Sunday, October 26, 2014

The Heart Machine: Movie Review


Romantic drama that's running on empty.

The Heart Machine is a romantic drama thriller. One that is entirely driven by one thought; one part of a plot where characters are minimal and supporting characters and storylines are nonexistent. Cody (John Gallagher Jr.) is an awkward love-struck man in Brooklyn who’s in a long-distance relationship. Virginia (Kate Lyn Sheil) is his Skype girlfriend living in Berlin. Or so she says. She might be lying and Cody’s starting to suspect that she’s actually in New York. 2014

Directed by: Zachary Wigon

Screenplay by: Zachary Wigon

Starring: John Gallagher Jr., Kate Lyn Sheil

Friday, October 24, 2014

St. Vincent: Movie Review


   


Predictability outweighs the comedy and drama of “St. Vincent”.
St. Vincent stars Bill Murray as Vincent, a man who on the surface appears to be anything but a saint. He spends his days drinking and gambling and grumbling throughout life. But it’s fair to say that there’s more to him than meets the eye and the son of his next door neighbor starts to see Vincent as a real-life, everyday saint. It’s an uplifting story with plenty of humour and drama alike, and it’s also tediously predictable. 2014

Directed by: Theodore Melfi

Screenplay by: Theodore Melfi

Starring: Bill Murray, Jaeden Lieberher and Melissa McCarthy

Thursday, October 23, 2014

#Stuck: Movie Review


Stuck with characters, dialogue and comedy that all work.

#Stuck starts the morning after a one night stand for Guy (Joel David Moore) and Holly (Madeline Zima), and as one of the lines in the film points out, it’s called the morning after for a reason. Holly is stuck without a car, Guy graciously agrees to drive her back to the bar where they met, and on the way there they get stuck in traffic. The film is about their non-relationship as they are forced to spend approximately one hour in Guy’s car in LA traffic. 2014

Directed by: Stuart Acher

Screenplay by: Stuart Acher

Starring: Madeline Zima, Joel David Moore

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

The Best of Me: Movie Review




The worst of Nicholas Sparks.
Ten years ago, Nicholas Sparks’ The Notebook (2004) was released. Its long simmering success has made “the Nicholas Sparks romantic drama” its own brand, helped launch the careers of Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, and it’s a frequent punch-line in popular movies and shows. It also starred James Marsden in a small role as the man McAdams’ was supposed to marry. This year’s The Best of Me owes a lot to its predecessor, and not just its leading man. 2014

Directed by: Michael Hoffman

Screenplay by: J. Mills Goodloe, Will Fetters
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks

Starring: James Marsden, Luke Bracey, Michelle Monaghan and Liana Liberato

Sunday, October 19, 2014

Stretch: Movie Review



A wild ride but couldn't put a story together.

Stretch starts with a drunk, coked-out gambling addict getting launched through a car window and then before he lands on the pavement, meets a girl and falls in love. And then the movie just gets crazier after that. The lead character, who calls himself Stretch, gets a job as a limo driver after hitting what he perceives as rock bottom, and then getting clean, getting sober and intending to pay back gambling debts. 2014

Directed by: Joe Carnahan

Screenplay by: Joe Carnahan

Starring: Patrick Wilson, Jessica Alba

Friday, October 17, 2014

The Judge: Movie Review


A stoic drama about fathers, sons and murder.

Robert Duvall is the titular judge. He’s a hardened man who has worked 42 years as a judge in the small town of Carlinville, Indiana. Robert Downey Jr. plays the cynical and successful lawyer son who left for the big city of Chicago, Illinois. The Judge focuses on their relationship when the prodigal son returns home for the funeral of his mother. The movie then steps up its game when it also becomes a murder mystery. 2014

Directed by: David Dobkin

Screenplay by: Nick Schenk, Bill Dubuque

Starring: Robert Duvall, Robert Downey Jr.

Thursday, October 16, 2014

Men, Women & Children: Movie Review


   


A drama about the dangers of modern life failed to create engaging characters.
Men, Women & Children is Jason Reitman’s newest film and yet he has descended even further from the heights of Thank You for Smoking, Juno and Up in the Air. In this drama, he explores the effects the online world has on human relationships and sex in modern times. It’s a concept that has been covered and will be covered countless more times. But it’s a lackluster affair despite the star-studded cast because the characters are all so unappealing. 2014

Directed by: Jason Reitman

Screenplay by: Jason Reitman, Erin Cressida Wilson; Based on the novel by Chad Kultgen

Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Garner, Judy Greer and Ansel Elgort

Saturday, October 4, 2014

Gone Girl: Movie Review


   


Implores you to not take appearances at face value as the characters cut a dark tale of marriage.
The titular gone girl is Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike), wife of Nick Dunne (Ben Affleck) and he’s the prime suspect in his wife’s disappearance. Not just because it’s always the husband, but also because their marriage is failing, she’s kept a diary detailing all the horrible things he’s done and all clues lead back to him. The great thing about Gone Girl the thriller is that these clues aren’t meant to deceive but to lead the audience. It’s simply a story of what happened, but with twists aplenty. 2014

Directed by: David Fincher

Screenplay by: Gillian Flynn
Based on novel by Gillian Flynn

Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike

Friday, October 3, 2014

The Skeleton Twins: Movie Review


   


Establishing selfishness before their more interesting layers, the despondent skeleton twins are more lifeless than they should be.
In a movie marketed as a comedy, stars Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig should have no problem carrying it no matter what kind of difficulties the film may have. But The Skeleton Twins is not a comedy. It’s a very sullen drama that throws in a few scenes of comedy either because Hader and Wiig deserve the chance to make the audience laugh, or because the film wanted to prove how edgy they can be. 2014

Directed by: Craig Johnson

Screenplay by: Mark Heyman, and Craig Johnson

Starring: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig