Yes, I know, there are lots of women who like “Fast and Furious” movies—and notably less men that like “Fifty Shades” movies, as evidenced by how “Furious” movies are rubber-stamped by critics and “Fifty” movies are ridiculed. But when you really get into the heart of the “Fast” audience, there’s a certain type of gear…
Category: Monday Morning Movie Reviewer
22-Word “Paddington Bear 2” Review
Paddington Bear 2…I’ve stalled writing a full review because all that really needs to be said is “Go see it.” So…”Go see it!”
Movie Review: The Cloverfield Paradox–OR–Cloverfield 3
Despite some ingenious marketing techniques (teasing an April release in theaters before officially revealing Netflix had bought it to distribute about two hours after telling the world it would be available–in February), this is probably the worst film in the “Cloverfield” franchise and can’t hold a candle to “10 Cloverfield Lane,” the second and by…
Movie Review: “Maze Runner: Death Cure” May Finally End YA Dystopia-Movies
If you’re anything like me, you may be struggling to remember “The Maze Runner” series and whether or not you even saw the last installment. You may also find you’d rather be watching the end of the “Divergent” series which stupidly split its final installment in half, only to question whether the second half should…
Movie Match-Up: “12 Strong” vs. “Den of Thieves”
A pair of macho, guys-vs.-guys actioners that come from different sides of the respectability spectrum, but will probably appeal to about the same demographic… Den of Thieves…Can writer-director Christian Gudegast (whose previous screenwriting credits include “classics” like “London Has Fallen” and the Vin Diesel howler “A Man Apart”) be sewed for copyright infringement? Because that’s how…
Movie Match-Up: “Proud Mary” vs. “The Commuter”
Two absolute junk January thrillers starring actors who’ve seen better roles, and if you waited until February to watch a movie in theaters I certainly wouldn’t blame you since the old truth about January being a dumping ground for the bottom-of-the-barrel looks to be holding true this year. However, not all bad things are equal,…
Movie Reviews: “The Post” and “Call Me By Your Name”
Two of the biggest Oscar contenders of 2017 didn’t get a wide release until the new year, but now you can find out what all the fuss is about. Although, for Alabama Liberal, it may be a bit overdone… Call Me By Your Name…The film inspiring critics to practically orgasm in their seats is both…
Quick Reviews: “I, Tonya,” “Shape of Water,” “The Disaster Artist,” “Downsizing,” “Jumanji 2”
Lightning quick reviews of some great movies (mostly) before I have to throw up my end-of-the-year list of reviews… I, Tonya…Not since Charlize Theron in “Monster” has an A-list sex symbol so thoroughly transformed herself in a role, but Margot Robbie mostly portrays Tonya Harding without the use of prosthetics. I also loved the breaking…
Movie Reviews: “Hostiles,” “All the Money in the World,” “Molly’s Game,” “Phantom Thread”
Hostiles…This Scott Cooper-directed Western is certainly better than his overrated last film “Out of the Furnace,” but perhaps not the second-coming of “Unforgiven” many viewers (like this one) may be hoping for. After a violent opening scene in which most of Rosamund Pike’s family is slaughtered, we soon settle into a slower rhythm in which…
Quick Documentary Reviews: “Obey Giant,” “Too Funny to Fail,” “A Gray State,” “The Farthest”
Four different documentaries about creators… Obey Giant…Shepard Fairey is a street artist I hadn’t heard of much before his iconic Obama “HOPE!” poster, and this is a quick bibliography of his most famous works and a little context for them. It’ll tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Fairey, and is perhaps necessary…
Quick Reviews: Detroit, Bushwick, Stronger, American Assassin, Lady Macbeth, Ingrid Goes West, The Glass Castle
7 films of wildly varying quality that you can now pick up on DVD and in “Bushwick”‘s case stream on Netflix… Bushwick…A director’s triumph as most of this pivotal event (in which Bushwick is invaded by mysterious black-clad soldiers) unfolds in flowing, technically-astounding long takes. Anyone who enjoyed the climax of “Children of Men” or…
Movie Reviews: “Bright,” “The Darkest Hour,” “The Greatest Showman,” “Just Getting Started”
Some honest-to-God current movie reviews on Alabama Liberal. Will wonders never cease?… Bright…I’m increasingly unsure what to do with Netflix movies, since I’m starting to feel like the fact that they’re basically free (included with subscriptions) and convenient (I did not wear clothes while watching this movie) is really affecting my grading system. Am I so happy…
Quick Reviews: “A Ghost Story,” “Personal Shopper,” “Boomtown,” “Trumped,” “American Jihad”
Some very depressing films about ghosts, hard times in rural America, American-born Jihadists, and—scariest of all—Trump’s “surprise” election to the White House, which looks a bit more like a nightmare every day…[On the wish list of all Trump’s supposed down and out, blue collar voters probably wasn’t “Gee, I hope he ends net neutrality so…