Category: Mindless Mondays

This movie about four old friends (a sourpuss Robert DeNiro, a spry Morgan Freeman, a likable Kevin Kline, and Michael Douglas in smooth ladies man mode) getting together in Las Vegas for the bachelor party of Douglas’ character certainly knows what the older folks want to see. And knowing your demo is key to any…

Now that Thor is out, nobody really cares about this movie anymore, but if I have to watch it, then you have the option to read a review about it…That’s the deal. What Works: This movie is based off the enormously popular Ender’s Game books the controversial author Orson Scott Card started all the way…

So pretty much anyone who went to a theater this weekend happened upon Thor 2 and even though the film broke records, cemented Marvel’s place as a kingmaker, and raked in money hand over fist, I can’t help but ask an all-important question: “Is the movie good?” Now true, there aren’t many Marvel fans that…

I skipped this documentary in theaters, but luckily CNN is somehow airing docs that only just recently left the multiplex. [I’m talking this film and “Pandora’s Promise” only just left screens in August and they’re now on a basic cable channel, which is unheard of and better than Netflix.] What Works: The film is an…

This will go down as one of the all-time biggest bait-and-switches in movie history. You’ve got an excellent cast (Brad Pitt in ambiguous mode, Penelope Cruz as the sexy fiancee, Javier Bardem in colorful mode, Michael Fassbender as the compromised hero, and Cameron Diaz as the villain), a prestige director, and the first original screenplay…

A total bomb of a movie that had a pitiful 2 million dollar opening weekend (the worst of the year for a wide release). I’m not sure why people were so disinterested in seeing the story of Julian Assange and Wikileaks, and I guess this means people really aren’t interested in whistle blowing or the…

Do you think an old man getting into outrageous situations is funny? Do you think a little kid getting into outrageous situations is funny? Well, you’ll need to because that’s pretty much the only two jokes “Bad Grandpa” has got. What Works: The idea of giving a Jackass hidden-camera-style movie a thin plot—-a young boy’s grandpa has…

I know, I know, this movie came out a month ago and why am I posting Monday’s reviews on Tuesday? Oh well, I’ll crank out a few reviews today and just hope people show up… What Works: The script is generic, the villain (clearly based on the late Steve Jobs, who did nothing but innovate) is…

A very strong movie that excels in you-are-there dramatic verisimilitude more than creativity, but any film that I know the ending of ahead of time but still manages to create genuine third-act suspense is doing something very right. Director Paul Greengrass is best known for directing two of the Matt Damon as Jason Bourne films but his…