Category: Reviews

REVIEW: Lackluster Mystery, Dull Acting Sends ‘Girl On The Train’ Off The Rails

A complex murder mystery unravels in “The Girl on the Train,” a movie that starts off with a scene based on the title.

Emily Blunt plays a divorcee named Rachel, a woman struggling with alcoholism who rides a train through New York state on a daily basis in a sort of daze. On a day-to-day basis, Rachel passes by the home she used to share with her husband and reminisces while also watching another couple, Megan (Haley Bennett) and Scott (Luke Evans) with envy.

On one day in particular, Rachel happens to see something after getting off at a train stop, but because of her drunken state, she has trouble remembering.

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REVIEW: ‘Deepwater Horizon’ Is Worth A Watch Thanks To Its Immersive Intensity

The start of America’s worst oil disaster is brought to the big screen in “Deepwater Horizon,” directed by Peter Berg, who previously helmed “Lone Survivor.”

Much of the film takes place on the now infamous drilling rig and while many true-to-life characters are featured, the movie mainly focuses on Mike Williams, played by Mark Wahlberg. After the initial setup, showing Williams’ home and family life, the movie picks up with him going back to the rig with his coworkers Andrea (Gina Rodriguez) and Jimmy (Kurt Russell).

Once the characters are on the rig, the film documents how the disaster of Deepwater Horizon unfolded, from the BP company skipping on safety checks to the eventual explosions and finally the evacuation of the rig.

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REVIEW: Not A Western Classic, But “Magnificent Seven” Is A Fun Shoot ’Em Up

It’s a “Training Day” reunion in this western remake, with Director Antoine Fuqua teaming up with Denzel Washington and Ethan Hawke once again.

This edition of “The Magnificent Seven” follows the same formula as the 1960 picture as well as the 1954 movie “Seven Samurai.” Denzel Washington plays a lawman named Chisolm who’s convinced to help a small town that’s being terrorized by a mine owner. To help him hold off the nefarious Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard), Chisolm recruits six other gunfighters and western frontiersmen to join the battle.

The movie goes on to explore the ragtag group of outlaws meeting up, helping the town prepare for the upcoming combat and learning to work together for the single cause.

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REVIEW: ‘Blair Witch’ Has A Few Thrills, But Not As Memorable As Its 90s Counterpart

This true sequel to the 1999 found footage picture brings audiences back to a familiar place, and that’s not just in reference to the location. On top of the movie’s setting, this edition also borrows heavily from the first film’s formula.

Ignoring the 2000 film “Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2,” this flick opts to just be a direct sequel to the original and follows the character James. James is the brother of Heather Donahue, who was one of the people who went “missing” in the original picture. Since her disappearance in rural Maryland, James has been obsessed with trying to discover her whereabouts and finds a clue by way of an internet video.

In response, James and a group of his friends go out into the same woods that the previous crew ventured into in an attempt to pick up more pieces of the puzzle. However, once they enter, eerie things start happening to the protagonists.

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REVIEW: Suspenseful Filmmaking And Great Performances Help ‘Sully’ Soar

Clint Eastwood’s directing chops are once again on display here in “Sully,” making for some of the most tense movie sequences put to screen so far in 2016.

This picture follows the story of Captain Chesley ‘Sully’ Sullenberger (Tom Hanks), a pilot who landed a commercial airliner on the Hudson River in January 2009. The film picks up in the immediate aftermath of the landing, with Sully still in New York City and meeting with safety and transportation officials for a review of what happened.

As the days go on, the movie explores Sully’s reaction to his sudden fame, his questioning of whether or not he did the right thing and his response to panels of flight officials who are investigating the landing.

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REVIEW: Despite Unlikable Characters, ‘Don’t Breathe’ Has Edge Of Your Seat Thrills

Take note horror characters, never go in a creepy looking house.

“Don’t Breathe” tells the tale of three home robbers trying to make enough money to get out of a dilapidated area of Detroit. The trio, including Rocky (Jane Levy), Alex (Dylan Minnette) and Money (Daniel Zovatto), get a major opportunity for a big score when they are tipped off about a blind man who is sitting on hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The three eventually begin their plan to break in and pull off the heist, but they don’t get very far. It’s not long before the would-be robbers find out that the person their stealing from, despite being blind, has complete control over his senses. On top of this, they also find out that the Blind Man (Stephen Lang) is aggressive and ready to kill all of the trespassers without mercy.

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REVIEW: “The Mechanic’ Franchise Didn’t Need A Resurrection

Arthur Bishop has returned for some more assassination attempts, albeit being more reluctant this time around.

In this follow-up to the 2011 picture, “The Mechanic Resurrection” carries on the story of Bishop (Jason Statham) who now lives in isolation in Brazil.

His peace is shattered, though, when he’s forced into a job by an old nemesis named Crain (Sam Hazeldine). The main reason why he’s forced to do more assassinations is because Crain is holding Bishop’s new girlfriend Gina (Jessica Alba) hostage.

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REVIEW: Streep, Grant Shine In The Fantastic ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’

Meryl Streep could very well get some award attention again for her performance but Hugh Grant shouldn’t be overlooked in this picture.

“Florence Foster Jenkins” follows the story of a real life New York City woman who was heavily involved in the area’s musical scene. While she knew and was on largely good terms with many of NYC’s musicians, artists and composers, though, she herself didn’t have the best singing talent.

The film picks up with her taking singing lessons in 1944 with help from her husband St Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant) and a young composer named Cosme McMoon (Simon Helberg). Despite her continued practice, though, Jenkins doesn’t particularly improve over time. However, Jenkins believes she’s a world class singer and it’s up to the film’s other character to help her continue to believe the product she’s putting out.

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REVIEW: The Political Satire In ‘Sausage Party’ Works, Everything Else Not So Much

Director Greg Tiernan and actor Seth Rogen take animated pictures to a whole new level with this feature, mixing ideas of a raunchy comedy and a Pixar-like adventure.

The film takes place in a supermarket like any other and shows that all of the food and items in the store are sentient. Additionally, the products view humans as gods, meaning that when they are bought and taken out of the store they’re going to a sort of heaven.

Much of the flick revolves around the characters Franks (Rogen), a sausage and Brenda (Kristen Wiig) a bun. The movie picks up with them getting lost with other foods in the store when a mishap happens preventing them from being purchased. In the process, they start to learn some of the truth behind what the humans do.

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REVIEW: ‘War Dogs’ Is High On Excitement, Low On Depth

If there’s anything movies based on real events have taught us, it’s that truth is stranger than fiction. Once again, this is the case with “War Dogs.”

In this film from Director Todd Phillips, Miles Teller plays David Packouz, a young man who’s trying to make a living to support his wife by way of being a massage therapist. Unfortunately, this isn’t going very well. He gets a lucky break, though, when he meets up with his friend from high school Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), who’s become an arms dealer for the United States.

Taking place during the early stages of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Efraim is having plenty of success and he pulls David along for the ride as a business partner. As the two get deeper into the industry, though, they soon start to get a bit in over their heads.

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