Mini Reviews
John Carter (out now) is not the adventure I'd hope it would be. I warmed to star Taylor Kitsch (who sounds a lot like Clint Eastwood) but the story was confusing. It is set on Mars and no one seems to like each other... but I'm not sure what they were all fighting about. Grade: C+.
Coriolanus (out Mar 8) is a great story. Ralph Fiennes (with his nose back after the Harry Potter franchise) and Vanessa Redgrave are terrific. Sadly, the film's impact is lessened by the choice to use Shakespearean dialect in a modern day setting. Grade: B.
Headhunters (out Mar 8) is a Norwegian thriller about an art thief who tries to get his hands on a $100m painting before the authorities catch on to his identity. It's moderately entertaining but the twists are a little silly. Grade: B.
The Devil Inside (out now) wasn't good. How many films about exorcisms have been made in the past year? It takes too long to get started and it's not remotely scary or creepy. The fake-documentary format adds nothing either. Grade: C+.
Buck (out now) doesn't contain any great revelations but it's still a moderately interesting documentary about "horse whisperer" Buck Brannaman and how he learned from his difficult upbringing and became an expert in helping troubled horses. Grade: B.
Project X (out Mar 1) begs the question - could a film have less plot and character development? It's just a giant party shot like a home movie. From the 30 minute mark, you'll see nothing more than (1) short slow-mo music montages, and (2) tits & ass shots. I can see this making money... but many will be horribly offended. Has no chance with the female demographic. Grade: C.
A Separation (out Mar 1) won the Oscar for best foreign language film and now I know why. An outsider could see these characters as deeply flawed. That’s not the reality however. Writer-director Asghar Farhadi slips us into their shoes and we appreciate each of their perspectives. Life is rarely clear-cut and you can’t always rely on a textbook when faced when a tough ethical dilemma. Do see this movie. Grade: A.
Carnage (out Mar 1) is easy to describe. It is set entirely within an apartment building and the whole movie is spent watching four characters engage in a heated debate. Perhaps this story works better on stage… but I honestly don’t know what all the fuss is about. The story and dialogue felt so horribly contrived. That said, I did enjoy the humorous insults (particularly those from Christoph Waltz). Grade: B-.
Like Crazy (out Mar 1) is a nice, sweet, simple romantic drama about long distance relationships. It won the audience award at Sundance and the performance of Felicity Jones highlights her natural ability. I can't wait to see her in more roles. Grade: B+.
Late Bloomers (out now) is about two boring people who live a boring life. For that reason, this is a boring film. Both of these characters are in their 60s the story revolves around their relationship breakdown and their struggle to deal with "old age". Grade: C+.
Gone (out now) is a limp thriller about a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) who believes her sister has been kidnapped by a serial killer. No one believes her (including the cops) because of her recent stint in a mental asylum. I went along with this story and its dumb characters for a while... but the pathetic ending left me running for the exit. Grade: C.
