This is one of the lamest, most unfunny comedy sequels in movie history, made all the more painful by how cute its predecessor was. The cavalcade of celebrities, news media stars and fashion industry icons who appeared in this sad mess should have asked to see a full script before agreeing to take part in […]
Viggo Mortensen stars in this drama about a hippie/survivalist happily home-schooling his six exceptionally bright, free thinking children in the forests of Washington state, who all find their lives tossed into a culture shock when the family’s mentally ill matriarch dies. While some of the scenes are a bit contrived and border on ridiculousness, and […]
This is the inspiring, feel good, true story of one of Uganda’s first female titled chess champions, Phiona Mutesi. But this Disney film is more than just a predictable story about a surprising prodigy from the impoverished outskirts of Kampala. It’s a story about the importance of strong character and hard work, buoyed by heartfelt […]
This is the inspirational, previously untold story about three brilliant black women behind NASA’s historic 1962 mission to get astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning moment that propelled the United States to the forefront in the space race and restored pride to the nation. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae, as the […]
This true story, starring Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman and yes, Google Earth, is about a young man trying to find his hometown in rural India, more than 25 years after a mishap resulted in him being separated from his family and eventually adopted by a family in Australia. The first half of the film is […]
Director J.A. Bayona (The Impossible, The Orphanage) blends compelling visuals and fine performances from Felicity Jones and Sigourney Weaver in this story about a young boy who channels an imaginary monster to help him cope with the grief he’s feeling over his mother’s pending death from cancer. While the film drags at times, it delivers […]
This Golden Globe Best Picture nominee is about a teenage schoolboy who finds his voice, both figuratively and literally, when he starts a band to impress his love interest in 1980s Dublin. Although the sweet coming of age story, about ignoring life’s naysayers to follow your dreams, never quite lives up to its potential, its […]
This 1940s period piece is based on the strange true story of the New York socialite and wannabe diva that historians have dubbed the world’s worst opera singer – a wealthy art patron who, despite a lack of talent, won (or bought) a considerable celebrity following. Were it not for yet another stellar performance by […]
This is director Barry Levinson’s astoundingly lame faux documentary eco-horror film about a government cover-up of a parasitic outbreak in a small town on the Maryland coast of the Chesapeake Bay. The promising premise, about the consequences of chemical dumping, is ruined by an embarrassingly sloppy, amateurish story that is more suited for a high […]
This is a gut wrenching character portrait of a stoic handyman forced to face his tragic past after his older brother dies, unexpectedly naming him guardian of the brother’s teenage son. Despite a smattering of humor, this is primarily a depressing, slow moving reminder of life’s many cruel, unhappy endings, emotionally underscored by well-placed flashbacks. […]