Category: Reviews

Movie Review: The Last Stand

IMDB, The Last Stand“The Last Stand” on IMDB

Action, 107 Minutes, 2013

There’s two movies here. One is pretty damn good, the other is pretty damn stupid. They’re intertwined, of course. but it still feels wrong; like the stupid movie forced itself on the good one in an alley. It’s not a pretty metaphor, but it’s apt.

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Movie Review: Now You See Me

IMDB, Now You See Me“Now You See Me” on IMDB

Crime/Mystery, 115 Minutes, 2013

I like magic. Good magic, that is. I have an appreciation for the craft, science, dedication and sheer, brazen chutzpah that it takes to do magic well. Magicians spend nearly unbelievable amounts of time perfecting what most people would consider meaningless skills. Which is exactly why they get away with so much: people can’t believe anybody would spend so much time for apparently so little return.

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Movie Review: Adult Children of Divorce

IMDB, ACOD“Adult Children of Divorce” on IMDB

Comedy, 88 Minutes, 2013

I so wanted to like this. It’s an amazing cast of some of the hottest names in comedy. Just look at that poster! Adam Scott [IMDB]! Richard Jenkins [IMDB]! Catherine O’Hara [IMDB]! Amy Poehler [IMDB]! Clark Duke [IMDB]! Jessica Alba [IMDB]! Jane Lynch [IMDB]! How could this go wrong?!

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Movie Review: American Hustle

IMDB, American Hustle“American Hustle” on IMDB

Crime/Drama, 138 Minutes, 2013

Con men Irving (Christian Bale [IMDB] playing the tubby, balding veteran) and Sydney (Amy Adams [IMDB] and her breasts as his brilliant protege) comfortably execute precise, just small-enough scores on people that probably deserve it. When they’re pinched by FBI agent Richie (Bradley Cooper [IMDB]), they’re forced to work with him to bring down some local hustlers.

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Movie Review: The Conjuring

IMDB, The Conjuring“The Conjuring” on IMDB

Horror, 112 Minutes, 2013

The movie is based on the reports of noted paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. It presents them as learned, respected and heroic. They were none of these things. None of their evidence has ever stood up to investigation, and none of their claims have ever been confirmed. Most of their cases, such as the famous Amityville Horror, have been thoroughly debunked as hoaxes and the rest are highly explainable.

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Movie Review: Muppets Most Wanted

IMDB, Muppets Most Wanted“Muppets Most Wanted” on IMDB

Family, 107 Minutes, 2014

The Muppets have honed their formula to perfection in the 35 years since the original “The Muppet Movie” [my review]. There have been rough patches, but all was set right with 2011’s big-budget revival “The Muppets” [my review]. Where that film spent significant time on new characters and human relationships, this one is a return to the basics. More songs, more gags and more Muppets.

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Movie Review: Coffee Town

IMDB, Coffee Town“Coffee Town” on IMDB

Comedy, 87 Minutes, 2013

Luckily, very little of this movie is about coffee; I never did like the stuff. That doesn’t stop people from trying to get me to like it. They’ll say, “It’s an acquired taste!” as they stare glassily and talk about “beans” and “pods” and French things.

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Movie Review: Repo

IMDB, Repo“Repo” on IMDB

Comedy, 120 Minutes, 2010

This is a perfectly harmless, perfectly average comedy with perhaps just a bit too much going on. Like so many average movies there’s not much to specifically recommend it; but there’s also not much to specifically criticize.

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Movie Review: The Debt

IMDB, The Debt“The Debt” on IMDB

Thriller/Drama, 113 Minutes, 2010

In 1997 three retired Mossad agents are enjoying some deserved accolades. A new book is being released about the 1965 mission that made them legends. Then, less that twenty years after the formation of Israel, Mossad’s goal was to bring Nazi war criminals to justice.

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