“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa” on IMDB
Comedy, 93 Minutes, 2013
Every once in a while, whether they would like to admit it or not, everybody can benefit from a good, big dose of old-fashioned, plain-vanilla, purely analog stupid. The kind of stupid that makes your problems seem just a little smaller and your troubles just a little bit easier. The kind of stupid that the “Jackass” crew gleefully spews from every orifice.
Animation, 96 Minutes, 2013
This is the latest installment of DreamWorks Animation’s unofficial series of things that would rather be other things. Like the other installments, this movie is just full of life lessons!
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug” on IMDB
Fantasy/Adventure, 161 Minutes, 2013
This is the continuation of Thorin Oakenshield’s quest to reclaim the throne of his forefathers from the powerful dragon Smaug. Bilbo the Hobbit has proven his worth and courage and is a true member of the company. The movie picks up as the last ended, with the company being hunted by Azog’s orc pack.
Science-Fiction/Thiller, 90 Minutes, 2013
If you liked “Gravity” (my review) then you’re a smart, discerning and, if I may say, strikingly attractive individual. You’ll also love “Europa Report”. The movie presents a highly realistic space mission; in this case a multi-year, multi-national mission to Europa, Jupiter’s sixth moon. All our (actual) evidence indicates that Europa is home to massive, warm water-oceans under its geologically active crust of ice. It’s generally understood to be our best legitimate shot of finding extraterrestrial life in the solar system.
Horror, 93 Minutes, 2012
A group of people, all of whom are down on their luck, are invited to dinner at a posh mansion by a mysterious benefactor who promises that can solve all of their financial problems. When they arrive they’re given some time to mingle and get to know one another before the true purpose of the evening is revealed: a sadistic, fatal game of “Would you Rather” for the amusement of their wealthy host. The winner is set for life, the rest lose their lives.
“A Good Day to Die Hard” on IMDB
Action, 98 Minutes, 2013
John McClane’s son is in trouble in Russia. So he runs over and learns a single anecdotal fact about the entire country from the first person that he meets. Later he hinges a major life or death decision on it. Die Hard!
Drama/Comedy, 93 Minutes, 2013
Miss Sinclair (Julianne Moore [IMDB]) is a dedicated high-school English teacher in a small, Pennsylvanian town. Her encompassing love of literature has given her an overactive romantic sensibility and little patience for ordinary relationships. She’s perfectly content being left alone with her teaching, her cats and her books.
Comedy/Drama, 90 Minutes, 2011
The Walling and Ostroff families have lived across their suburban street from one another for years. Dads David and Terry (Hugh Laurie [IMDB] and Oliver Platt [IMDB]) are best friends and moms Paige and Cathy (Catherine Keener [IMDB] and Allison Janney [IMDB]) raised their daughters together. Everybody has settled into comfortable, if not particularly happy, ruts.
Action, 116 Minutes, 2013
I’m a big fan of the original “Red” [IMDB] and, in general, of everybody involved with it. The comics are pretty damn sweet too. For those that don’t know, the story revolves around Frank Moss (played by Bruce Willis [IMDB]) a former CIA operative marked “RED” for “Retired: Extremely Dangerous”. The first movie covered how Frank met the love of his life, Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker [IMDB]), got his old team together and foiled a conspiracy that reached to the highest levels of government.
It was pretty great.
Horror, 85 Minutes, 2012
[Wife and kids are away visiting for the holidays. I’m staying home with movies and am back to the blood bucketing.]
This is pretty good ultra-low-budget horror. It’s a pretty damn bad anything else, but with a budget less than most used cars you do have to set expectations accordingly. There is often an undeniable charm to be found when literally every penny counts.
