Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
March 2nd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
I did not see this coming, but London Has Fallen proves to be the movie that shows what nuance Michael Bay can bring to his films by comparison. This generic and borderline offensive sequel to 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen is downright schlocky in the way it proposes to back up its $100 million budget with attempts at pro-American grace. Rather than be innovative, this is an action film that replaces any sense of wit and craft with a poor handling of action and an even worse sense of justice.
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March 1st, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Here’s a simple claim right off the bat – Zootopia is a true triumph for Disney. The animation studio has had something of a resurgence in recent years with films such as Frozen and Big Hero 6, but Zootopia feels like an actual classic. That is high praise for the Mouse House, but the balance of humor, visuals and social commentary makes Zootpia a stupendous example of what great films can offer.
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Continue reading ‘‘Zootopia’ Presents Profound Discourse In A Fun Family Film (Movie Review)’
February 26th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
To say Gods of Egypt is in a league of its own would be an understatement. This fantasy adventure, functioning as a combination of space opera an Ancient Egyptian mythology brought to life, is gloriously stupid in a way that should be fun-bad, but sadly becomes too repetitive to hold onto even that sort of acclaim. One can praise this film for having a ridiculous amount of (poor) CGI used to create a compellingly goofy original feature, but that does mean sitting for over two hours to try and enjoy it.
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February 23rd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
There is nothing extraordinary about Eddie the Eagle and that seems completely fitting for the film that tells the story of an earnest young man who simply had a dream. We see lots of sports movies and some approach the genre with fresh eyes, while others revel in clichés. Given the accomplishments of the real Eddie Edwards, it seems only right that the film is a success based on achieving the minimum requirements for being a rousing feature.
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Continue reading ‘‘Eddie The Eagle’ Soars A Little Higher Than Middle Ground (Movie Review)’
February 18th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
There is nothing wrong with celebrating our heroes by recreating their legacy through film. Race is another sports biopic that delivers strong enough performances matching scenes recreating important events in history, with an ending featuring ‘wrap it up’ text over photos of the real people involved. It is simple enough to admire, but falls in the category of biopics that have little to offer other than the facts.
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February 17th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
If you needed a reminder that 17th century living was rough, The Witch is certainly a film that will get under your skin. Here’s a story of a Puritan family forced out of society and attempting to make a living through simple means. This is not easy, but the threat of witchcraft exacerbates things in a film that is every bit as creepy as it is staggeringly authentic to its setting.
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d Continue reading ‘‘The Witch’ Takes You Into Dark Territory (Movie Review)’
February 11th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
There is something to be said for how close to good the otherwise messy How To Be Single is. Taking a sharp turn from last year’s Valentine’s Day weekend release starring Dakota Johnson, Fifty Shades of Grey, here we have a film that manages to settle down every now and then to provide some genuine laughs and endearing moments. The film is sadly too cluttered and lacking in much depth beyond anything that can’t be explained in a self-gratifying ending voice-over monologue, but it does have its moments.
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Continue reading ‘I’m Just Not That Into ‘How To Be Single’ (Movie Review)’
February 10th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Another year, another sequel to a cult-favorite comedy. 15 years after Zoolander served as a light and silly comedy to help people laugh again, following the 9/11 tragedy that occurred weeks earlier, we now have Zoolander 2, which is severely lacking in laughs. The film is full of cameos and gags, but the idea of making things bigger and wilder only goes so far when the foundation is so weak and the jokes are so dull.
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Continue reading ‘‘Zoolander 2’ Doubles Down On The Dumb (Movie Review)’
February 7th, 2016 by Brian White
I’m sure it’s part of my nature, but I think was one of the most pessimistic people going into the Deadpool screening this past Thursday evening. It’s not because I feared that every funny, ludicrous moment was probably played out in the trailers, but instead overtime I think of Deadpool I think of that terrible X-Men Origins: Wolverine outing. Now I dot know about you, but that first solo Wolverine film always leaves a bad taste in my mouth. However, since this particular Deadpool film has been blessed with a glorious R-rating and some sweet marketing to boot. I’m all about second chances and forgiveness in 2016. So what the hell?! The over-the-top stunts and chaotic action pieces in the trailers kind of left me reminiscent of one of my favorite films from the mid-2000s, Crank. I realize that may be a giant stretch, but dammit…this is my Deadpool movie review, not yours! Continue reading ‘Deadpool: Chimichangas For Everyone! (Movie Review)’
February 3rd, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
While they are among the most acclaimed modern filmmakers of today, one of the criticisms leveled at Joel and Ethan Coen is how mean they are to their characters. There may be truth in that, but Hail, Caesar! certainly says a lot about their love for the movies. Set in the 1950s, the Golden Age of Hollywood, this film is a mystery-comedy where the mystery hardly matters and a group of loosely-connected characters serve as a tribute to what makes the movies so grand.
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Continue reading ‘‘Hail, Caesar!’ Celebrator Of Film (Movie Review)’
January 27th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
Watching The Finest Hours made me think of how commendable it was to see Disney produce a historical disaster drama about a daring Coast Guard rescue. It is just too bad that all the visual effects used to convey a sense of scale were not enough to ever make the stakes feel that high. While the actual story is quite amazing, the approach to this film left me wanting more than just a maudlin handling of the people involved.
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Continue reading ‘‘The Finest Hours’ Is All Predictable Heroics (Movie Review)’
January 26th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
After a fairly lengthy wait, especially considering today’s handling of sequel schedules, Po and the Furious Five are back for more Kung Fu Panda fun. This third entry in DreamWorks Animation’s solid martial arts action-comedy franchise does not quite reach the great heights of the prior two installments, but that doesn’t mean this film is bad at all. There is a ton of fun to take in with Kung Fu Panda 3 and it comes with great action, big laughs and plenty of heart.
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January 15th, 2016 by Shohan Cagle
Be warned, there are spoilers ahead for Inside Out. There’s just no way to talk about this movie and why it effected me so much without going into the details.
I feel like 2015 was the year of surprise hits. You go in expecting to see some by the numbers idea that you’ve seen a million times, only to walk out with a completely different perspective. And that is exactly what happened for me with Inside Out. I was fully prepared for a somewhat amusing kids movie with a few adult jokes thrown in to keep people interested. But low and behold I got an emotional gut punch from outta no where!
Continue reading ‘The 2015 Film That Made Shohan Cry: Inside Out.’
January 14th, 2016 by Brian White
13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi has a trailer that screams unmistakably this was made by Sir Michael Bay. That could either be a good thing or a bad one. If you think the first Transformers flick or The Island in my case, then that’s good. However, if you think the last three Transformers films, then that’s very bad. I digress. Let’s give the guy the benefit of the doubt here. Say what you want about the man, but Michael Bay knows how to deliver on the balls-to-the-wall action in films. That much you can take to the bank. So getting back to what I originally was saying, I like military films, and the trailer for this one was pretty rad, so yeah…I’m thinking I want to watch 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi despite it being a January release. Continue reading ‘Bay Brings The Rain In ’13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi’ (Movie Review)’
January 13th, 2016 by Aaron Neuwirth
2014’s Ride Along was a forgettable action-comedy thriving on the chemistry of a clichéd mismatched partnership. It came out in January and while many may have just written it off, the film was a huge success. I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it, but it was fine for a lazy comedy to watch on TV. Now we have Ride Along 2, which is a pretty easy example of diminishing returns in full force. A lack of laughs or much of anything of note has led to a film that is just kinda sits there and does nothing useful for anyone involved.
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January 7th, 2016 by Brian White
The Revenant
is billed as a Western thriller. Normally I’m not one at all for a Western (unless it’s a Tarantino), but you throw the word “thriller” in there and I’m all over it. Add to the fact that the critics and media are saying this is finally going to be the one for Leonardo DiCaprio (despite his limited vocabulary here) and once again I’m there. Now listen closely as this third bullet point is the one that really got my sweet behind in the theater seat last month for this one. “They” (the powers that be) said the brutality in this one is out of this world, and I said oh snap, count me in! There’s obviously much more to factually discuss here, but now you at least know what appeals to me (and knowing is half the battle). The question to tackle now is whether or not The Revenant will appeal to you. Let’s get started! Continue reading ‘The Revenant Is A Dish Best Served Cold (Movie Review)’
December 18th, 2015 by Brian White
I promised myself I wasn’t going to do this. Since Austin did not screen Star Wars: The Force Awakens for us prior to its release like glorious Los Angeles did for all my friends out there I told myself no way was I going to write a movie review for free about a film entry in one of my favorite all-time movie franchises. However, how else are you supposed to kill another three hours in line waiting to see this film for a second time within 12 hours in IMAX yet again? I know that’s a rhetorical question and I could be spending my time doing many other things, but why the hell not, right? Again, that is strictly rhetorical. Haha. Let me get my groove back like Stella once did and get busy down below. We have a space opera, thirty years in the making, to discuss. Continue reading ‘A New & Familiar Adventure In A Galaxy Far Far Away…’
November 24th, 2015 by Brian White
I strolled into Monday night’s press screening of the British crime thriller Legend armed with only two bits of information, Tom Hardy was the leading man and there was two of him. I honestly knew nothing more than that having never even checked out the film’s trailer nor researched it beforehand like I usually do. One of my reviewer friends in the Austin area saw it prior and said it would fit my movie consumption tastes perfectly. After all, Tom Hardy is in my number one film of the year thus far so who am I to call his bluff? It’s almost as if I was meant to see Legend by some kind of divine intervention. So here I am. Here you are. Let’s get started! Continue reading ‘Tom Hardy Makes A ‘Legend’ For Himself (Movie Review)’
I did not see this coming, but London Has Fallen proves to be the movie that shows what nuance Michael Bay can bring to his films by comparison. This generic and borderline offensive sequel to 2013’s Olympus Has Fallen is downright schlocky in the way it proposes to back up its $100 million budget with attempts at pro-American grace. Rather than be innovative, this is an action film that replaces any sense of wit and craft with a poor handling of action and an even worse sense of justice.
