Rating of
3/4
The House with a Clock in its Walls
Chris Kavan - wrote on 07/17/19
Jack Black makes everything better and while The House with a Clock in Its Walls could use a bit more magic - it's a fun film for the whole family... which is really weird to say because it's directed by the maestro of gory horror Eli Roth. Cate Blanchett also makes a fine addition and this horror-lite offering is mainly spooky fun.
Rating of
4/4
Magnolia
Logan D. McCoy - wrote on 07/17/19
"Magnolia" is Paul Thomas Anderson at his densest and most structured.
Rating of
3.5/4
This Land is Mine
Indyfreak - wrote on 07/16/19
A splendidly acted indictment against treachery and enemy collaboration at the height of World War 2. Charles Laughton shines as the milquetoast teacher swept up in Vichy intrigue and resistance due to his love for a fellow teacher (O'Hara). Walter Slezak is good as the lead Nazi and George Sanders has a rare nuanced role as the conflicted collaborator. The script has some standout acting moments showing that courage and bravery are more born of circumstance that reveals one's true character.
Rating of
1.5/4
Men in Black: International
akhansen - wrote on 07/13/19
There are so many reasons this movie should have been better, but the script was not one of them. Chris Hemsworth & Tessa Thompson had great chemistry that went nowhere because the writers were out to lunch. Such a disappointment.
Rating of
2.5/4
The Giver
ikkegoemikke - wrote on 07/08/19
Yet another book adaptation.
Everything is connected.
Everything is balance.
Where there is good, there is bad.
Can you imagine yourself a world without colors? A dull society where everyone is equal because some social values were smoothed and human emotions such as joy, passion, wonder, lust and love were banished. All this to ensure that conflicts won’t arise anymore. This seems to me quite frightening. Of course, this also provides a number of positive benefits, such as the non-existence of hatred, …
Rating of
2.5/4
April Fool's Day (1986)
Avantman - wrote on 07/07/19
Great underrated horror film from the 80s. Yes the twist should be seen from a mile away, but as far as unconventional horror goes, you could do worse.
Rating of
1.5/4
Dark Phoenix
Matthew Brady - wrote on 07/03/19
Dark Phoenix - Review
“You're always sorry, Charles. And there's always a speech. But nobody cares!”
Yikes.
‘Dark Phoenix’ ends with a flicker rather than a bang. It’s quite depressing that a franchise that basically breathed life into the superhero genre that we know today sadly stopped caring.
Despite everybody desperately holding on for hope that ‘Dark Phoenix’ would be a solid exist, I was the complete opposite - the evidence being in the development stages. Some have argued that …
Rating of
2/4
Justice League
Yojimbo - wrote on 06/14/19
"Justice League" by Yojimbo
In the aftermath of the death of Superman, Bruce Wayne takes it upon himself to bring together a team of super-powered individuals to take his place as defender of Earth.
Following on directly from the actually rather good Wonder Woman, Justice League falls straight back into the trap that every other DC movie that preceded it fell into; namely putting special effects and action scenes before coherent narrative and well written characters. There is literally no chemistry between any of the …
Rating of
2/4
Domino (2019)
Stoney McStonerson - wrote on 06/04/19
Domino, the new Brian Depalma film comes out kind of under the wire, with very little word. I came into it in hope that Depalma could bring back something that we don't get enough of these days. A taut thriller. Unfortunately what we get is a pretty basic, by the book so so movie. It held me enough for the first hour but the last 30 minutes seemed slapped together like the director said "let's just wrap this up"!
The acting is adequate. Directing somewhat lackluster for Depalma, no …
Rating of
3.5/4
Mary Poppins Returns
Rod - wrote on 06/02/19
The magic of Mary Poppins stays
It was real amazing how it appeared so new and fresh but very reminiscent of the original. I find it surreal when the its musicality and choreography reminds me clearly of the first Mary Poppins. I appreciate how the story line was a careful tweaking of the nostalgic story line we loved. I obviously did not see Mary Poppins (1964) on its original release dates, only to see it so much later. I admit that I have a relatively little appreciation of the original ultimately because it was not made …
