review
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years, you realize smartphones have taken over the modern computing industry.
Director Rawson Marshall Thurber deserves a tremendous amount of credit for keeping the film running at a steady pace for its duration. There is no single dead beat or gratuitous attempts at humor during the entire movie and it will surely thrill those who give it a try. "We're the Millers" is destined to be the surprise hit of the summer thanks to a terrific combination of cast, script, and direction.
"2 Guns" serves its purpose. It is trademark Hollywood testosterone-driven film that often throws logic by the wayside in favor the explosions, violence, and some touches of humor. Those looking for a mindless two hours will surely be satisfied as scenes between Washington and Wahlberg make the price of admission feel acceptable; the bank robbery is also ingeniously executed. Those looking for a top-end thriller will be disappointed by the sloppy scripting of the film's second half.
Back in 2011, Nicholas Winding Refn and Ryan Gosling gave the world "Drive," a stylish psychological thriller that captivated fans and critics alike. The duo's second offering "Only God Forgives" is the polar opposite of the first feature. Where "Drive" was exhilarating, "Only God Forgives" is dull. Where the former was filled with humanity, the latter showcases actors playing automatons.
Guillermo del Toro's "Pacific Rim" comes out in a few weeks, but positive early reactions and reviews are starting to circulate on the internet.
As is often the case, a sequel creates a great sense of excitement and anxiety in the same measure. Fans anticipate seeing their favorite heroes embark on a new journey, but are also wondering if the tremendous artistic success of the original will reappear in the sequel. In many ways "Into Darkness" not only lives up to these expectations but exceeds them on many fronts.
"Before Snowfall" is a riveting coming-of-age journey that informs as it rivets with strong balance that few other films achieve. The two lead performances carry the film wondrously in a tale of two lost souls filling the voids of their respective loneliness.
For years, the New York Islanders have been looked down upon by the hockey world for their lack of success on and off the ice. The team has not won a playoff series since 1993 and has only made the postseason four times in 18 years. The Islanders have become a punch-line for disparaging jokes that point to poor contracts given to such players as Alexei Yashin and Rick DiPietro. Ownership problems and its decaying arena have not helped matters.
Returning to the question that started this critique; is "The Host" good enough for those who care little for Stephenie Meyer's work? The resounding answer is NO. The tremendous talent of Ronan gets wasted behind a vague premise and false stakes. For those hoping for a silver lining, here it is: "The Host" is better than the "Twilight" movies. But is that really saying much?
Bioshock Infinite comes out tomorrow, but early reviewers are already calling it one of the most important games of this console generation.
The final DLC for Mass Effect 3 is out, but how does it stack up to the rest of the game?
Ultimately, "Rubberneck" is an intriguing character study molded into a suspense thriller that sustains the audience's attention for its duration. Unfortunately, the film threatens to alienate its audience as it wears on without ever truly winning it back. A late attempt to redeem Paul makes the film feel formulaic and cliché despite its best intentions.
Ultimately this is a film about two different people coming together and changing people's perspectives and a making a difference. The outcome is predictable and Levine knows it. Instead of investing so much into the action sequences, he focuses on the human drama of acceptance and love story between Julie and R. People will compare this to "Twilight" but unlike Stephanie Meyer's work, this film exercises an incredible balance as a humorous, subversive comedy with a strong human story at its core.
Playgrounds are rare in the city, and ones sized for adults even more scarce.
"Zero Dark Thirty's" early awards buzz is certainly not without merit as Bigelow conjures up an immersive, exciting portrayal of one of the most significant historical achievements in recent US history. Jessica Chastain's brilliant performance keeps the film together on an emotional level while Bigelow's methodic pacing enables her to orchestrate one of the most exhilarating films of the year.
