Tag: cinema

REVIEW: Action Visuals In ‘Hardcore Henry’ Don’t Carry Film Far Enough

“Hardcore Henry” is the first feature movie helmed by Russian filmmaker Ilya Naishuller and takes place entirely through a first person perspective.

Right from the start, the gimmick the movie is utilizing is apparent. From the moment the lights go down to when the credits roll, the picture plays out just like a first person shooter game would.

Regarding the story, the movie opens the plot is set in motion very quickly. The main character Henry wakes up in some type of special facility and learns he’s a part man and part machine. After the quick realization, he comes into contact with the movie’s villain Akan (played by Danila Kozlovsky) who plans to use creations like Henry for nefarious purposes.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Action Visuals In ‘Hardcore Henry’ Don’t Carry Film Far Enough”

REVIEW: ‘The Boss’ Stumbles Due To Poor Writing

Melissa McCarthy is back with another comedy, this time playing a character who happens to be the owner of a huge corporate empire.

The character is Michelle Darnell, who rose to the top on her own and used cut-throat business practices to do so.

Her ways of getting by eventually lead her into trouble, though, when she gets arrested and sent to prison for a white collar crime.

Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘The Boss’ Stumbles Due To Poor Writing”

REVIEW: ‘God’s Not Dead 2’ Sacrifices Good Film-making To Deliver Message

What happens when you make a movie with no substance or style and instead focus simply on a message? You get “God’s Not Dead.” When you do it again, you get “God’s Not Dead 2.”

The sequel tells the story of Grace Wesley (Melissa Joan Hart), a devout Christian and high school history teacher. During one of her lessons she’s asked a question about the similarities between quotes from Jesus and Martin Luther King Jr.

Because of a subsequent series of developments, Grace soon finds herself in court with Ray Wise playing a lawyer named Peter Kane who also happens to be an atheist completely obsessed with proving that “God is dead.”

Continue reading “REVIEW: ‘God’s Not Dead 2’ Sacrifices Good Film-making To Deliver Message”

REVIEW: Acting Veterans Highlight Drama ‘Eye In The Sky’

If the government has a chance to take out high profile terrorists, should it take the shot? That’s the question asked in Director Gavin Hood’s “Eye in the Sky.”

The movie takes place at a few different locations, a command center with Colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), a government meeting room with Lieutenant General Frank Benson (Alan Rickman), a drone operating room with pilot Steve Watts (Aaron Paul) and an on the ground unit with the spy Jama Farah (Barkhad Abdi).

In basic terms, the movie plays out like a game of ping pong. Military personnel locate a house in Kenya housing potential suicide bombers and plan to strike the target.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Acting Veterans Highlight Drama ‘Eye In The Sky’”

REVIEW: Greek Wedding 2 Is A Messy Rehash Of The Original

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” is the sequel that no one really wanted.

The movie picks up quite a ways in the future from where the first one ended. The main characters, Toula (Nia Vardalos) and Ian (John Corbett) are still married and are trying to prepare their daughter Paris (Elena Kampouris) for college.

As if that isn’t stressful enough for the parents, Toula soon learns that her own parents Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan) are actually not officially married. For that reason, the big family is forced into preparing another wedding.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Greek Wedding 2 Is A Messy Rehash Of The Original”

REVIEW: Poor Pacing, Editing Ruin ‘Batman V Superman’s’ Attempt At Greatness

The fists certainly fly in “Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice,” but audiences have to wait a while for that to happen in this comic book flick.

The film’s first main scene takes place during the Superman vs. Zod battle that wrecked much of Metropolis in “Man of Steel.” This time around, though, the combat is seen through Bruce Wayne’s (Ben Affleck) eyes. Bruce sees the damage caused by the alien battle and immediately views him as a threat. From there, Wayne’s alter ego decides to go after the Man of Steel.

Meanwhile, another billionaire, Lex Luthor (Jesse Eiseberg) has his own problems with Superman, and he also starts scheming against the hero. Even the government sees a problem with Superman as he continues to interfere with human engagements, which puts more pressure on the hero’s alter ego, Clark Kent (Henry Cavill). All of the mistrust in the movie is like a pot ready to boil over.

Continue reading “REVIEW: Poor Pacing, Editing Ruin ‘Batman V Superman’s’ Attempt At Greatness”

Fargo Film Festival 2016 Highlights

March 18

After a drive from Bemidji, Minn., through the rain and snow yesterday, I finally arrived in Fargo for the city’s 16th annual Film Festival.

Thursday marked the first time since 2012, during my last semester at Minnesota State University in Moorhead right across the Red River from Fargo, that I had gone to the festival and it was great to be back.

Continue reading “Fargo Film Festival 2016 Highlights”

Before Dawn Of Justice: Ranking The Batman Films

This is part two in a series where I rank the films of both Batman and Superman before the movie “Dawn of Justice” hits theaters this weekend. having already done Superman, it’s time to move on to the caped crusader.

Continue reading “Before Dawn Of Justice: Ranking The Batman Films”

Before Dawn Of Justice: Ranking The Superman Films

What’s being billed as the “greatest gladiator match in the history of the world” is just around the corner. “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” opens this week, but before it does, I figured I would put together a short series ranking the Superman and Batman movies.

Continue reading “Before Dawn Of Justice: Ranking The Superman Films”

REVIEW: ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ Highlighted By Acting, Claustrophobic Atmosphere

Since it’s right in the title, I’ll address the elephant in the room first. For those thinking this might be a sequel to the 2008 giant monster movie “Cloverfield,” you’re out of luck. The J.J. Abrams produced “10 Cloverfield Lane” has nothing to do with the creature that attacked New York City and does not serve as a sequel.

Instead, this film acts as a sort of anthology successor, maintaining the same mysterious tone of other Abrams’ pictures while still being its own film.

The movie starts off with a quick introduction of the protagonist, Michelle, played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who has decided to leave her fiance. On the way out of town, though, she is caught in a car accident on the highway.

Continue reading “REVIEW: ’10 Cloverfield Lane’ Highlighted By Acting, Claustrophobic Atmosphere”