Archive for movie review
Barrett’s Review: ‘Friends With Kids’ is a REAL Adult Dramedy
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GRADE: B+
I’m 26. I’m single. At this point in my life I’m not thinking about kids as a short-term possibility (*knock on wood*). But as I’m entering the twilight of my 20’s, it’s definitely something I’m beginning to mull over and how it will factor into my life…eventually. Hundreds, thousands of movies over the years have portrayed or dissected the challenges and joy that having children brings to one’s life – either through raunchy comedy (Knocked Up) or serious drama (Kramer vs. Kramer). But there are rare breeds of films that are able to tap into these cinematic elements in a way that makes you laugh, shed a tear and think about the importance of the people in your life. Friends With Kids is one of those films.
Barrett’s Review: ‘Project X’ is All Boobs and Booze, But That’s Not a Bad Thing
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GRADE: B
This will probably be one of the shortest reviews that I’ve ever written, because there’s really not much to be said. Project X is what it is: a party comedy bursting at the seams with profanity, nudity, dick jokes and the ever-cliche’ high school theme of nerds wanting to be cool. The comparisons to Superbad are just, simply for the friendship dynamic of the main characters, but it doesn’t come close to the memorable substance that McLovin’ & Co. provided moviegoers back in 2007. Project X, is however, an entertaining comedy that will make you want to party as soon as the credits roll.
GRADE: A-
A couple times a year we get a haunted house horror film, or some variation of it. Over the past few years the Paranormal Activity franchise has successfully put a unique stamp on the genre with their “found footage” formula. In addition, we have a constant onslaught of average to below-average “BOO!” flicks that quickly fade from memory, like The Haunting in Connecticut or Mirrors. However, once and a while there comes a ghost tale that is clever, genuinely creepy and features a great story. The Woman in Black, starring Daniel Radcliffe in his first post-Harry Potter role, is one of those films.
The MashCast, Episode 3: “If You’re Thinking About Googling That”
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In this weeks’ edition of The MashCast, Matthew, Mike and I discuss some of the films that we saw last week, including: Flowers of War, Haywire, Man on a Ledge and Red Tails. We also discuss a HUGE Dark Knight Rises spoiler per an interview with a member of the cast, where she let a bomb drop about the identity of her character. Last on the docket, the new trailer for the Keanu Reeves documentary Side by Side, which tackles the ongoing debate about the technological revolution/transition of film-to-digital filmmaking.
Click play below to listen and be sure to leave your comments after the break, as well ast on Twitter: #MashCast.
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Mike’s CIFF Review: ‘Melancholia’ is Arguably Lars von Trier’s Masterpiece
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GRADE: A-
Lars von Trier is bat shit crazy. But sometimes great art comes from people just like him. Vincent van Gogh did cut off his ear after all. Now, Melancholia is no ‘Starry Night,’ but it’s arguably Lars von Trier’s masterpiece. Considering his preview of upcoming work and his past films, this is without question his best. As a huge fan of Antichrist, this one felt like a follow-up in some ways. It deals with strong emotional moments in the context of atmospheric and drawn out scenes.
Mike’s Review: ‘Columbiana’ Should Be Extradited To Movie Hell
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GRADE: D
Let me preface this review with a little disclaimer. Colombiana provided me with my first big screen credit. As a production assistant for the Chicago leg of the film’s international shoot, I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to be a part of a major motion picture. As an independent filmmaker myself, it’s important to get a chance to see the big boys work and pad the resume. But today, I speak as a movie fan and critic, not as a member of the film’s crew. Trust me, any bias I once had for Colombiana (for instance, people worked hard regardless of the final product and it should be respected regardless) has left the building after my experience with this film.
Mike’s Review: ‘Drive’ Is The Perfect Movie
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GRADE: A+
Nicolas Winding Refn is a polarizing director. Bronson is one of the best biopics I’ve ever seen, but many still have no idea it exists. Valhalla Rising is a methodical gore fest that many called boring and pointless. I fully expect some to complain that his latest, Drive, is slow and needs more action. Hopefully I’m wrong, because the movie I saw showed me a character unlike any I’ve ever seen and a movie full of surprises.
GRADE: A
In a year overflowing with alien invasion movies, Attack The Block stands out in a galaxy of its own. Writer/Director Joe Cornish has whipped up a movie that shares the qualities that make Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz so entertaining while feeling totally original in a genre that is far from it.
Mike’s Review: ‘30 Minutes Or Less’ Is A Raunchy Quickie Worth Your Money
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GRADE: A-
In a summer loaded with R-rated comedies, one reigns above all else. 30 Minutes or Less earns all the typical words associated with R-rated comedy – dirty, raunchy, naughty, etc. But unlike many of its kind, 30 Minutes or Less succeeds because it isn’t just a 90-minute execution of a dirty joke. Instead, it’s a real movie.
Mike’s Review: ‘Final Destination 5’ Knows How To Have A Good Time In 3D
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GRADE: B-
As the genre continues its annual evolution of itself, “torture porn” has changed dramatically since the original Final Destination. Now, everybody is expendable and the violence has reached epic proportions. But much like the Saw franchise, Final Destination tried too hard to be the same and different with each installment. It took them a while to figure it out, but Final Destination 5 may be the first time they got it right in over a decade.
