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The Goonies 1985
I didn't grow up with it, so I had no idea what to expect. Thankfully this is not one of those movies that's been ruined by those who love it unabashedly. It has its laughs, its quirks, its fun, its adventure. The cheese is endearing and, overall, a whole better than I expected.
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Jurassic Park III 2001
Even though Spielberg's sequel was middling, this is a step below that. Still, it's cheesy and fun... at least for the kid in me
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Iron Man 3 2013
I'll admit it at this point, I am no longer that kid that patiently awaited that big blockbuster in the summer to blow my socks off. My tastes have changed, and quite a lot. (Of course, you bet good money I'll be in the theatre for Jurassic Park IV next year though - some things never change...) But, last year, Whedon even beat out Chris Nolan in directing the best comic-book fanboy movie of the year and it was a…
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Rust and Bone 2012
At its heart, the film struggles to find its voice and its rhythm within its themes, all the while providing great acting, but by the end, when it has figured out that these two have switched roles (Schoenaerts losing something physically to keep his son, just like Cotillard lost her limbs to keep her life), the film finds its home. Cotillard was the one who got most of the attention (deservedly, as she does so much with so little dialogue…
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The Bourne Legacy 2012
There seemed to be a whole lot of nothing going on here. Is there really a plot, or is it just one big long (and quite convoluted) explanation? The ideas are somewhat interesting, but the Gilroys never get the script there, which also lends to blandness in the action as well.
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Charade 1963
It really is the best film Hitchcock never made; like an alternative version of North by Northwest or To Catch a Thief. But, it's still hilarious, and wonderfully inventive with its script and never gets tiring or boring. Doonen doesn't do much in the way of directing, but he doesn't need to because he has the actors and the script.
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The Adventures of Young Indiana Jones 15 - Daredevils of the Desert
Interesting for its young Daniel Craig and Catherine Zeta-Jones. This is one of the weaker ones, even for someone like Frank Darabont writing it.
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The Master 2012
There's more to be taken from it than in it, and that's what makes it one of the most fascinating, enigmatic, and interesting films of 2012.
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Smashed 2012
It's amazing how a film can transition for you in the midst of watching it. To me, this started out very ordinarily, but as it moved it along, Ponsoldt's vision, and his script (with Burke), makes sure that we understand the true tragedy here is not the addictions these characters have (and Winstead's overcomes), but that their love was real, and is lost by the end.
Winstead carries the film beautifully, but her "actionary" role is perfectly balanced by Paul's… -
Oz: The Great and Powerful 2013
What I see here is a lost opportunity. Sam Raimi is directing this. Great choice, Disney. He's done big budget features in the past to mostly great effect. Here, though, it's a little all over the place for him. He seems out of his element, or more-likely, restrained, by Big Brother.
His witches are terrific (though Kunis is a little over the top once she becomes evil and green) and I'm glad they made him stick with Weisz, who is… -
End of Watch 2012
What a fascinating entry from David Ayer. Using the found footage technique in conjunction with a regular story, he crafts something unique and gritty that doesn't sacrifice character, emotion, or story. The chemistry Gyllenhaal and Pena have makes the film zing and when the ending came, I wasn't ready for it.
