As senior-citizen action films go, this one is pretty good. That’s not really fair; star / producer Jackie Chan is only 63, and is still better equipped to tackle movie terrorists than most of us will ever be. And let’s […]
Continue reading »Category: Recent Releases
The Snowman (2017) ☆ ☆
Internationally set-crime thrillers can be great (see The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy, or The Secret in Their Eyes for elegant proof), but this one is a mess of a movie. Set in Norway, it is beautifully photographed and handsomely acted, but […]
Continue reading »Victoria and Abdul (2017) ☆ ☆ ☆
Tis the season for British (and Indian) history films, what with Viceroy’s House and this comedy-drama, both of which explore the uneasy relationship between an occupied nation and its occupier. Victoria and Abdul documents the largely unknown-to-the-public story of how Queen […]
Continue reading »Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) ☆ ☆
I was surprised to thoroughly enjoy Kingsman: The Secret Service a few years ago; its blend of James Bond-ish intrigue, ultra-violent action and sardonic wit was quite appealing. Now it has a sequel, positing that the “Kingsman” secret service is almost […]
Continue reading »Colossal (2017) ☆ ☆ 1/2
A monster movie with Anne Hathaway as a woman able to control a monster’s movements? I had to see this. Colossal is more of a character piece than an actual monster movie, and it is unlike anything I’ve ever seen […]
Continue reading »Logan Lucky (2017) ☆ ☆ ☆
Satire is tricky, especially when a film’s subject is rife with common stereotypes and attitudes. Logan Lucky attempts to balance on the fine line between presenting quirky characters in odd situations and making fun of them as they commit an […]
Continue reading »Viceroy’s House (2017) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
I like historical dramas which illuminate corners of history of which I am sadly unaware; such is the case with Viceroy’s House. This British – Indian – Swedish co-production describes in incredible detail the turmoil which occurred when Britain officially withdrew […]
Continue reading »Despicable Me 3 (2017) ☆ ☆ 1/2
I have mixed feelings about this animated franchise just as I have about its most popular feature — the Minions. On the one hand they are cute and funny and different, yet on the other they are annoying little yellow […]
Continue reading »The Glass Castle (2017) ☆ 1/2
The Glass Castle is a very difficult movie for me to review, simply because I came to hate its key character. Based on a memoir by Jeanette Walls (which I have not read), the film describes Jeanette’s turbulent life, made […]
Continue reading »Wind River (2017) ☆ ☆ ☆ 1/2
This is my kind of thriller — one which presents a genuine mystery at its outset, slowly builds not just suspense but solid, intriguing characterizations and situational complexity before exploding into jarring, thoroughly believable action. The action, when it finally […]
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