As someone who’s on the peripheral edge of being a comedian, I’ve always sought-out films, TV shows, books, or anything that can give us a peek behind the The Order of the Clowns, an exclusive unisex fraternity that has been breached in films from the biopic “Lenny” to Seinfeld’s documentary “Comedian” to Marc Maron’s podcast…
Category: Monday Morning Movie Reviewer
Movie Review: Can “Jason Bourne” Get Beyond Himself?
A few years back, when Jeremy Renner tried his hand as a Bourne-replacement in “The Bourne Legacy” I wrote an article about just how damn similar all the Bourne movies were—same basic plot, American character-actor CIA baddie, more internatonal-character actor rival assassin, outlandish car chase through a city towards the end with more hand-to-hand fights…
Movie Review: Kubo and the Two Strings
A beautifully-animated movie that will probably appeal more to adults than kids. What Works: The visual style is the main draw here, and it is enhanced by an actual theater experience, getting to see all the incredibly nuanced visual details. From the movie’s opening moments—an immense ocean wave sweeping over the audience—it lulls you into a…
Movie Review: Sausage Party
It’s so tough to review a movie that does everything exactly right until the ending, and then blows it. Do you grade the 95% of the movie you really loved or the last 5% you rememebered as the last thing you saw before leaving the theater? What Works: Seth Rogen wanted to make a movie about the stupidity…
Movie Review: “Nerve” Just Might Make You Feel Young Again
Sure, sure, sure, maaaaaybe it would have been nice to post this review back when the movie was in theaters. If you’re into that sort of thing, but why be so predictable as all that? What Works: The movie is about a virtual game of “Dare” (there’s very little truth) where people offer you money to…
Quick Reviews: Race, Eddie the Eagle
Two films about Olympians that—bizarrely—were released back in February, when nobody yet was caring about Rio. Why didn’t the studios release these movies closer to the actual games? A question that may have no answer… Race…Solid, if a little sleepy. Jason Sudekis phones it in as Jesse Owens’ grouchy coach, and you never really see…
Quick Reviews: Finest Hour, Hail Caesar, Barbershop 3
Every now and then, a film slips through the cracks–sometimes I don’t see it, sometimes I don’t want to see it (until later), or sometimes I see it but am just not inspired to write a review until months after a film is relevant–but I catch up with it eventually…If these three have anything in…
“The Legend of Tarzan” Knows the Words but Not the Rhythm
A movie that is naggingly unsatisfying. It has a lot of good elements that never quite gel into a really worthwhile whole, despite coming close… What Works: So just what is missing in this Tarzan? You’ve got Alexander Skarsgard as Tarzan, Margo Robbie as Jane, Christoph Waltz as your generic villain, Samuel L. Jackson as the lovable…
Movie Review: Independence Day Resurgence
A movie that seems built to be forgotten before you’ve stepped out of the theater. Not quite an utter betrayal of the first “Independence Day” (which was not exactly “Saving Private Ryan” itself), but a downgrade in almost every way, including—weirdly enough—the effects. What Works: Not much. The first “Independence Day” movie (made almost exactly 20 years…
“The Shallows” is a Much Better Blake Lively Movie
If you had told me that a Blake Lively movie would be better than the latest Pixar film, I’d have punched you straight in the nose. But you know what? You would have been right. What Works: “The Shallows” makes great use of its vibrant, ocean-blue setting. [Whereas “Finding Dory” is mostly set in a fish…
Movie Review: “Finding Dory” is Completely Forgettable
In my “Summer Movies” preview where I listed which ones I was most anticipating and least anticipating, I singled out “Finding Dory” as something I was pretty lukewarm to, and–I hate to say it–but I was right. Welllll, I was at least right that I wouldn’t like it that much, despite all the box office bajillions it’ll…
Movie Review: “Pop Star: Never Stop Never Stoppin'”
Even if it’s not “Spinal Tap” level, it’s still one of the most worthwhile theater experiences you can have this Summer. What Works: As you can tell by that dead-on subtitle (which makes me laugh just thinking about it), Andy Samberg and Co. are going after the faux-aspirational qualities mixed in with today’s pop star egomania….
Movie Review: “X-Men: Whatever”
In an age of needless sequels there can be no better example than the latest X-Men film, a series that has honestly not produced a single satisfying or truly good movie, yet has still survived 6 different installments. [I count the Wolverine series separately, and did like the Japan-set “The Wolverine” although the first Wolverine…