American Assassin is based on the book of the same title by the late Vince Flynn, and introduces us to Mitch Rapp – a wounded young man who saw his fiancée killed by terrorists and decides to go after them himself. It could have been a pedestrian thriller by committed performances by Dylan O’Brien, Michael […]
Tag: Movie Reviews
IT – Stand by Me Via Hell!
The seemingly bucolic town of Derry looks like a place you could settle down – if only it weren’t its high statistics for people going missing (with adults it’s 6% higher than the average; with kids it’s ‘much higher’). When kids start to go missing, for the rest of the town that means missing posters […]
Bushwick Posits a Second Civil War!
Post-grad student Lucy is on her way home to introduce her boyfriend to her grandmother while on a break. As they head for the train, they realize that it’s unusually quiet – then in the empty subway station, the silence is broken by a man on fire. Welcome back to Bushwick, Lucy!
Logan Lucky – Steven Soderbergh’s Southern-Fried Heist Flick Soars!
Steven Soderbergh is back from his retirement from filmmaking four years ago – with a fierce heist flick that gives Channing Tatum and Daniel Craig a chance to have some real fun. Logan Lucky is about a heist by a group of redneck/hillbilly/good ole by types who look and sound dumb – but probably ain’t!
Wind River: The Land of You’re On Your Own!
Taylor Sheridan’s directorial debut – from his own script – is a harsh, breathtakingly beautiful film that a lot to say – but cagily presents it in the guise of a gritty western thriller. The film’s propulsion is set off by a lone female figure running barefoot in the snow until she falls over and […]
The Hitman’s Bodyguard: Late Summer Action Comedy Leans on Its Leads!
We’re entering the dog days of summer and the last of the summer blockbusters has opened (or maybe closed – it’s been that kind of summer). Into that void comes The Hitman’s Bodyguard – a movie that would be a B-movie if not for its high powered leads. After his Triple-A rated protection agency goes […]
Annabelle: Creation – Hello, Dolly!
Full disclosure: I have not seen any of the films from The Conjuring universe and it doesn’t matter, because Annabelle: Creation is, in terms of the series’ mythology, is the origin story that kicks off the events of all the others. That said, Annabelle takes some stock ideas, dresses them up with carefully modulated pacing, […]
The Dark Tower – No! Just No!
It’s been a couple decades since I read The Dark Tower but I chose not to re-read it before seeing the movie. Big mistake! Like City of Bones: The Mortal Instruments, The Dark Tower is more a collection of key moments from the book (as I recall it) and absolutely none of the connective tissue […]
Atomic Blonde Is Bloody, Glorious Fun!
Atomic Blonde may not be as supple, flexible and dynamic is its lead, but still punches above its head in odd and intriguing ways. To begin with, the action set pieces feel like they could have been part of a John Wick movie. Then there’s the feeling you get watching Charlize Theron – if she’s […]
Brigsby Bear – Gently Bizarre and Delightful!
‘Brigsby Bear Adventures is a children’s TV show produced for an audience of one: James. When the show abruptly ends, James’s life changes forever, and he sets out to finish the story himself.’ – the blurb by Brigsby Bear Productions. Brigsby Bear is a gently bizarre film about a young man whose life is upended […]
Dunkirk Is Shattering!
Is it possible for a war movie top give you PTSD? Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk, in IMAX, is a harrowing, edge of your seat thriller that practically drags you into the World War II evacuation of over 300,000 soldiers from the beach at Dunkirk.