Reviews

How anyone can sit through this movie is a mystery to me. Edith Wharton's Pulitzer Prize winning novel has been adapted into an Oscar nominated film and I'm baffled on both counts. There is absolutely no chemistry or longing at all anywhere in this story. The screenwriter and director both fail in wrenching from this flat tale any kind of riveting or aching longing or heart. So dull is this tale that the characters don't express how they feel, rather some monotonous voice over must explain it to you.

Winona Ryder alone stands out as a character; the only one who pines. She alone sees the deceit in the loved ones around her, and though it breaks her heart, she allows it, knowing that she cannot stop them without destroying the lives of everyone she cares for.

Pass, pass, pass on this film. It it so beguilingly boring. 4/10

The Doctor's Dilemma is a slow burning film. At first, you aren't too sure where the story will go or what the dilemma is, if really there is one, and then you find that you have quickly and eagerly made up your mind as to what you would do in their situation. And then it sinks in: this is a human life placed in this man's hands. There are multiple people who will be affected one way or another. Is his happiness more important than theirs? Where does morality become a hindrance? When does a judgment become a condemnation? Is there truly a correct way to use power?

All of these questions become evident, not when the doctor takes on the case, and not when he finds out that his would-be-patient is a scoundrel and a scum, but when you hear how sincerely the wife of the patient (Played by Leslie Caron) pleads with the doctor to save her husband; the only man she has ever loved; The greatest man she has ever known. Caron's performance alone makes you question what to do. Should her husband be saved simply because she is a worthy woman who deserves happiness? Do you let this man die to free this woman from her trap of a marriage that will only end in her heartbreak?

John Robinson does a fantastic job of loathing the lowly husband and idolizing his martyred wife. You sense his sincere desire to help her but you feel his hatred of her husband. His dilemma is both a moral one and an emotional one and you find that, no matter how he decided, he would have made the wrong decision. A brilliant film. 7.3/10

I must be missing something. This film is revered as a classic and beloved by so many, but I don't feel the magic.

The plot, if you care to scrape together what little plot there is, is empty. There is no real conflict or trouble. This unlikable American artist living in (You guessed it) Paris, sees, meets and courts a girl young enough to be his daughter. The two, you guessed it, fall in love. But she feels beholden to another man and has agreed to marry him; a plot point that doesn't ever really seem to be a problem to anyone other than herself.

Leslie Caron acts well enough for her first role ever but the two leads have no chemistry, so you don't believe in their love or the tiny troubles that plague their romance. And for such a grandly famous musical, there doesn't seem to be any music. Sure, there are a couple of ditties, but nothing grand at all. It's almost a joke to categorize this movie as a musical.

This film falls flat for me, not living up to its own legend or the legends of its stars. What we have here is not an excellent film, but an excellent draft. A few more rewrites and this story will actually deserve the acclaim it has received, but as it is, it does not. Still, every star started out somewhere, and I thank Gene Kelly and his terrible film for introducing the world to the talented and worthy Leslie Caron. 4.5/10

If you're a fan of classic movies or fashion then you know Audrey Hepburn. Her style is iconic. The characters she crafted for film are iconic. She, as an actress, humanitarian and human being is iconic. But perhaps you don't know this film of hers.

Two For The Road takes you down that road where you get to spend your life with the one person you will love until you die. It gives you the 'happily ever after' everyone dreams of, and shows you how that 'happily' maybe isn't always so and that 'ever after' can be a long drudge til death, but it also shows you every little thing that fools you into thinking it's worth it. Our characters go through all the stages of every relationship but what's more they experience it. They don't let it just pass them by, building up to the inevitable conclusion of separation. They analyze, they endure, they work harder.

Hepburn is perhaps at the best she's ever been. This role called for her to be airy and light, young and in love yet it also needed her to be jaded and wizened. She must bounce between ingénue and battle axe and she does so masterfully, never showing contempt for the work or the man that she loves. Finney is right up there with her. He matches her blow for blow as he passively judges and sneers at his wife one minute, then dotes on his new bride the next.

The screenplay called for nuance and integrity. It called for heartache, heartbreak, loyalty and betrayal. But most importantly it called for determination. Hepburn and Finney show us all of the ups and downs of a relationship and just how worth it they feel it is. You can see how the negative aspects of love wear and tear at their heartstrings and win a few battles but the war is ongoing and they are determined to win. They show us all that love and the perfect relationship is not handed to you on a silver platter, but earned through the hard work you put into it year after year. 9/10

'Keeping up with the Joneses' isn't that hard to keep up with, but it is fun. Not the funniest film ever written, nor is it the most original, but then, it's not trying to be. This movie knows what it is and knows what it's not and plays its hand beautifully.

Isla Fisher's character is easily the most interesting while Gal Gadot's is the funniest. The males are dry and uninspired, one too suave and Bond- like while secretly hating his job, the other a bumbling idiot that tries too hard to get laughs from the audience. The screenwriters didn't delve into their vaults for anything of value when penning this script and could have worked a little harder to have the film keep up with you.

Nothing here will stay with you forever but there are worse ways to spend an afternoon. 6/10

Is Tim Burton's latest film trek into the wonky and wonderful perfect? Of course not; it's confusing and a little unclear, but is it the most Tim Burton we've gotten in a long while? Yes, it absolutely is.

Burton handles the scary, at times out-of-bounds children's story like a professional, and what's more, like one that loves what he's working with. He takes all of the dark elements and places them under a magnifying glass to keep the creep factor and even unnerve you a little with the terrifying slender men who want the children. He brings color and magic to this world of science and science fiction, crafting a film for both children and adults.

Perhaps the one flaw in this fun romp through time is the heart of the story. Are we supposed to care for Jake, (Asa Butterfield) his grandfather (Terrance Stamp), Miss Peregrine herself (Eva Green) or Emma (Ella Purnell) one of the many Peculiar Children? Though the story itself clearly follows one of these characters, it is abundantly apparent that the soul, indeed, the very life of the story flows from one of these other characters, but which one is it?

Ignoring this flaw is easy at first, but once the story evolves into this heroic, horrifying and heartbreaking tale that includes death, love and redemption, it is easier to see that something is missing. And that something is the something that would have elevated this movie from good to great.

All in all though, a fun family film that is reminiscent of "The Golden Compass" and all of the childhood magic that still lives within us all. 7.5/10

Disney Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur" misses nearly every mark it attempts to hit. It just tries too hard to tug at your heartstrings and falls into the trap of telling and not showing. It spends the first forty minutes telling you just how poor little Arlo struggles with life, telling us that he needs our sympathy instead of letting us reach that conclusion on our own. The film also didn't quite seem to know where to take the story; adding unnecessary deaths and random villainous characters to motivate our hero who doesn't seem to be motivated to do much of anything.

The story could have worked just as well, perhaps even better without the entire premise of humans and dinosaurs living side be side. It cheapened the tale to a knock off of a much superior film you might know called "Ice Age." Disney is known for its heartwarming and honest tales of self discovery that help to shape the children who see them, but this one will certainly be categorized as a miss and forgotten shortly hereafter.

The movie does have its entertaining moments, particularly with the wrangling cowboy Tyrannosauruses, but overall this film can be passed over without your having missed much. 6/10

Not the people who star in this wanton documentary, oh no. They have souls and they pine for their pasts and they regret profoundly, the way that we all do. They simply have the misfortune of having their innermost regrets and thoughts splayed out comically for all the world to see.

I felt for these women so acutely. They love each other and fit together like a favorite pair of well worn shoes, but their devotion to each other seems to have robbed them of the vibrancy that they used to posses. They bicker and poke at each other because it's all they have left of the joys of life, a life that was more than enough for the both of them until these movie makers decided to bring up 'what ifs' and 'could have beens' from the past. It just seemed so cruel to put them through it.

It was also unkind the way that they present the house as a dump when, from where I'm sitting, it looks like a perfectly comfortable and homey place to live. Just because these women don't adhere to the standard of the one percent doesn't make their home--full of warmth and genuine affection, a squalor shack. I cannot get behind this famed documentary because it cruelly dramatizes the wasted hopes and past dreams of a mother and daughter who lived, by any standards, a full life. Cruelty should not be regarded as art.

Little Mermaid, and independent and not widely known interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen's classic and most beloved fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" is a powerful, faithful and tragic retelling of the story.

Our heroine wishes to be human and sells her voice to the sea witch, classic right? But here they show us in vivid, intimate and hurtful detail just how big a part human interaction plays in this tragedy. Petty jealousies and misunderstandings unwittingly send the two lovers into a downward spiral that ends only in suffering. The Sea Witch plays a wicked part, too.

This is a true fairy tale full of all of the love and heartbreak that turns a simple child's story into an epic of character, emotion and essence. 8/10

The Ghostbusters all female reboot has taken some shots, I'll admit. Maybe some even deservedly so, but how many of those shots were taken after the people saw the movie? After they judged it on its own merit and not in comparison to the now classic original it's set to reboot? None, I'll bet, and that's a shame, because it really isn't all that bad.

This movie works on a few levels, the first being that it's funny. Say what you will about it, but you can't deny the sheer comedy power that these ladies have and share. This reboot was, in my opinion at least, way funnier than its predecessors which, to me, came across as more scary than they meant to be. The female comedians make less obvious slap stick jokes and are funny because they each in turn poke subtle fun at their own remade version. Yes making this reboot the mere butt of the joke does come across as belittling their own skills as comedians and actors, but not so much that you cannot enjoy how funny the jokes are. "Ain't no bitches gonna hunt no ghosts," was one of the funniest things I've heard all year.

Another thing that worked for this movie was how persistent it was in not simply copying what came before. A few homages and cameos were thrown in to appease the woman hating purists out there, but all in all the script didn't rehash what we've already seen and let the Ghostbusting world take on new problems. I enjoyed a new Ghostbusters story-line so much that it kept my mind off of the fact that this was indeed an unnecessary remake.

There were a few things, however, that didn't work for the film. The biggest problem it had was making this reboot an all female one without actually making the women, women. Each character could have easily been played by a man, or even a putty monster. There was nothing specific in this movie that made it mandatory for them to be women or that propelled feminism or women rights. It was a hugely wasted opportunity. You expect them to tackle these things with something that identifies them as women but instead they just make their GhostPacks pink. Oooh pink because they're girls. Give me a break...

The original Ghostbusters worked so well because it was original. It worked because it came out in a time where campy, corny fun was all the rage. In this more cynical and jaded world a movie like this has no staying power. It was a great go at revamping a beloved franchise, but I can't help but think that under a different guise this movie would have done better. Dressing up this ghostly comedy as Ghostbusters didn't take, but if you called it anything else then it would have held its own.

That being said, this movie was not bad. Not bad at all. Not the best movie ever, but not bad. 6/10

Postcards from the Edge is a painfully compelling story about a young and talented actress overshadowed by her older and wildly famous actress mother.

This movie, based on Carrie Fisher's novel of the same name, expertly explores the relationship of the parent/child who work in the same industry. You can see how competitive they get and how proud of one another they are. You can't help but compare their vices--one likes hard liquor and the other likes hard drugs--and how they go about denying that they have them.

Streep and MacLaine play off of each other masterfully and really understand the relationship between the two characters. Maclaine steals the show with her subtle nuances that remind the viewer of who she is not-so-secretly-secretly channeling (For those of you who don't know, the story is based on Fisher's relationship with her mother Debbie Reynolds) though Streep hits her stride as the rain clouded daughter who refuses to be outshone.

The harrowing heart of the story is enough to keep you engrossed for days, but you'll have to settle for the meager 100 minutes they give you. (Trust me, it flies by)

Carrie Fisher proves that she has real artistic talent as she (Also wrote the screenplay) demonstrates most profoundly that she can capture the human heart and all of its trappings.

Although the tale is one of a tumultuous and troubled relationship between the two stars, you will not fail to see the unconditional love that shines through right to the very end. 8.5/10

Blue Jay is a soft film about everlasting love and reuniting with the version of yourself that you understand the most; one that you probably didn't realize you missed. It follows the same stream of consciousness that most Duplass Brothers film adopt, but it keeps it feeling fresh with the help of a luminous and scene stealing Sarah Paulson.

Our characters are full of that common, but hard to capture on screen, insecurity and awkwardness that makes adulthood so difficult. They clearly want to spend time together but are unsure of the "rules" that they must follow. Their past weighs heavily on them but their affection overshadows, at least for a time, a dark corner of it.

Duplass and Paulson have a fantastic and organic chemistry, saying more with their eyes and body language than most actors can say with a speech. You follow their trepidation with interest and root for them to find some closure or happiness, whether with or without each other, and aren't left unsatisfied. The movie's melodic rhythm drives its duration so smoothly that before you know it you are saying goodbye to characters who seem more like family than friends, both to each other and to the viewer.

A throwback to the Golden Age of Hollywood, this movie is a gem to any movie lover who appreciates the art of storytelling. 7.5/10

'Into The Forest' is a post apocalyptic film about two sister learning to survive on their own in their cabin home. The film hits the ground running, immediately relieving the characters of their electricity and forcing their ingenuity to take form.

There is nothing foreign or alien about the film. There isn't a war going on and their isn't an invasion from another planet; society just stops working. This leaves you chilled to the bone as the things that were once commonplace become the very things that nightmares are made of. The human element of this film is both what gives you the hope to move forward and the despair that holds you back. There is also an element of unease that makes you nervous the entire time because we all know that people cannot be trusted.

Page and Wood excel in this character piece about survival and loyalty, and will make you want to go home and hug your sister. 7/10

Ooof, such vast potential. Such an excellent cast, and yet, so very disappointing.

Before you bite my head off, let me just say this: Blue Velvet has a very enticing premise, and some truly great performances that are well worth the hype that they have received, it's just that the script wasn't worthy of the performances given. Do you understand?

Isabella Rossellini is striking as the club singer/mother who is brutalized (And enjoys it) by a sadistic psychopath. She shows us that beneath every wholesome person lies the very real (And sometimes masochistic) desires for sexual pleasure, and I love her for it. Her performance is stirring. It's raw and honest; even if that honesty is something she (And we) would never admit to.

But that is where the movie's originality and allure ends. Laura Dern is completely useless as the High School Sweet Heart and Kyle Maclachlan, though not totally inept as a junior investigator, doesn't go the distance in making us believe that this is a mystery film and not just a romp through some weird suburban neighborhood where housewives are kinky and police officers are corrupt.

The prestige bestowed on this movie is not really deserved. The director, the script and even some of the actors are afraid to take the tale where it is longing to go, and it's a shame, because the sexual intrigue and deadly game of cat and mouse that they tease you with is really the movie you are interested in seeing. 6.4/10

'Love, Rosie' hits the sweet spot. Yes it is a romantic comedy so you can probably guess the outcome, but this movie, unlike most RomComs isn't about how it ends, it's about the journey to get there.

Collins and Clafin's characters are the best of friends and are in love, the problem is that they don't know it. The two are so focused on using their heads that they don't use their emotions to navigate this tricky path called life. Through thick and thin they have each other's backs and no matter how much they grow to hate each other, they remain the closest of friends.

An accurate portrayal of the male/female friendship, 'Love, Rosie' doesn't over-sentimentalize the characters or their own emotional plights, and it keeps you wondering how the film will turn out right to the very end. 7.8/10

Complete Unknown is a refreshing and invigorating trip to the theater. The film is a subtle and quiet character study of anyone who has ever felt trapped anywhere. Our protagonist (Rachel Weisz) goes by many names: Alice, Mae, Jennifer, Sasha, and her origin and life story alter with each personality. But Alice (as she introduces herself to the others) is lost and needs an anchor to steady herself in the life of vast experiences in which she has caged herself; and that is where Tom (Michael Shannon) comes in.

Alice travels to where he is to be able to see him again and to keep herself from forgetting who she is at her core. Tom lends her his sympathetic and understanding ear and reminds her how exhilarating it can be to have shared memories with someone you love, while she shows him how freeing it can be to just walk away from things that you don't.

The film meanders about; never rushing to get to its point, perhaps even a bit unsure of what its point is, but the mystery and suspense keep you glued to the screen. These characters understand the need to have a constant in your life which keep your tether from being cut. What you do from then on is entirely up to you. 6.6/10

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies is a poorly stitched together attempt at reinvigorating a classic Austen tale. The story follows a heroine by the name of Elizabeth Bennet and her tempestuous and misinterpreted romance with a man named Fitzwilliam Darcy as they navigate their feelings for each other and a zombie filled landscape that they call home. Their names, however, are the only things to actually resemble the iconic story that millions of readers fall in love with every year.

The film is so bloated with zombie battles and undead cries that you lose the heart of what made the book so enjoyable. The screenwriters warped and deformed the book so that the only thing you recognize in it is the name. Many a book-to-movie lover will be bewildered at the strange turns this film takes and tired out by the generic story that they've put in its place. I wouldn't recommend this to Austen fans, and I don't think I'd even recommend it to Zombie fans. 5/10

I'm not a fan of horror movies. In fact I tend to actively avoid them, but the premise of this one (A strange and sadistic man terrorizes a deaf and mute recluse) intrigued me. The added thrill of the would-be-victim's complete helplessness because she can't hear him coming was just too original to ignore.

The film switches between sound and silence; allowing you, for small periods of time, to experience the horror the way our poor protagonist does. This adds a unique spook factor that even the most jaded horror movie buff will appreciate.

The style with which the script and director chose to tell the story gives a few twist that are fun to have thrust upon you unsuspectingly. Overall I think that this thriller is one to watch as its subtleties will help to revive a genre that is increasingly filled with cheap thrills and prosaic antics that fail to scare anyone. 'Hush' successfully pushes past your expectations. 7/10

Stage Beauty grips you from the very beginning as you are beguiled and horrified by the painted faces of the men that take the stage as women. They story follows Ned Kynaston (Billy Crudup) as England's best "Female" actor and his dresser Maria Hughes (Claire Danes) as they traipse through life on stage and behind the scenes. Kynaston hides behind his female counterparts long after the curtain has dropped and Hughes harbors two secret desires--one being her love of acting and the other being her love of Kynaston.

As Hughes's career skyrockets while Kynaston's descends, she finds that perhaps she isn't as brilliant an actress as she thought while he finds that he knows absolutely nothing of how to be a man. The movie takes you through these realizations at lightning speed, not bothering to hold your hand and spell it out. Danes's character, still harboring affection for Crudup's seeks him out, and the two embark on a journey to teach the other what they know: how to electrify the stage and how to be yourself in a world that will pigeonholed you to the part they think you should play. Danes and Crudup shine in this drama. A truly beautiful and original film. 7.2/10

Inside Daisy Clover, although it starts off a little dazed, is a solid story of the harsh, sometimes rotten world of Hollywood. Daisy Clover is a street urchin with a golden voice and gets unbelievably lucky when she is signed to be a star. She navigates the realm of celebrity with the naivety of any uneducated fifteen year old but grows in wisdom and strength as the industry and the people who work within it take advantage of her inexperience and vulnerability.

Natalie Wood shows a more serious side of her talent as she expertly and believably suffers through the world that every kid dreams of. Her pathos and subtly pull you into the plight of her character without it feeling overbearing or melodramatic.

Almost without a cohesive storyline--the movie plays out more like a year in the life--but with a plethora of misdeeds that happen to our young heroine, I promise that you will be glued to your seat, hoping that she will not be swallowed up by the greed and manipulation that stardom breeds. 7/10

The Big Street is one of the few films that cast Lucille Ball as the leading lady. She had an iffy relationship with films before fame found her with "I Love Lucy" and watching this film I can see why. She has this sparkle and this charm, but for some reason her power is not charged to 100%. She plays the gangsters moll very well, and you can easily see her fitting the part of the villain's-girl-with-a-heart-of-gold, but that isn't who she is here. She's just snarky and beneath everyone.

She is lovely to look at and she does attempt to encapsulate and encompass herself in the character, but it doesn't work. I unfortunately believe that Ball is more of a character actress than a leading lady. She steals the show as the Best Friend or wacky neighbor, but in the spotlight her sparkling light fails to shine through.

The script is also promising, but the last forty five minutes or so derail the story and you're wondering what went wrong. Henry Fonda is horribly cast and isn't very believable as the gullible chump who is infatuated with Ball's character. He's gaunt and sallow and looks far too menacing to be the good guy.

This movie sounded promising, and you will watch it eagerly for the cast and premise but it will only let you down. This is a prime example of mediocrity during the Golden Age of film, and will prove the point that not all "old movies" are "classics". 5.7/10

The Homesman is an odd movie that probably most accurately conveys the stress and fatigue of frontier life.

Swank's character is charged with the care of three insane women and enlists the help of a ne'er-do-well to help her herd them back east. She adeptly conveys the outward strength of her character with the inward draining loneliness and insecurities that women faced out there alone. Jones's character contrasted that with the spitfire of life and his surviving all of the hell that the West puts anyone through with a mocking smile.

The two make a well matched, albeit unlikely pair. They seem to compliment each other even as they fail to understand just what makes the other one tick. Swank is righteous and God fearing; a hard working and extremely likable woman who battles her loneliness as best she can. Trying desperately to see the bright side of things. Jones is surly and apathetic. Not caring a wit about anyone but himself and forcing himself to look the other way rather than view the demons this woman has on her shoulders.

It has its high points and its low points but it keeps you intrigued for its slow duration. Swank looks at home in this costume piece and Jones knows how to handle the story, even if the ending leaves you feeling slightly bereft and more than a little bewildered. 6.8/10

'Kyss Mig' or 'Kiss Me', the Swedish film about two women who become attracted to each other over the course of a family weekend hits all of the required sweet spots for a 'We're here and Queer' flick. The characters glance and are attracted, one of them pulls away either afraid of their feelings or of what society thinks. The other is brave and headstrong, diving into their relationship with both feet. This formulaic film does everything right, with engaging characters that inwardly and outwardly debate as to whether or not homosexuality is okay.

The only thing that may hinder this otherwise fun film is how safe it plays it. There is no real obstacle that the two lovers have to face other than their own insecurities. Their families are accepting and society doesn't really care anymore. This movie is less a 'plight of the gay' than a more modern 'it's only in your mind' fear, which in itself is a problem, so this movie's theme and lesson is to show people that it is okay to be yourself. The world has evolved so that your sexual orientation is your own business. It takes away from the suspense and reward of watching these two navigate their romantic relationship, but it also makes you feel proud of the world and how it is conforming to the idea of free love.

Nothing groundbreaking here, but a very warm and fuzzy romance that will make you smile more than once. 7.2/10

Show Me Love, although decades old and a little dated still rings with the universal and inescapable truth that all angst ridden teenagers have to deal with; the question: Who Am I?

Our two heroines are dealing with these emotions internally and on their own. Their plight is the same and they can recognize a kindred spirit in the other but are too shy or conscious ridden to act on it.

This film is more than a "Lesbian Movie." It is about more than just the sexual orientation of the two leads (Who just happen to be female.) It is about how scared we are of society and of what others think. It is about breaking free of repression, whether it be physical or in your mind. Rebecka Liljeberg and Alexandra Dahlstrom convey this with the subtleties and emotions that only the most exceptional actors can express. They show us that it is okay to be alone and who you are. Not to apologize for who or what you love and to stand strong when faced with adversity. Because half of the time it is only in your head. This movie will forever be a classic in the LGBT world.

10/10

Love and Friendship, Austen's least revered story, hits the screen with a loud BANG! Lady Susan (Kate Beckinsale) is witty, flattering and charming, all the while being cunning, manipulative and self serving. She easily flips the situation to show her in the most positive light, much to the vexation of the women populace and to the bedazzlement of the men.

Beckinsale hits her stride as the anti hero of the film and has never been better on screen. The supporting players are all hilarious as well as her servile friends or 'unwarranted' enemies.

The utter charm of this film will speckle your eyes with wonder and leave you wanting more.

Love and Friendship will makes you ponder what those words truly mean, and whether or not they are of any use to you. A brilliant film. 8.7/10