This Jane Austen British period piece, about a manipulative widow trying to secure her and her grown daughter’s futures amidst her own personal scandal, has all the costumes and clever, subtle dialogue you would expect from such a film, but it lacks emotional punch. Kate Beckinsale’s scene-stealing performance, however, is sublime.
This mockumentary send-up of the ridiculousness of the pop music industry follows the same vein of Judd Apatow’s other comedies, complete with raunchy jokes, a cavalcade of celebrity cameos and super silly songs. The story itself, about the rise and fall of a Justin Bieber-ish entertainer, is weak and some of the jokes are super […]
What happens to survivors of demonic possession AFTER the exorcism is over? That’s the initial premise of this kooky comedy, which starts off like a hybrid of The Exorcist meets Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Unfortunately, the fun premise meets a quick demise as Ava’s quest for answers as to what happened during her possession turns into […]
As far as screwball comedies go, this one, about a married couple (Seth Rogan and Rose Byrne) with a newborn baby who gets into an escalating feud with their new frat house neighbors, has a predictable premise and an adequate number of belly laughs. Rogan and especially Byrne are really funny, as is Zac Efron […]
This strange Big Chill knockoff, by Tate Taylor, who would go on to direct the outstanding Oscar-praised The Help, is about a woman who summons her estranged college friends to the Montana countryside for what she says is her “final” weekend. As the truth comes out about her intentions, so too does the truth about […]
While this film adaptation of the young adult novel by John Green fails to match the emotional depth of the film adaptation of his widely-praised tearjerker “The Fault In Our Stars,” it is a pleasant film that will cater to young adults. It features an ensemble cast of earnest, likable characters to offset a trite […]
An all-star ensemble spices up John Favreau’s likable story about a famed chef who regains his mojo after a food critic’s blistering review sends his career and personal life into a tailspin. Side-eye stunt casting aside (Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson as his ex-wife and girlfriend… really?!), the otherwise honest and sweet story delivers a […]
A deaf-mute novelist (Kate Siegel) finds her self-imposed life of seclusion in the woods up-ended when a psychotic killer inexplicably appears. With no one around to help her, she must use her wits to survive in this pulse-pounding horror/thriller on Netflix. Despite a healthy dose of horror clichés, co-writer/director Mike Flanagan (Oculus) delivers a straightforward, […]
This remake of the Rudyard Kipling classic is the best combination of live action and CGI that I have ever seen in a film. The leveI of detail and realism in the CGI animals is astounding. That, combined with stunning visuals, a score reminiscent of Out Of Africa and a story more faithful to the […]
The goofy premise, Jane Austen’s classic set during a zombie apocalypse, could have been a comic jackpot if done the right way. But aside from a couple of cute scenes with Lily James (Cinderella, Downton Abbey) leading her dagger-wielding sisters in a zombie battle, the film is a lot more straight up Pride and Prejudice […]