Archive for movie review
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.
Barrett’s Review: J.J. Abram’s ‘Super 8’ is Why We Go to the Movies
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GRADE: A
There are few movies in recent memory that can make you laugh, tear up, clinch your seat and shreik with excitement. J.J. Abrams and Steve Spielberg have brought us just that film. As if we would expect any less from a legend and a new powerhouse, both who have an unrivaled affinity for science fiction, the supernatural and the unknown. Super 8 brings you back to a time where story and heart was the main draw of a summer blockbuster; this one also just so happens to feature cool and badass special effects. It’s simply a wonderful, wonderful film. This is why we go to the movies, people.
Barrett’s Review: ‘Thor’ is a Fun, Thoroughly Entertaining Superhero Blockbuster
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GRADE: A-
After months and months of trailers, interviews, set photos and posters, Thor finally hit theaters on Friday. Not knowing much about the Thor mythology, I was cautiously optimistic about the film; because a) it was directed by Shakespearean thespian Kenneth Branagh, who until now, hasn’t forayed into directing action blockbusters with huge scope. And b) I was fearful that Marvel’s need to intertwine the storyline with next year’s The Avengers would hinder the script. I was wrong. Thor is an absolute blast.
Barrett’s Review: ‘The Lincoln Lawyer’ is an Entertaining, Well-Executed Legal Thriller
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GRADE: B+
I was cautiously optimistic before seeing The Lincoln Lawyer, starring Matthew McConaughey, Ryan Phillipe and Marisa Tomei earlier this week. I absolutely LOVE legal thrillers in all shapes and forms. Any film featuring large portions of the story set in a courtroom trial I am a complete sucker for. So that aspect had me jacked for this film. But then I took into account the actors involved. McConaughey CAN BE a great actor, but has made some seriously questionable choices over the last five or so years, appearing in mostly terrible romantic comedies – 90% of which seem to feature Kate Hudson. And then there’s Ryan Phillipe, who is just awful most of the time. But upon exiting the theater of our screening, I was pleasantly surprised by The Lincoln Lawyer and thoroughly entertained by it’s refreshing and captivating Hollywood crime story.
