This is a serviceable reboot of the Jack Ryan franchise, with a few decent action sequences, and a couple of good performances. Its central plot holds little intrigue, however, and won't keep your attention from time to time.
Grade: B-
#27: Ride Along
#28: Reasonable Doubt (2014)
Peter A. Dowling's script relies on too many unbelievable coincidences to create any tension in this lifeless thriller. On the other hand, Dominic Cooper gives such a limp performance that you wonder if he even believes in the film. If it weren't for Samuel L. Jackson being as menacing as possible, this would have recieved a much lower grade.
Grade: D
#29: Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain (2013)
Kevin Hart is a wild, and very funny comedian who isn't afraid to mock his own physical appearance to get a hearty laugh. However, the opening scripted scene of this almost puts you out of the film, before you even really get started. Thankfully, his jokes, and random pyrotechnics, bring you back, and make you happy they did.
Grade: B
#30: Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay (2013)
This is an interesting look at the obsessions, and inspirations, of a magician who is very passionate about his craft. Through him, you learn the histories of Jay himself, and some of the men who heavily influenced and trained him.
Grade: A-
#31: The Square (2013)
A moving documentary about the nature of revolution, and the abuses of power of those in charge, set against the backdrop of the Egyptian protests over the last 3 years. This movie will make you believe in the human spirit, and that the power of the masses can change anything. It may also make you feel lazy and pampered.
Grade: A
#32: 20 Feet From Stardom (2013)
Morgan Neville turns out a surprisingly emotional documentary about the history of back-up singers in pop music. From the ones who started it as a craft, to the ones who stood out in some of your favorite songs, the journey is beautiful, and well worth the time you spend taking it. Especially in scenes like watching Merry Clayton listen to, and explain her choices in, The Rolling Stones "Gimme Shelter", or Darlene Love express her anger toward Phil Spector giving someone else credit for a single she recorded.
Grade: A
#33: Cutie and the Boxer (2013)
An 80 year-old Japanese artist, and his artist wife of 40 years, live in New York, and struggle to make a living. This is the focus of the "Cutie and the Boxer", a sweet slice-of-life documentary with plenty of heart to give.
Grade: B+
#34: Back in the Day (2014)
Everything about this coming-home comedy (written, starring, and directed by Michael Rosenbaum) is sorely unfunny. There are almost no jokes that hit their mark, and just as few good performances. I would make a poop joke in reference to how bad this film was, but Rosenbaum stole all of them for his script.
Grade: D-
#35: After the Dark (2013)
The story in this film is a bit fascinating: a group of philosophy students have to choose between themselves to see who gets to stay in a underground bunker after a hypothetical apocalypse. The acting is rather strong, the writing is decent, and the cinematography is beautiful. However, the ending is a little too dramatic, and betrays what the rest of the film sets out to do.
Grade: B-
#36: Frozen (2013) *Rewatched
"Frozen" actually got better with a second viewing. It has a very high rewatch value, so I would recommend repeated viewings for anyone who is a fan. Those trolls are still a really stupid idea, though.
Grade: B+
#37: Free Ride (2013)
This is a very middle of the road "true story" drama about a single mother who gets caught up in drug trafficking while trying to provide for her two daughters. Anna Paquin does a decent job considering the somewhat cheesy script, and the story ends a little abruptly because of a reason I won't share due to spoilers.
Grade: C
#38: Big Bad Wolves (2013)
Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado, two Israeli film makers, have created one of the most twisted, darkly humorous, and haunting thrillers of the year. Three men (a police detective, the father of a murdered girl, and the girl's suspected kidnapper) find themselves in the middle of a revenge plot that quickly hurtles out of control. It isn't usually this early in the year that I see a film that could easily make it into my top ten, so we'll have to see what the rest of this year brings.
Grade: A
#39: Filth (2013)
A manic and poorly-paced first act leads to a much more thoughtful third act. James McAvoy turns in one of his finest performances, if not his absolute finest, playing from coke-addled Scottish police officer trying to climb the professional ladder, however he can.
Grade: B
#41: Enemies Closer (2013)
Jean-Claude Van Damme seems to be having a lot of fun with his career these days. This may be one of his cheesiest films (that doesn't co-star Dennis Rodman), but he has such magnificent time playing a villainous drug smuggler, that you don't even care about the bad dialogue or sub-par supporting cast. As an added bonus, Tom Everett Scott is the good guy. Do you remember Tom Everett Scott? I do. And I miss him...
Grade: C-
#42: Gimme Shelter (2013)
I guess Vanessa Hudgens is tired of being associated with the Disney Channel crowd, because she keeps moving further into more dramatic roles. In "Gimme Shelter" she plays a pregnant, somewhat homeless teenager with a past of abuse, looking for a way to survive on her own. A few good performances (mostly Rosario Dawson), and some emotional moments pull it up from being nothing but a standard Lifetime film. I'll forget what this is in a month, though.
Grade: C
#43: I, Frankenstein (2014)
#44: Summer in February (2013)
Trying to capitalize on the poularity of "Downton Abbey", even going so far to cast Dan Stevens, Christopher Menaul's period drama falls flat in just about every aspect. The performances are boring and the script is one notch below a day time soap opera. If it wasn't for good costume and production design, this movie would be a total waste.
Grade: D
#45: In A World... (2013)
#46: The Great Beauty (2013)
I took a couple of days to let this film sink in, because it actually warranted that. Paolo Sorrentino wrote and directed one of the most beautifully shot films of the year. Not a frame is wasted, as he fills the screen with wonderfully constructed images. His script tends to meander from time to time, but for the majority it tells an engrossing tale of a man trying to find beauty in a superficial world he has constructed for himself (a role that Toni Servillo gives a stunning amount of life to).
Grade: B+
#47: The Human Race (2013)
A ridiculous premise, bad acting, and even worse cinematography have made this one of new favorite soon-to-be cult films. I don't even know what else to say about this exciting trainwreck of a film, except that I just love every terrible minute of it.
Grade: D+
#48: Run & Jump (2013)
Where did Will Forte come from? He was making horrible comedies like "That's My Boy" and "MacGruber", and suddenly he is in moving dramadies like "Nebraska" and this tale about an Irish family coping with the aftermath of the patriarch's stroke. A pretty decent script, with some cliche pitfalls, is kept together with a few really strong performances. Especially Will Forte's.
Grade: B
#49: Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)
Heather Juergensen and Jessica Westfeldt wrote and starred in this delightful indie about two New York women, one a conservative Jewish newspaper writer, the other a free-spirited artist, finding each other romantically. Even though it was made 14 years ago, the writing still feels current and absolutely crisp. The cast is fantastic, and filled with actors who were on the cusp of stardom, but not there yet. Anybody looking for an original and fun romantic comedy should check this one out.
Grade: A-
#50: Kill Your Darlings (2006)
Bjorne Larson co-wrote and directed this misguided, and horribly mismanaged, film about a screenwriter trying to find inspiration. The acting was poor, the script was muddled, and the directing was boring. Awful. Just awful.
Grade: D
#35: After the Dark (2013)
The story in this film is a bit fascinating: a group of philosophy students have to choose between themselves to see who gets to stay in a underground bunker after a hypothetical apocalypse. The acting is rather strong, the writing is decent, and the cinematography is beautiful. However, the ending is a little too dramatic, and betrays what the rest of the film sets out to do.
Grade: B-
#36: Frozen (2013) *Rewatched
"Frozen" actually got better with a second viewing. It has a very high rewatch value, so I would recommend repeated viewings for anyone who is a fan. Those trolls are still a really stupid idea, though.
Grade: B+
#37: Free Ride (2013)
This is a very middle of the road "true story" drama about a single mother who gets caught up in drug trafficking while trying to provide for her two daughters. Anna Paquin does a decent job considering the somewhat cheesy script, and the story ends a little abruptly because of a reason I won't share due to spoilers.
Grade: C
#38: Big Bad Wolves (2013)
Aharon Keshales and Navot Papushado, two Israeli film makers, have created one of the most twisted, darkly humorous, and haunting thrillers of the year. Three men (a police detective, the father of a murdered girl, and the girl's suspected kidnapper) find themselves in the middle of a revenge plot that quickly hurtles out of control. It isn't usually this early in the year that I see a film that could easily make it into my top ten, so we'll have to see what the rest of this year brings.
Grade: A
#39: Filth (2013)
A manic and poorly-paced first act leads to a much more thoughtful third act. James McAvoy turns in one of his finest performances, if not his absolute finest, playing from coke-addled Scottish police officer trying to climb the professional ladder, however he can.
Grade: B
#41: Enemies Closer (2013)
Jean-Claude Van Damme seems to be having a lot of fun with his career these days. This may be one of his cheesiest films (that doesn't co-star Dennis Rodman), but he has such magnificent time playing a villainous drug smuggler, that you don't even care about the bad dialogue or sub-par supporting cast. As an added bonus, Tom Everett Scott is the good guy. Do you remember Tom Everett Scott? I do. And I miss him...
Grade: C-
#42: Gimme Shelter (2013)
I guess Vanessa Hudgens is tired of being associated with the Disney Channel crowd, because she keeps moving further into more dramatic roles. In "Gimme Shelter" she plays a pregnant, somewhat homeless teenager with a past of abuse, looking for a way to survive on her own. A few good performances (mostly Rosario Dawson), and some emotional moments pull it up from being nothing but a standard Lifetime film. I'll forget what this is in a month, though.
Grade: C
#43: I, Frankenstein (2014)
#44: Summer in February (2013)
Trying to capitalize on the poularity of "Downton Abbey", even going so far to cast Dan Stevens, Christopher Menaul's period drama falls flat in just about every aspect. The performances are boring and the script is one notch below a day time soap opera. If it wasn't for good costume and production design, this movie would be a total waste.
Grade: D
#45: In A World... (2013)
#46: The Great Beauty (2013)
I took a couple of days to let this film sink in, because it actually warranted that. Paolo Sorrentino wrote and directed one of the most beautifully shot films of the year. Not a frame is wasted, as he fills the screen with wonderfully constructed images. His script tends to meander from time to time, but for the majority it tells an engrossing tale of a man trying to find beauty in a superficial world he has constructed for himself (a role that Toni Servillo gives a stunning amount of life to).
Grade: B+
#47: The Human Race (2013)
A ridiculous premise, bad acting, and even worse cinematography have made this one of new favorite soon-to-be cult films. I don't even know what else to say about this exciting trainwreck of a film, except that I just love every terrible minute of it.
Grade: D+
#48: Run & Jump (2013)
Where did Will Forte come from? He was making horrible comedies like "That's My Boy" and "MacGruber", and suddenly he is in moving dramadies like "Nebraska" and this tale about an Irish family coping with the aftermath of the patriarch's stroke. A pretty decent script, with some cliche pitfalls, is kept together with a few really strong performances. Especially Will Forte's.
Grade: B
#49: Kissing Jessica Stein (2001)
Heather Juergensen and Jessica Westfeldt wrote and starred in this delightful indie about two New York women, one a conservative Jewish newspaper writer, the other a free-spirited artist, finding each other romantically. Even though it was made 14 years ago, the writing still feels current and absolutely crisp. The cast is fantastic, and filled with actors who were on the cusp of stardom, but not there yet. Anybody looking for an original and fun romantic comedy should check this one out.
Grade: A-
#50: Kill Your Darlings (2006)
Bjorne Larson co-wrote and directed this misguided, and horribly mismanaged, film about a screenwriter trying to find inspiration. The acting was poor, the script was muddled, and the directing was boring. Awful. Just awful.
Grade: D
No comments:
Post a Comment