“Promised Land” is a film filled with unfinished business. Reteaming director Gus Van Sant with co-writer/star Matt Damon (after their work on “Good Will Hunting” and “Gerry”), the picture is a messy affair with a killer hook, bringing a critical environmental issue to the forefront without much of a game plan to dissect it. Convincing for the firs...
Expectations that “Save the Date” is going to be a jaunty affair are cut short in the opening five minutes, when it becomes clear that writer/director Michael Mohan is going to make the audience feel every last possible moment of discomfort and empty-eyed reflection. A slog attempting to resemble a romantic comedy, “Save the Date” doesn’t have the ...
I’m not exactly sure what prompted interest is adapting “Ecstasy,” Irvine Welsh’s 1996 collection of short stories, but it seems as though the time for material like this to truly take off has passed. A distant cousin to the chemical behemoth known as “Trainspotting,” “Ecstasy” attempts to conjure the same sense of insanity, musical muscle, and imp...
Victor Hugo’s celebrated 1862 novel concerning crime and punishment has been turned into a great number of features throughout the years. However, this “Les Miserables” takes its cues from the 1980 French musical, which sprouted to blockbuster life when it found an English translation in 1985. Beloved by millions who’ve grown accustomed to the safe...
