Reviews

Okay the system wouldn't post with my all caps shout, but just know that this is a Great Freaking Movie!!

The story is fresh, the dialog sparkling, & the production is well- executed. Vincent D'Onofrio is, as I have come to expect, superb. It was nice to see Holland Taylor, known to many as Alan & Charlie Harper's mom on "Two and A Half Men," but will always remain in my heart the sexually talented Judge Roberta Kittleson on both "Ally McBeal" and "The Practice." I had never before heard of writer/director Brad Anderson, Ms. Taylor's nephew, but will certainly look for his work in future.

The big shock of this enterprise is Marisa Tomei. For all the movies in which I had seen her, and the maybe-she-won-maybe-she-didn't Oscar, I had just never been impressed. I am now. Her emotional presence in this role is outstanding. Furthermore, there are moments when she is just so cute I was drop-jawed, college crush beguiled.

See this dang movie!

This story is a lot of fun. I asked several times, "How'd they do that?" Sure, there are some cracks in the illusion wall, but it's FICTION folks! I wanted this movie to entertain me, not revise my concept of the world. And I was pleased with the experience.

As it ended I thought of how a sequel might run, & sure enough there is already a synopsis posted for "Now You See Me 2." I hope it gets made & released. I'll see it.

Since IMDb member reviews require a minimum of 10 lines for publication, I'll insert a weak Chuck Lorre vanity card imitation here. I've never paused the screen to actually read through a single CLP vanity card, but I learned that some are collected at http://www.chucklorre.com/index- bbt.php?p=349.

I enjoyed the tension of this story, but if a real President were to act as did Morgan Feeeman's character I would kill him myself. I enjoyed the tension of this story, but if a real President were to act as did Morgan Feeeman's character I would kill him myself. I enjoyed the tension of this story, but if a real President were to act as did Morgan Feeeman's character I would kill him myself. I enjoyed the tension of this story, but if a real President were to act as did Morgan Feeeman's character I would kill him myself. I enjoyed the tension of this story, but if a real President were to act as did Morgan Feeeman's character I would kill him myself.

It's not John Ford, but THE WARRIOR'S WAY is an outstanding western. A blend of east & west, live action & CGI, far eastern mysticism & carnies, classic western film guitar & spaghetti western horns, with a whole new spin on a man, a woman, & a baby. Danny Huston is spectacular, Kate Bosworth brings it, and Geoffrey Rush & Tony Cox are great. This is the first I've seen of the lead, Dong-gun Jang, & I liked him. Thanks Netflix, I almost missed it. It's not John Ford, but THE WARRIOR'S WAY is an outstanding western. A blend of east & west, live action & CGI, far eastern mysticism & carnies, classic western film guitar & spaghetti western horns, with a whole new spin on a man, a woman, & a baby. Danny Huston is spectacular, Kate Bosworth brings it, and Geoffrey Rush & Tony Cox are great. This is the first I've seen of the lead, Dong-gun Jang, & I liked him. Thanks Netflix, I almost missed it.

This film is underrated. Perhaps Julianne Hough is unready for a leading role but the rest of the cast is competent, the scenery is nice, and the story is strong. Quite strong. I'm happy to admit that wordsmith Nicholas Sparks had me right where he wanted me before the big reveal. Let him take you there, too, & enjoy the ride.

This film is underrated. Perhaps Julianne Hough is unready for a leading role but the rest of the cast is competent, the scenery is nice, and the story is strong. Quite strong. I'm happy to admit that wordsmith Nicholas Sparks had me right where he wanted me before the big reveal. Let him take you there, too, & enjoy the ride.

I don't like Quentin Tarantino movies, so I only saw "Django" because this year I want to see all the Academy Awards Best Picture nominees before the awards ceremony. MUCH better than I expected. Weird, but compelling, & in places outstanding. Jamie Foxx is good, as I always expect him to be. Samuel L. Jackson extends himself. Christoph Waitz, & Leonardo DiCaprio are smoking'! Add a couple of nice cameos & a good story, and I couldn't help but like this movie. I don't like Quentin Tarantino movies, so I only saw "Django" because this year I want to see all the Academy Awards Best Picture nominees before the awards ceremony. MUCH better than I expected. Weird, but compelling, & in places outstanding. Jamie Foxx is good, as I always expect him to be. Samuel L. Jackson extends himself. Christoph Waitz, & Leonardo DiCaprio are smoking'! Add a couple of nice cameos & a good story, and I couldn't help but like this movie.

I saw "Les Miserable" at noon on Christmas Day with my wife & grown son in a movie theater where well-dressed waiters brought sparkling water to our seats to go along with our hummus and eggplant dip. It was a much better & pricier film venue than we usually patronize, but it seemed appropriate, given our extraordinarily high expectations for the film. And besides, it's near my brother's home, where we spent Christmas.

I did my homework preparing to see "Les Mis" critically, having spent dozens of hours singing along with various stage company soundtracks, and several thousand tickets at The Fabulous Fox over the last 20+ years. I downloaded the film's soundtrack a few days before Christmas, prompting a few snarky Facebook postings question Russell Crowe's contributions. I once even got a couple of hundred pages into an English translation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece (too many French names to keep up with, it turned out missed the music too much to read all the way through it). I read up a bit on France's June rebellion of 1832.

At the end of the day, several things about "Les Mis" exceeded my expectations. Hugh Jackman & Anne Hathaway were even better than I anticipated. Samantha Barks and Eddie Redmayne were especially outstanding. Colm Wilkinson was delightful as the Bishop of Dinge. Amanda Seyfried & Helen Bonham Carter were pleasant surprises. Sacha Baron Cohen surprised me by putting his own effective spin on Thenardier. Many, many others made their old familiar roles fresh & new.

My big shock was the success of Russell Crowe's performance. In the vacuum of the soundtrack, his voice seemed outclassed by his cast mates. On screen, however, his Javert was multidimensional & most satisfying. I've been a Russell Crowe fan since "Gladiator," & I was excited when his casting was announced, but after hearing the soundtrack I identified two big mistakes in this film's production: Hiring Russell Crowe, & not firing him after his first day on the set. He made it work with his screen presence, though.

Not all the changes worked for me. Creative makeup designs tried to evoke the disease & the squalor of 19th century France, but came out alarmingly close to 21st century zombie apocalypse.

All in all though, "Les Mis" is a winner. Les Mis devotees & musical theater aficionados have something new to love. If musical theater is your thing, this is your movie. If you are a musical theater neophyte & this film doesn't turn you on to the genre, don't waste any more money trying to catch the bug. This one's as good as it gets.

If in life there are moments of excellence, and swing-and-a-miss whiffs, then "Hope Springs" is a real-life look at a couple in their fourth decade of marriage. When the story takes the audience painfully into the depths of their physical and emotional estrangement, it excels in the topics addressed and leaves us wanting more about those left unsaid.

What they did, though, they did very well. I expect great performances at every outing from Meryl Streep & Tommy Lee Jones, and in this film they are great together. Steve Carrell is both subtle & expressive in my favorite of his film performances. I won't spoil the cameos, but they are fun!

My wife of thirty years & I picked up on lots of inside jokes for the old fart crowd that may fly over younger heads still full of hair, but go see "Hope Springs" anyway. Find your love & stay together, youngsters. It'll come to you.

Greed! Guns! Professional wrestling! Domestic violence! An arrogant yankee! Corrupt politicians! Misogyny! Lingerie biker babe assassins! Fishin'! Hard drink in' & hard drivin'! Sibling rivalry! Big-hearted killers! Family tragedy! Racial violence! Lynard Skynard! Road rage! Stereotypical rednecks, African-Americans, & Native Americans! Illegal aliens (actually, the only demographic represented favorably)! Spanish moss! Theological musing! An arrow through the knee (okay, not specifically Southern, but a nice touch)! If the goal was to jam as many slams on the South as a small-budget movie could handle, then writer/director Barry Battles' "The Baytown Outlaws" is a great success.

Yet in spite of all the negativity directed toward my fellow Southerners & our homeland, there is some good work in this film. The story is implausible, but stimulating. Clayne Crawford & Travis Fimmel as bad boy brothers bring unexpected depth to their characters, as does Andre Braugher as a powerful Southern Sheriff. Nice work, Barry Battles. Next time how about pickin' on some yankee bastards.

The movie description is accurate: "While settling his recently deceased father's estate, a salesman discovers he has a sister whom he never knew about, leading both siblings to re- examine their perceptions about family and life choices." But there is much more. This is an outstanding story, well executed. Olivia Wilde is wasted in her role, much like Gwineth Paltrow in "Se7en." Chris Pine does just fine, and Michelle Pfieffer is surprisingly good. The real star is Elizabeth Banks, who gives an outstanding, career-defining performance. The woman has range! Giving this film an 8 might be on the short side, but I save 9 & 10 for ageless classics, & this ain't one of 'em. Still, though, a terrific movie

I assumed that since the US Navy declined involvement in this film's production that it would be negatively oriented toward the US Naval Academy, & so I wouldn't like it. As it happened, I enjoyed this story. I don't think it in any way reflects life at our Naval Academy, but it's a good story. I assumed that since the US Navy declined involvement in this film's production that it would be negatively oriented toward the US Naval Academy, & so I wouldn't like it. As it happened, I enjoyed this story. I don't think it in any way reflects life at our Naval Academy, but it's a good story. I assumed that since the US Navy declined involvement in this film's production that it would be negatively oriented toward the US Naval Academy, & so I wouldn't like it. As it happened, I enjoyed this story. I don't think it in any way reflects life at our Naval Academy, but it's a good story.

Really more enjoyable than I expected. The Mark Harmon character is a cad, but hey, he even made Ted Bundy somewhat appealing. The girls are believable, the friends are good, and the plot ends predictably yet still manages to entertain. I'm glad I saw it. Really more enjoyable than I expected. The Mark Harmon character is a cad, but hey, he even made Ted Bundy somewhat appealing. The girls are believable, the friends are good, and the plot ends predictably yet still manages to entertain. I'm glad I saw it.Really more enjoyable than I expected. The Mark Harmon character is a cad, but hey, he even made Ted Bundy somewhat appealing. The girls are believable, the friends are good, and the plot ends predictably yet still manages to entertain. I'm glad I saw it.