City By The Sea (2002)

 

A cop drama with a lot of character development. Quality acting and a good story. 

Rating: C+

Meet The Fockers (2004)

 

Barbara Streisand and Dustin Hoffman were perfect as Stiller's parents. Not as good as the first, but worth seeing.

Rating: C

Val (2021)

 

When I first heard Val Kilmer was coming out with an autobiographical documentary, I anxiously awaited for it to be released. I’ve always been a huge fan of the actor and intrigued by the man. It was lovely to look back on his life's work through his son’s voice and his now throaty rasp; post cancer. 

The documentary itself could have taken on many different styles and narratives. Val lived a very interesting life. I didn’t love the direction they took, but I did like its honesty. There was a sadness hanging over the production that may or may not have been intentional. I’m just glad he got to tell his story in his own words before passing through the final curtain call. 

Rating: C

The Irishman (2019)

Hums along for the first 3 hours and then peters out. I enjoyed Joe Pesci’s subdued performance and Robert DeNiro’s steely blues.

Rating: C

Joker (2019)

This is the style of “superhero” movie I like; dark and based mostly in reality. This one was really dark. Phoenix is superb. I predict he’ll win the Oscar. Funny that Robert DeNiro was in this, as I noticed a lot of similarities to Taxi Driver. Gritty stuff. Don’t bring the kids.

Rating: B

Righteous Kill (2008)

Dark and moody. Far too stylized to be believable. Just a long buildup to the inevitable twist ending. Unsatisfying and over acted.

Rating: D-

Analyze That (2002)

Not as funny as the first. .

Rating: C

Joy (2015)

Big fan of David O. Russell here. He makes the most of what he has to work with here, and much of it works. It’s a character driven movie that gives you more of an appreciation for those inventing and bringing products to market. Nothing blows you away, but it’s a solid film.

Rating: C+

The Intern (2015)

The beginning was overly cutesy. Too eager to please in a way that’s pleasing to nobody. Anne Hathoway is generally unlikable, in my opinion, and this character didn’t do her any favors. Thankfully they fell into a more relaxed rhythm and fun office dynamic. Didn’t hurt to cast two of the three Workaholics dudes either. They make everything better. It’s a known fact.

Rating: C

Hide And Seek (2005)

Made me scream out several times. Even though the plot was tired, the acting was good. Sufficiently creepy to hold your attention.

Rating: C

15 Minutes (2001)

DeNiro and Burns are both good in their roles, but the insane bad guys really steal the show. The plot twists and turns, always leaving you guessing. Just when you think things are winding up, BAM, a new turn.

Rating: C+

The Good Shepherd (2006)

The pacing is so slow, you'll have a difficult time making it to the end. With no big payoff at the end, even if you do make it, you'll wonder why you bothered. All cloak, and no dagger.

Rating: D

Stardust (2007)

Very inventive and fun once the story got under way. It's quite humorous at times too. Claire Danes is delightful as the star. Great cast altogether. This is one the whole family would enjoy watching together.

Rating: B-

Killing Season (2013)

Contrived setup followed by a ridiculous fight to the death by two men in the woods. Very little about this was good.

Rating: D

Machete (2010)

I was excited about this picture ever since I heard they were making a feature length film based on the fake movie trailer that aired during Grindhouse. The posters alone will wet your appetite. Pretty great cast, including the beyond beautiful Jessica Alba. Michelle Rodriguez doesn't look too shabby either. It's nice seeing Danny Trejo snag a leading role for a change.

Plenty of gratuitous violence and mayhem. You just have to laugh when 3 heads hit the floor after a single machete swipe. I felt the film lost focus towards the end. Also, there were too many unnecessary bit players taking up screen time. Lindsey Lohan's character made little sense. I shouldn't be surprised that it didn't live up to my expectations.

Rating: C

Silver Linings Playbook (2012)

I did such a terrific job of avoiding all mentions of this film prior to seeing it, that I had myself convinced it was about a high school football coach leading his team to victory by using a set of special plays in the Silver Linings Playbook. Turns out I was way off, which is how I like it.

I love going into movies ignorant of what I’m about to see. So I instantly went from liking this movie to loving it once Jennifer Lawrence came onscreen. I enjoyed her character because I love girls who are honest, slightly crazy, and aggressive about what they want. (Ideally, that would be me, but it’s been a while since that was the case)

Anyway, all interactions and conversations between Jennifer and Bradley’s characters were golden. Smart, funny dialogue. We can thank David O. Russell for taking an average story and elevating it to an award winning level. After all, this is the man that brought us Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, and The Fighter. This is definitely the crowd pleaser I heard it was.

Rating: B+

Killer Elite (2011)

Too long, yet not long enough. It felt like a lot of key elements were either glossed over or ignored altogether. And yet, for an action movie, things dragged on well after the audience was ready for a conclusion. Perhaps this would have been better suited for a British mini-series or television drama.

Rating: C

The Score (2001)

Marlon Brando really needs to go on a diet. He looks like a bloated whale about to purposely beach itself. His role in this movie was small, and I think he was only added to the cast for shock value and name recognition. Edward Norton is fantastic as always. He plays a smaller version of his "Primal Fear" role. DeNiro is still at the top of his game, just older.

For a big heist movie, it was well done. Not up to "Heat" par, but good. Enjoyed the twist ending, and had a good time throughout the film.

Rating: C+

Limitless (2011)

Smart, like the drug it’s centered around. I appreciated the cinematic changeup that occurred alongside the characters metamorphisms. Bright, vivid colors under the influence. Dim, monochromatic hues when they came off. These editing tricks really helped to propel the story forward. They did a good job with pacing too, balancing equal parts action and drama. Kudos to director Neil Burger for taking this film to the next level.

Rating: B