A promiscuous teenager with a bad case of hemorrhoids ends up in a hospital that’s ill-prepared for her antics in Wetlands. As far back as Helen (Carla Juri) can remember, she’s been obsessed with her own genitalia, most notably its smell and cleanliness. Her novel approach to the subject flies in the face of the […]
Two old friends are paid to reunite for an Italian restaurant tour in The Trip to Italy. In 2010, comedian Steve Coogan (playing himself) took on an assignment to tour a number of restaurants in northern England. When his chosen compatriot for the trip backed out, Coogan reluctantly agreed to bring along fellow comedian and tenuous […]
A small entourage joins a determined explorer in her latest adventure below the streets of Paris in As Above/So Below. A young Lara Croft-like adventurer, Scarlett (Perdita Weeks), has spent years in search of the elusive Philosopher’s Stone — a chemical substance that can turn lead into gold and bestow eternal life on its owner. […]
A resourceful CIA operative is brought out of retirement to protect a valuable witness in The November Man. Peter Devereaux (Pierce Brosnan) was making the most of his retirement from the CIA, living the good life in quiet obscurity and surrounded by the calming beauty of Switzerland. When a critical witness to a major Russian plot […]
The wife of a loathsome real-estate developer is kidnapped by a couple of amateur crooks in Life of Crime. In the late ’70s, Detroit hadn’t yet fallen into the complete disarray it finds itself in today, although it was well on its way. A local housewife at the time, Mickey Dawson (Jennifer Aniston), spends her days […]
A high school football coach must refocus his young team’s priorities after its highly-regarded winning streak comes to an end in When the Game Stands Tall. De La Salle’s high school football coach, Bob Ladouceur (Jim Caviezel), was the man behind the legendary winning streak of 151 games, spanning 13 years and 12 flawless seasons. As […]
I especially love comic books and graphic novels that take chances or push the limits of the medium. Frank Miller’s Sin City graphic novels wowed fans of comics with their art, storytelling and noir style and feel. Those elements carried over to the film adaptation, still one of my favorite comic book ports to date. […]
A sudden, potentially fatal accident gives a hopeful classical musician a unique new perspective on life in If I Stay. Mia Hall (Chloë Grace Moretz) grew up as the black sheep in her musical family. Both of her parents were huge fans of classic rock. Her father, Denny (Joshua Leonard), was a member of a well-respected local rock […]
A young, would-be musician is asked to perform for an offbeat band whose eccentric singer stays hidden behind a fake head in Frank. Jon (Domhnall Gleeson) is your typical twentysomething who spends his days in a thankless, dead-end office job waiting for his big moment to arrive. The dream is to one day become a successful […]
As I get older, I find that it’s more difficult to get up the energy to even mow the lawn, let alone go off into battle or fight someone younger. I have immense respect for anyone who somehow pulls off these stunts in their golden years. Sylvester Stallone and crew face those kinds of challenges […]
Two elderly ex-brothers-in-law embark on an impromptu journey around the surreal landscape of Iceland in Land Ho! Newly-retired Texas doctor Mitch (Earl Lynn Nelson) needs something to break the monotony that now dominates his life. It’s time for something drastic — something that might also bring a new perspective and outlook. Retirement has only underscored his […]
Reboots of franchises can be a good idea if they’re done right. The recent Godzilla is a perfect example of how a reboot can still feel fresh and entertain audiences. I can’t be as positive about the reboot — is this the second or third attempt? — of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles to coincide with the 30th […]