While the film plays out almost exactly as you would imagine after watching the trailers, it’s still an enjoyable ride. Almost everything about this movie is predictable: Who lives, who dies, how the bad decisions will screw everybody over. However, that doesn’t seem to diminish the entertainment. Like the previous “Jurassic Park” films, all the… Read More »
Entertaining for what it is: A big-budget disaster movie. The movie suffers from sticking with all the clichés from this genre, including the done-to-death estranged couple forced back together during a natural disaster, narrow escapes and annoying characters getting their comeuppance. Fortunately, most of this is toned down a bit and there is an effort… Read More »
Even with a few creepy moments, this remake doesn’t bring much new to the table. The original “Poltergeist” is one of my all-time favorite films, so the new one has big shoes to fill. There’s a much quicker pace throughout the new film. Immediately after the family enters their new home, there are already ominous… Read More »
A non-stop, over-the-top action film that never quite connects. It’s been so long since I’ve seen the other “Mad Max” films that I don’t remember much of anything about them. (In fact, I always thought there were only two films up until recently.) That said, the opening of the new film is somewhat confusing. There’s… Read More »
More or less just a retread of the first film, but without the magic that made it special. This is a somewhat boring and surprisingly bland movie. Overall, the plot is too similar to the first “Avengers,” but this time they cram in even more characters. The thrill of seeing the core members of the… Read More »
Over-the-top action that defies logic and physics keeps the adrenaline pumping, while a touching sendoff may leave you in tears. Like the previous “Fast & Furious” films, there’s no shortage of action and carnage. Most of this involves fast cars doing the impossible, but there are some entertaining hand-to-hand fights as well. The plot here… Read More »
Some wild action and twisted humor make a mostly entertaining film. The general plot has been done many times, so there’s not much new here. The acting is solid, but there’s not any performance that stands out. The most polarizing character is played by Samuel L. Jackson, whose strange lisp and sideways baseball cap makes… Read More »
The Equalizer– A strong performance by Denzel overcomes a cliché plot and weak villain. Plenty of brutal action, once the slow-paced start of the film is over. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – Great effects work and mo-cap, but weak human characters and a flimsy plot. X-Men: Days of Future Past–… Read More »
It takes a lot of work to be the best, but sometimes it’s harder to be the worst. I’m very selective about what films I see in theaters, so there are some horrible movies out there that won’t be on this list because I didn’t see them. Godzilla– Long, boring set-up featuring mostly uninteresting characters,… Read More »
A strong ending to the Hobbit trilogy, but never lives up to the expectations generated by the Lord of the Rings trilogy. The story itself was OK, but it seemed the entire middle section of the film did nothing more than set the stage for the battle sequence at the end. And when that battle… Read More »