Reviews

New Year's Eve in Baltimore; a relative calm before the storm when a citywide medical emergency throws the entirety of the police force into chaos, especially for antisocial beat cop Eleanor Falco--handpicked to be the liaison for Special Agent Lammark of the FBI as they attempt to track down a mass murderer who doesn't fit into a clearly identifiable type. This gray, languid, garden-variety crime thriller doesn't have enough interesting elements in the script to make for a very meaty investigation, nor does it have characters to root deep interest in despite some halfway decent performances. A wannabe gritty thriller that forgot to include the grit. **

Outrageously uninhibited comedy starts out simple enough: Seth Rogen and antisocial Jay Baruchel are in Los Angeles and headed to a housewarming party hosted by James Franco where several Hollywood types are in attendance (Jonah Hill, Rihanna, Craig Robinson, Mindy Kaling, et al) with plans to rave like there's no tomorrow. There may in fact be no tomorrow as what begins like any old party takes a turn for the weird, and these soft as baby oil actors find themselves in a quagmire, one that may or may not involve the apocalypse...yes, you did read that correctly. Immature, vulgar, ridiculous, so much so you know it's deliberate, this plays out like a big, extended, outlandishly over-the-top skit that piles on one absurdly silly idea after another, with a top-flight collection of comedic actors playing exaggerated versions of themselves and poking fun at one another while they're on the brink of total insanity. Nonexistent plot does subvert the momentum, and the raunchy gross-out gags are sure to make some viewers feel queasy, but will probably just add some extra hilarity to fans of the actors. **½

Megan Park's directorial debut is a close, at times painful examination of grief and tragedy for Gen Zers, chronicling low-key teenage girl Vada Cavell and how her entire world is upheaved in the aftermath of a deadly shooting at her high school. She has close friends and family members she can turn to, but even they aren't enough to diminish the grievous burden that's been inflicted upon her. The narrative frequently wanders, by design so as to capture the mindset of the shaken protagonist, which admittedly can cause the viewer's level of interest to dwindle, but still the motives and actions of the characters are believable, and the performances of the actors are laudable, most especially Ortega who's so emotionally raw and real in the central role. **½

Lackluster, unnecessary follow-up to Afterlife, which itself was nonessential, is the latest bait-and-switch to take an established franchise (in name only) in feeble hopes of getting fans in the seats, even though there's nothing worthwhile to justify its existence. Callie, Phoebe, and Trevor Spengler have abandoned the old dirt farm, teamed up with Gary Grooberson to cohabit the old firehouse, and strapped on their proton packs to bust ghosts that wanna take a bite out of the Big Apple. In the old days the question was: who you gonna call? Times have changed though, and the question now is: who gonna clean up the mess? Devoid of real humor but rife with flashy effects, there is a bit of plot thrown in amongst all the visuals involving an evildoing god--no, it's not Gozer, meanwhile Pheebs is literally sidelined from her own family and finds solace by shooting the breeze with the apparition of a teenage girl who speaks in monotone and can transeparate when the need arises. The overstuffed cast does have Raymond Stantz on hand to spout sophisticated, scientific jargon, along with some other legacy characters who show up to remind viewers that this franchise was really popular when it first originated...too bad four decades have passed since then. Ivan Reitman receives a posthumous producing credit, whether or not he'd be pleased with the results is anyone's guess, but maybe Robert Frost would've been glad to get a shoutout. *½

Mr. & Mrs. Grey have now wed and made solemn promises to cherish one another, but their marital bliss hits a bump in the road with his tendency to try and micromanage her life, and then is full-on threatened by some shadowy figures from their past. Dakota and Jamie keep doing their thing so three films in viewers should be used to all the freaky foreplay and amorous games by now, but none of that can overcome the deadening sense of redundancy; the script tries but fails to throw in some curveballs to keep things interesting, only backfiring to reveal there just isn't much of a story to tell. Those hoping that the series climax would be a memorable ménage à trois will be sorely disappointed. *½

It's the not too distant future; a globalized military command known as United Defense Force (UDF) has formed to combat a devastating alien race that has laid siege throughout continental Europe. Cruise, a weak-kneed UDF public relations officer who's never come close to sniffing a battlefield, attempts to circumvent edict after his CO deploys him to the offensive front in France. When he's unceremoniously dropped into a hot zone, he find himself caught in a time loop with the same deadly result each time, but finds an unexpected ally in preeminent fighting soldier Blunt. Watching this might make one classify it as a unique blend of Groundhog Day, Saving Private Ryan, and Starship Troopers, but it leaves its own indelible mark with four-star visual effects, laugh-out loud humor, innovative plot twists aplenty to keep the narrative fresh, plus sure-footed direction that plunges viewers right into the heat of battle. Quick-witted, ambitious, and exciting with two leads who really click, though the ending doesn't hit as hard as one would like. ***

Having had her fill of his "sadistic intimacy," Ms. Steele has taken a break from Mr. Grey and begun a new job doing independent publishing. Claiming to be a changed man, the seemingly chivalrous Mr. Grey seeks out Ms. Steele hoping to rekindle their romance, only this time he's open to a vanilla relationship without rules, without punishment, but most importantly: without secrets. Of course complications arise as she delves deeper into his checkered past and he continues to grapple with his inner demons. Johnson and Dornan look more at ease playing their respective roles this time around and of course it features the requisite amount of rough and steamy coitus, but it also has its share of overwrought melodrama which doesn't exactly make for high-end entertainment. **

Divorced, 40-year-old Silver Lake art gallery owner Solène is railroaded into taking her teen daughter Izzy to a meet-and-greet at Coachella. Once there, she just so happens to cross paths with Hayes Campbell, the 24-year-old lead singer of a popular British boy band. Due to varied age and lifestyle differences she's convinced they just don't fit and is weary of getting closer to him, but the pull between them is undeniable. So begins a whirlwind romance, but alas, his high-profile celebrity makes the reality of their situation even more difficult to digest. The set up makes it sound like just the latest in a long line of genre fluff, and even though some key aspects of the relationship are rushed the feelings are still very real, plus the sweet, organic chemistry between Hathaway and Galitzine is enough to make a viewer swoon, with some incisive commentary on the insidious nature of paparazzi and social media thrown in for good measure. ***

Anastasia Steele (Johnson) is a demure young English literature student at WSU Vancouver who reluctantly agrees to interview the handsome but icy, intimidating young business entrepreneur Christian Grey (Dornan) for her college newspaper. Enticed by his mojo and magnetic personality she begins seeing him, but soon learns that sexual dominance is his ultimate aphrodisiac. While her mind may tell her to put the kibosh on it before it begins, her body tells her something else entirely. For a movie that's meant to be the epitome of erotic this doesn't really generate much heat; DJ and JD lack fervent chemistry despite their clear willingness to perform in the buff while immersed in whips, chains, BDSM paraphernalia, and other kinky sexcapades. For as long as it requires the viewer to sit through all the sadomasochistic foreplay, it sure doesn't provide anything resembling a legitimate payoff. **

Out of work and also just out of a long-term relationship where there was no fire in her loins, a sullen and chain-smoking woman in her thirties moves into her married big sister's pool house while contemplating her next move, vowing to take a lengthy sabbatical from men and alcohol. The sabbatical doesn't last very long when she gets caught in a steamy love triangle with two old friends who are polar opposites: sensitive, academic Jack, and lively, spontaneous Frank. Shailene Woodley is able to manage a solid performance in this slow, saturnine drama that maintains an overarching cloud of gloom while trying to tell its story in snippets, but you're never fully permitted to get inside her head or find out what it is that really makes her tick, meanwhile Dornan and especially Stan aren't given enough screentime to fully develop their characters or give them much of an arc. It doesn't provide enough insight to the protagonist to work as a character study, and it leaves too many critical questions unanswered to work as a real drama, but it might work for some who want to see the lead actors do what they can with limited material. **

Olive Penderghast is an erudite seventeen-year-old and things follow the usual rigamarole at her SoCal high school: she's smart and studious, thereby nerdy, anonymous, and virtually invisible to the opposite sex...that is until she spins a tale to her strong-willed best friend that she gave up her "V card" to a random college guy. This leads to a trigger effect when her quiet little fib circulates throughout the entire school and then quickly transitions her social standing from nonentity to on the map, but then her situation spirals in ways she could've never fathomed. Because the high school outcast trope has been covered more times than you care to count some familiarity is bound to show, but this really is intelligent and engaging with a hilarious mix of coarse and satiric barbs, colorful, quotable lines--with some welcomed John Hughes and other mainstream movie references thrown in, plus it's effortlessly anchored by Emma Stone's illustrious comic performance. ***

Reality shows, doctor's appointments, prescription drugs, and (ugh) a support group...that is the life of downbeat Indianapolis teenager Hazel Grace Lancaster, a Stage IV thyroid cancer patient who for pretty obvious reasons has a chip on her shoulder. It's at this support group where she meets and befriends kindred spirit Gus Waters, an upbeat amputee who refuses to deny himself the simpler pleasures of existence, and who helps Grace find a new lease on life. Despite what could definitely be an exploitative set up, for the most part this avoids falling into the trap of being just another maudlin weeper thanks to a confluence of genuine emotions, gravely important themes, and performances of the highest caliber--Woodley and Elgort especially who do find the real truth in their characters. Really goes overboard with its heavy-handedness in the final act, yet still impresses overall. ***

Rebellious teenager Kat Connors is only 17 when in 1988 her mother disappears in a blink, leaving her alone with her dull pushover of a father. Initially indifferent to the situation Kat soon has to reflect, and come to terms with her mother's absence while she comes of age and succumbs to her own primal sexual urges. Unorthodox, uneven mix of coming-of-age teen drama and police procedural doesn't mesh cohesively, especially with some fanciful dream sequences thrown in, plus there's a disconnect between the acting styles of Woodley, who brings a real authenticity to her role, and Green, who's unnerving and a bit too over-the-top. There's enough of the family dysfunction, youthful debauchery, and verbal diarrhea to keep a viewer invested, but the ending, which is meant to be shocking, instead just lacks conviction or impact. **

In 1919 rustic WWI veteran DiCaprio returns from battle to live with (and seek work) from influential uncle De Niro on his ranch in Oklahoma, located right in the vicinity of the Osage Nation who've discovered oil and slowly assimilated themselves into white society. DiCaprio gets in the good graces of (and eventually weds) Osage woman Gladstone and initially all seems well, but then waves of violence and slaughter commence against the Osage which eventually forces the BOI to intervene. A real-life series of Western crime incidents are given the epic-scale treatment which makes for a long slog, but the story is riveting, emotions are raw and real, the cinematography outstanding, and the actors are fully invested. Even with their numerous collaborations with the director in the past, this is actually the first onscreen pairing of DiCaprio and De Niro with Scorsese behind the camera, and no big surprise that they deliver the goods, but the true revelation is Gladstone in a quietly captivating performance. ***

Adversity builds character, or so says the snide, articulate, ocularly-limited New England classics teacher Paul Hunham while trying to educate his cretinous, entitled, all-male prep students in December 1970, though their one-track minds keep them on the primrose path. With the holiday season also comes a lump of coal as the strict, unsociable educator gets stuck chaperoning his most recusant student over the winter break. Also in the company of the school's grief-stricken cafeteria manager Mary Lamb, the raspy teacher and the insubordinate pupil start to bond entre nous. Good writing and storytelling make this snappy, talky, funny and bittersweet tale an enjoyable watch, though it features a few too many endings while imparting its crucial life lessons. Giamatti is marvelous, continually spouting intellectual zingers, with stellar support from Randolph, and Sessa in an affecting big screen debut. ***

In what's arguably a classic case of "too much testosterone syndrome," square-jawed stuntman Colt Seavers is a guy who literally gets paid to take it on the chin, problematic while trying to look cool in front of his girlfriend Jody Moreno, a camera operator with ambition to be a big-time Hollywood director. When an incident takes Colt out of the game for some time, he's lured back to take part in Jody's first movie: a big, blockbuster production that's already over budget, and naturally his presence makes it hard to keep things super profesh especially after the lead actor abruptly disappears. Clever script that's parodying the filmmaking process is infused with recognizable quotes and references, allows Gosling some funny soliloquies, and benefits from competent direction which doesn't let things get too serious. It runs long and the pace slows when monopolized by all the plot exposition, but there are plentiful laughs, great stunts (who knew?), plus Ryan and Emily look at ease playing characters you want to root for, even with the familiarity of their romance. ***

Retired CIA field agent has left behind a life of wet work and replaced it with bricklaying, where thus far all seems coo coo ca choo. Naturally this doesn't last when a scheme unfolds to blackmail the Agency, thus he's reactivated and paired with a junior operative on a critical manhunt to find a "ghost." Renny Harlin carries over some of his previous Die Hard experience to offer a few rough-and-tumble fight scenes, but those familiar with 007, the IMF, or any other entity that deals in espionage and has been brought to the screen numerous times won't be the least bit surprised by anything that transpires here. Extremely clichéd, somewhat watchable, but not at all memorable it does feature a firm, forceful (if shallow) portrayal from blue-eyed brick man Eckhart, but he really deserves better material and none of his co-stars have even a shred of charisma to uplift this. **

In early 2000s New York City paramedic and loner Cassie lives a pretty uneventful life outside of her job, but things are about to reach a whole new level of crazy for her. Experiencing visions which she initially dismisses as déjà vu, she comes to realize she possesses a clairvoyance that allows her to see the future. Her newfound powers may be linked to her late mother who was researching spiders in the Peruvian Amazon prior to her death, as well as a mysterious indigenous tribe known as Las Arañas, but Cassie has bigger things to worry about when she finds herself becoming the de facto protector of impulsive, entitled teenagers Julia Cornwall, Añya Corazón, and Mattie Franklin. Errant visual effects, crummy lines, along with uninvolving action scenes are all that's peppered throughout a prolonged, paradoxical story that's rarely (if ever) interesting, not to mention replete with characters who lack charisma, including a most forgettable villain. The sappy and sentimental ending doesn't help, but the ship sunk long before the finale. *½

From the wonderfully warped, miraculous mind of Tim Burton comes this magical, mythical, highly imaginative and most unusual fable. A blithesome, door-to-door Avon lady (warmly played by Wiest) one day ventures out to a decrepit castle atop the mountain behind her suburban neighborhood. What she doesn't know is that the castle is home to Edward, a lonely humanoid with bladed hands who's the brainchild of a brilliant old inventor (played with gusto by Price). She decides to bring Edward home to stay with her family where he gets a taste of cozy suburban life, and also bonds with her doe-eyed, teenage daughter. A strange little idea imbued with Burton's wistful sensibilities turn this into a rich, emotional fantasy showcasing pivotal themes of isolation, self-discovery, and love, uplifted by a wonderous score from Danny Elfman. It also has a cheeky since of humor that pokes fun at the clockwork and monotony of its pastel-painted suburbia with nosy neighbors, and how gossip can spread through a community like wildfire. Depp is asked a lot of in the title role, and really nails each unique facet of a most unique character; this is the first of what became many collaborations between the unparalleled tag team of Burton & Depp, it's wholly original and thus undeniable. ***

A witty, cheery comedic reimagining of the Nixon Presidency--forever linked in infamy to Watergate, which subsequently led to the first and only Presidential resignation in 1974--but as seen through the eyes of two sweet, dewy-eyed high school girls with little going on upstairs who get appointed as "official White House dog walkers." While bumbling in and out of interactions with key political players, they unknowingly become the inspiration for whistleblower Deep Throat as the controversial scandal begins to unfold. Pinpoint casting and writing allow Dunst and Williams to be adorably and hilariously obtuse while regurgitating double entendres and getting mixed up in a major upheaval without ever realizing just how much trouble they're in; a spot-on Hedaya's also a hoot while embodying the many nuances of Tricky Dick. ***

Contentious and claustrophobic drama set on a dark and stormy night in a Miami police station where an aggrieved black woman butts heads with an insouciant white police officer as she tries in vain to discover the whereabouts of her son, a biracial teen who's abruptly vanished without a trace. Things only flare up when her estranged husband, a true-blue white federal officer, arrives on the scene. The subject matter alone should make this a grabber, but teary-eyed Washington is allowed to overplay it in this elongated, heavy-handed with a capital H vignette that tries oh so excruciatingly hard to pummel the viewer over the head with its message about stereotyping, racial inequality, and police impropriety. Adapted from a Broadway play it likely works better on a stage than on a screen, though the ending still delivers a punch to the gut; if only it weren't so inordinately preachy during the build up to it. **

DreamWorks Pictures conceived this sweeping animated take on The Exodus, set in Ancient Egypt where the enslaved Hebrews face the wrath of Pharoah Seti when he orders mass infanticide of their newborn boys, but one of them (Moses) is rescued from a river and then raised in a family of royalty alongside older brother Rameses by Seti himself, a family where one weak link can break the chain of a mighty dynasty. As the elder son Rameses is chosen to rule, but the pendulum of power shifts once Moses realizes who he truly is, and God's decree that he must lead his people to freedom. A host of well-defined characters, the stupendous and awe-inspiring visuals, plus the resonating soundtrack are just some of the many highlights in this triumphant and majestic story, even better that it features a magnificent group of actors who lend their voices to bring it all to life, with special props to Kilmer and Fiennes as the quarreling siblings. ***

In the early 1990s an idle, carefree Los Angeles "Dude" who likes to bowl and is particularly fond of his rug at home gets mistaken for a disabled, goldbricking and pompous millionaire with the same name. This sets off a chain of events involving a kidnap-and-ransom exchange that gets him (and his pals) entangled with an indelible assortment of weirdos including the millionaire's spoiled tween of a trophy wife, as well as his brazen, sensual daughter, plus a knockabout group of nihilists. Flippant, bizarro Coen brothers dark comedy has quotable lines, voluminous swearing, plenty of laughs, and a purposely silly storyline that isn't required to make sense; plays like a series of strange (to put it mildly) segments patched together but it's proficiently cast all-around with a memorable outing for Bridges who nonchalantly loafs through the picture, and a juicy part for Goodman as The Dude's violence-prone bowling buddy. Audacious and outrageous it's definitely an acquired taste, but if it's fun to watch then why complain too much? **½

Intelligent, outspoken black writer and west coast college professor Thelonious Ellison is going through a tumultuous period: his published novels receive academic praise yet remain unpopular and sell poorly, plus his latest manuscript is rejected for not being "black" enough. On top of that, he travels to Boston to see his less than ideal family, but being around them won't exactly take the edge off. Out of frustration, he writes a novel that panders to the stereotypical African-American experience while adopting the pseudonym "Stagg R. Lee," but is floored when it begins to sell like gangbusters! Now he has to keep up with the ridiculous charade if he hopes to maintain his success. Wright gives an impeccably nuanced performance in this smart, hilariously profane and provocative satire that features characters who talk and act like real people, and also struggle to deal with relatable family conflicts. Brown is also solid in a showy role as Wright's good-for-nothing little brother, though he could've benefited from more screentime. An imperfect ending doesn't provide quite the same amount of punch as the rest of the movie, but that doesn't diminish the viewing experience either. ***

Set in a reimagined version of what (appears?) to be Victorian London comes this audacious, highly imaginative tale that could be seen as a black comedy, sci-fi fantasy, and some kind of screwy rom-com all in one! Dr. Godwin Baxter, a far-out, groundbreaking experimental surgeon whose moral code has many shades of gray, reanimates the brain of an unborn baby into the body of an adult woman resulting in the creation of Bella Baxter, a babbling "experiment" whose mental age and body are unsynchronized, but whose intelligence progresses at an accelerated rate. Max McCandles is the medical student hired to aid Godwin in monitoring Bella's growth, but when libertine lawyer Duncan Wedderburn enters the picture, Bella becomes insatiably curious about herself and the outside world...and so begins her grand, ubiquitous journey of self-discovery and liberation. Moviegoers with puritanical attitudes be warned: this risky, randy, unpredictable fare never attempts to shy away from any furious jumping, thus raunchy subject matter is plentiful and leaves little to the imagination, but still it's frequently hilarious and consistently engaging. Lanthimos has really outdone himself with the eye-catching visual schematics, and cast it to perfection with Ruffalo who's bumbling and over-the-top, Dafoe his usual, formidable self even behind the heavy prosthetics, Youssef who has a thankless yet still effective straight role, but without a doubt the real linchpin to this daring, wacky, twisted endeavor is a phenomenally fearless and freakishly funny Emma Stone who sheds all inhibitions to deliver what's arguably a career-best performance, one that's almost certain to live rent free in your head. While the story momentum does slow a bit in the latter half, there's still no denying the overall impact. ***