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Movie Reviews

The Grey

Rated: R

Joe Carnahan’s “The Grey” is a study in surviving in the cold wilderness of the far north. It’s an odd mixture of this survival story and philosophical quandaries that ends up missing one key ingredient, and yet the film is not completely without its merits. There are points where you can feel the filmmakers really trying to get their point across, only to have it lost again in a film that gets its story stuck in a rut.

Red Tails

Rated: PG-13

“Red Tails” is an attempt to tell the tale of the brave African-American squadron of fighter pilots who flew multiple missions during World War II. It’s a tale that deserves to be told, but it’s also one that deserves better treatment than the filmmakers give it here, because the way it’s presented in this film, you would think that they aren’t taking the subject particularly seriously.

The Innkeepers

Rated: R

It seems that we traditionally get one or two of these “haunted house” films a year. Sometimes they are done extremely well with a prime example being “The Others,” where atmosphere and story blend together to form an effective thriller. Then there are other times where things almost come together, such as with the recent “Insidious,” where the atmosphere is present, but the story gets too far out there to be affective.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Rated: R

Lynne Ramsay’s “We Need to Talk About Kevin” is a bleak, depressing, and haunting portrait of a woman who tries to come to terms with the fact that her son is a monster. It slowly unravels its tale through flashbacks that tell us what happened to make this so. There is, of course, no easy explanation, but rather a series of events that point to a few possibilities of how things got to be the way they are. What unfolds is not an easy story to watch, but it is also one of the best films of the year.

Haywire

Rated: R

This week, I’ve seen all kinds of storytelling techniques. There’s been a film with a thread of a story trying to prop itself up on action sequences. There’s been a film that actually had an engaging storyline that made itself more and more intense by upping the stakes. Now we have a peculiar way of trying to tell a story that does a little better than the first, which is saving the last ten minutes of the film for an attempt to put one together at the last minute, but which unfortunately doesn’t meet the standards of the second.

Contraband

Rated: R

Baltasar Kormakur’s “Contraband” may seem like the standard, clichéd action movie that we’ve seen several times before, but it’s also one of the instances where it’s done surprisingly well. Here’s a film that could have simply put the story on autopilot for the whole movie and allowed the action scenes to take over, but the story is actually the surprising element. It twists and turns and takes the audience right along for the ride, allowing you to get caught up in wondering what could possibly happen next.

Underworld: Awakening

Rated: R

“Underworld: Awakening” was a very odd movie-going experience. The film was on the screen and was suddenly off again. Approximately 80 minutes had passed by, but absolutely nothing of consequence had occurred during that time. This was a film that was so soulless and so lifeless that it had not made a single bit of impact while it was playing. It’s no wonder the studio decided to release it in January, aka “dump month.”

The Iron Lady

Rated: PG-13

Phyllida Lloyd’s “The Iron Lady” presents a portrait of one of the most famous women in the history of the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher, their first female Prime Minister. However, it does this in more than one sense of the word. While it does attempt to tell us about her life, the film feels like you are merely looking at an actual painting of the ex-Prime Minister for all the information this film presents about this extraordinary woman.

Carnage

Rated: R

Roman Polanski’s “Carnage” presents us with an incredibly simple premise. One couple has come over to another couples home in order to discuss an incident that involved their kids, one of whom hit the other in the face with a stick. Everything starts off fine.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

Rated: R

“Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” is based on the popular spy novel by John le Carre which was previously adapted into a TV miniseries back in 1979. Having never read the book or seen the miniseries, I walked into the new version of the film having been forewarned that it can be a bit hard to keep track of what with multiple characters and events having been condensed from a complex novel, and while it is a little hard to follow at times, it’s not the audience I would blame for this problem.

The Adventures of Tintin

Rated: PG

In the first of his two films coming out this month, Steven Spielberg brings us his first animated feature, an adaptation of the beloved Belgian comics “The Adventures of Tintin” by Georges Rémi, aka Hergé. It has been said that Hergé believed that Spielberg was the only one who would be able to do justice to his work, and after having spent over 25 years trying to get the film made, Spielberg has finally delivered a result that is quite extraordinary.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Rated: R

The story follows Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), who has just wrapped up a lawsuit placed against him for libel against a businessman. While celebrating the holidays with his family and friends, he gets a phone call from the lawyer of Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), informing Mikael that Henrik would like to see him right away.

Young Adult

Rated: R

The story revolves around Mavis Gary (Charlize Theron), an author of a young adult book series that is coming to an end. One day, she receives an announcement from an old flame of hers, Buddy Slade (Patrick Wilson), that he and his wife, Beth (Elizabeth Reaser), have had a baby.

Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol

Rated: PG-13

Now comes the fourth entry in the series, “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol,” which takes the series to a whole new level of non-stop action, so much so that it’ll take your breath away as it relentlessly hurtles you through the IMF’s latest mission.

The Descendants

Rated: R

Matt King (George Clooney) has recently gone through tragedy that has left his wife, Elizabeth, in a coma. For the first time, he finds himself taking care of their young daughter, Scottie (Amara Miller), something he doesn’t really know much about doing...

A Dangerous Method

Rated: R

Director/writer David Cronenberg has had quite a strange career. He’s given us some fascinating and memorable films like “A History of Violence,” “The Fly,” and “Naked Lunch,” but like most directors, he has also had his pitfalls with earlier films like “Videodrome” and “The Brood.” Now Cronenberg completely changes gears to bring us something that’s quite unlike his usual areas of interest.

Hugo

Rated: PG

Director Martin Scorsese has been known to try a hand at several different genres. He’s most well-known for his films that take a darker look at humanity, though he has given us a pair of comedies and some documentaries as well.

Like Crazy

Rated: PG-13

“Like Crazy” attempts to show us a real take on first love. It takes us through the ups and downs of the relationship as the two come together and are drawn apart over and over again, showing us that, no matter how many obstacles get in the way, it’s hard to forget that certain someone you had special feelings for.

Arthur Christmas

Rated: PG

“Arthur Christmas” is a family film with its heart in the right place. It seeks to please children with its light story, colorful animation, and some amusing humor. For the adults in the crowd, however, this may not be quite enough to equate the film as an altogether enjoyable experience.

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1

Rated: PG-13

The soap opera continues in “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.” Up to this point, my reviews have been rather lenient on this series, but with this new entry, it gets taken to an all-time low. It has the same problems as the other films (overly-melodramatic, terrible acting, etc.), but somehow there manages to be even less of a plot than before, which is saying quite a lot as there hasn’t been much happening throughout the previous three films.

Immortals

Rated: R

“Immortals” is an exercise in the age-old cliché of style over substance. It’s a very pretty looking film, but there’s nothing underneath the surface. It’s one thing to go into a movie and turn your brain off, but it’s quite another thing to go into a movie, attempt to turn your brain off, and end up laughing at the absurdity of a story that is so full of holes that you could march an entire Greek army right through it.

Melancholia

Rated: R

Some of you may recall the name Lars von Trier. It was he who merely two years ago directed the worst film of 2009, “Antichrist,” an abhorrent experience best forgotten. This year, he returns with something completely different, a strange and unusual film that encompasses a marriage falling apart on the same day as the wedding as well as the end of the world.

11-11-11

Rated: R

Director/writer Darren Lynn Bousman has given us some of the worst films of the last few years including “Saw II, III, and IV” as well as “Repo! The Genetic Opera.” Now he returns with his latest mess, another attempt at a horror film that remains just that, an attempt.

Anonymous

Rated: PG-13

We all know that William Shakespeare is arguably the best playwright to have ever lived, having given us such masterpieces as “Romeo and Juliet,” “Hamlet,” and “Macbeth,” but what if everything we’ve been told about him was a lie?

Tower Heist

Rated: PG-13

It’s always a pleasant surprise to go into a film with one set of expectations and come out surprised at the result. “Tower Heist” looked as though it was a desperate attempt to bring together some comedic actors for a few laughs, and let’s face it, to find the last good movies that either Ben Stiller or Eddie Murphy have been in, you’d have to go back a few years. However, “Tower Heist” provides just this kind of surprise as it delivers not only on the humor, but also with its interesting plot.

The Rum Diary

Rated: R

“The Rum Diary” is based on a novel written by the eccentric journalist Hunter S. Thompson, who many remember as the creator of Gonzo Journalism and for his use of multiple drugs.

In Time

Rated: PG-13

“In Time” is set in a future where people are genetically-engineered to stop aging at 25, but after that, they only have a year to live, meaning they must acquire more time. It is time that has become the currency instead of regular money. People work for it, spend it, and in some cases, steal it.

Puss in Boots

Rated: PG

The film, which acts as a backstory for Puss (Voice of Antonio Banderas), tells of his life before he met Shrek. He was notorious as a thief and, supposedly, as a womanizer. When he hears rumors of Jack (Voice of Billy Bob Thorton) and Jill (Voice of Amy Sedaris) having found the legendary magic beans, he decides to go after them himself.

Johnny English Reborn

Rated: PG

Eight years ago there was a small spy-spoof film called “Johnny English.” It wasn’t a particularly good film, but not particularly bad either. We had already had three “Austin Powers” films by that point however, so it’s fair to say that this particular spoof had already been done to death by the time “English” came along.

Paranormal Activity 3

Rated: R

This time around, a batch of tapes from Katie and Kristi’s childhood are found (of course, these weren’t found until now). These videos document their father, Dennis (Christopher Nicholas Smith), trying to find evidence of something strange going on in their house after he sees something mysterious in a tape of him with his wife, Julie (Lauren Bittner).

The Three Musketeers

Rated: PG-13

Set against the backdrop of 17th century Europe, three of the king’s musketeers, Athos (Matthew Macfadyen), Aramis (Luke Evans), and Porthos (Ray Stevenson), have been sent to Venice to steal plans for an airship from the vault of Leonardo de Vinci. However, when they think they’ve completed their mission, they are betrayed by their companion, Milady (Milla Jovovich), who is in league with the Duke of Buckingham (Orlando Bloom).

The Ides of March

Rated: R

George Clooney’s “The Ides of March” is a stark look at the ruthlessness involved in the world of politics. It presents two candidates vying for one position. Only one can have it. Those candidates and their campaign managers are willing to do whatever it takes to get it and are not shy when it comes to playing games of manipulation, backstabbing, and blackmail in order to accomplish their goals...

Real Steel

Rated: PG-13

Boxing has never really made a particularly interesting subject for film. There have, of course, been exceptions to the rule in films like “Raging Bull” and “Cinderella Man,” but for films like this to succeed, they need to be about more than boxing and have fleshed-out characters that the audience can come to care about through good writing and development. On this basis...

Dream House

Rated: PG-13

“Dream House” is a mess of a film. This is not only because its writing is amateurish, but also because the film itself seemed like it was someone’s first attempt at putting a film together. Having a director like six-time Academy Award nominee Jim Sheridan attached makes this seem impossible, but when you learn of the film’s troubled production, things begin to become a little clearer as to what went wrong.

Abduction

Rated: PG-13

“Abduction” is the kind of movie that shows just how important it is to have a strong script and a lead actor who can carry a film. Sadly, this film has neither, leading one to think that either nobody involved in production bothered reading the script before it got underway or none of the them had ever witnessed Taylor Lautner attempting to act before, perhaps both.

Killer Elite

Rated: R

If you’ve seen the trailers and ads for “Killer Elite” then you pretty much know exactly what kind of movie you are going to get. The marketing has featured Jason Statham and Clive Owen running around, fighting and shooting people, and this is practically the movie in a nutshell.

Moneyball

Rated: PG-13

Back in the early 2000s, the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, Billy Beane, was faced with a tough problem. Using only the small payroll at his disposal, he had to attempt to put together a team that could compete in the big leagues. Now his story is being retold in Bennett Miller’s “Moneyball,” a film that, at first looked like your typical, uplifting sports film, but thanks to the talent involved, it ends up being something a little more than that.

Contagion

Rated: PG-13

“Contagion” is a tale we’ve seen told several times before on smaller scales, but this time it’s brought to us with perhaps the largest Oscar-nominated/winning cast in history and it’s even directed by another Oscar winner, Steven Soderbergh.

Apollo 18

Rated: PG-13

Here we have yet another entry in the increasingly-tiresome “found footage” genre that attempts to elicit thrills and chills by showing us strange and disconcerting scenes that filmmakers would like us to believe are a true document of an event. One of the main problems is that this is a genre that’s been done to death already...

The Debt

Rated: R

“The Debt” is a spy thriller that was originally supposed to be released at the end of last year, and while the reason given for its move is the studio changing to new owners, the film offers up more conclusive reasons for why it specifically would have been delayed. For starters, for a thriller, there are almost no thrills to be had in a story spanning 30 years that tries to cover a heroic mission. However, the story itself is another problem.

Colombiana

Rated: PG-13

The writing team behind the great thriller “Taken” brings us another out-for-revenge film with their latest collaboration, “Colombiana.” It’s being marketed as a non-stop action-thriller with a main character not letting anyone get in here way as she tries to complete her mission, and while that is what we get in part, it’s certainly not the whole film.

Fright Night

Rated: R

Many look back on the original “Fright Night” from 1985 as a cult classic. It had its good elements including an interesting blend of genres and a really good performance from Roddy McDowall, but admittedly, I was not a big fan of it. So now, 26 years later, though no one was really demanding one, a remake could be just what is needed for it.

Cowboys & Aliens

Rated: PG-13

Jon Favreau’s “Cowboys & Aliens” is a film that starts off with promise, but quickly loses its way as it tries to merge two different genres. At its core, it seems the writers wanted to make it a solid western, but perhaps they felt that just wasn’t mainstream enough, so...

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Rated: PG-13

This week brings the release of “Crazy, Stupid, Love,” a film that only follows parts of the age-old formula and instead approaches it with a different tone. Whereas most romantic-comedies will have a light, playful tone throughout most of the film proceeded by a sadder tone while we wait for the characters to get together, the way this film goes about it presents a sadder mood from the start...

Friends with Benefits

Rated: R

Just last year, director Will Gluck gave us the surprisingly hilarious comedy “Easy A.” Now he sets his sights on the conventional romantic-comedy with “Friends with Benefits” that revolves around two friends using each other as sex partners and nothing more.

Horrible Bosses

Rated: R

Seth Gordon’s “Horrible Bosses” is another one of those comedies that came out of nowhere and ended up being quite surprising thanks to the recent tradition of misleading trailers. The trailer for the film had made it look like it would be ok at best, not really showing much in the way of comedy, but it turns out that this is a good thing...

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

Rated: PG-13

It’s been coming for ten years, but now at last it’s here: The final adventure of Harry Potter. We’ve seen Harry, Ron, and Hermione go through quite a bit since their first days at Hogwarts...

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Rated: PG-13

Merely two years ago, Michael Bay released the disastrous sequel to his original Transformers film. The film had a mixture of problems including the plot, characters, visual effects, editing, and the obsessive length. Now he brings us the third part of the trilogy, and having seemingly learned nothing from the last film, allows just about all of the same mistakes to be made yet again.

Bad Teacher

Rated: R

“Bad Teacher” is one of those movies that causes me to rethink my priorities when reviewing a film...

Green Lantern

Rated: PG-13

This week’s entry in the recent plethora of superhero films is “Green Lantern,” another adaptation from the DC Comics universe. This is yet another situation where I’ve never read any of the comics, nor do I know the slightest thing about this character’s mythology, so...

Midnight in Paris

Rated: PG-13

Woody Allen returns to direct his 41st film with “Midnight in Paris,” the film that opened the Cannes Film Festival this year. Allen has been through a bit of a rough patch with his last two films, “Whatever Works” and “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger,” both of which just didn’t work very well. However, I’m glad to report that he’s returned to his old self with this sweet, charming, and magical story that comes off as strange even for Allen.

X-Men: First Class

Rated: PG-13

The trend of superheroes and sequels continues with Matthew Vaughn’s “X-Men: First Class.” It’s been awhile since we’ve seen the whole X-Men gang together. If you don’t count Wolverine’s solo origin story (it seems that most people would rather forget that even happened) then it’s been five years since “X-Men: The Last Stand.”

Kung Fu Panda 2

Rated: PG

2008 brought us the first "Kung Fu Panda" film which was a wonderful blend of excellent voice acting, gorgeous visuals, and superbly done action sequences. Three years later we have a sequel which delivers in the same areas as the original while giving us a more in depth story, one that becomes more emotionally involving now that we are well acquainted with the characters.

The Hangover Part II

Rated: R

Merely two years ago, “The Hangover” was released to both critical and financial success. Now, as expected, we are faced with the sequel which puts most of the characters back into a very similar situation that they found themselves in in Las Vegas. Admittedly, I didn’t find the first film all that funny. It had its moments, but...

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Rated: PG-13

It’s been four years since we last saw Captain Jack Sparrow and his mates sail the seas, but they’re finally back for this fourth outing, “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.”

Priest

Rated: PG-13

"Priest" is one of those films you will forget about approximately five minutes after it's over. There is absolutely nothing memorable or noteworthy about it. In a sense, it reminded me a lot of another recent disaster, "Jonah Hex," mainly because...

Thor

Rated: PG-13

Summer blockbuster season finally kicks into gear with the release of “Thor,” based on the popular Marvel comic superhero. “Thor” is merely the first in a long line of superhero films that are coming out in the next year or two that includes “Captain America,” “X-Men: First Class,” and “The Avengers,” and I’m glad to say that this trend has started off with a bang...

Fast Five

Rated: PG-13

Here we have the fifth (!) entry in the “Fast and the Furious” franchise. Can you believe it’s already been allowed to get this far? Though I suppose writing a movie about cars going fast is not particularly hard. Throw in a race, a chase, and a shoestring plot and you have yourself another one of these films...