Pompeii (2014)

Pompeii (2014)

Pompeii may have razor-thin characters and the least-convincing romance of the past few years, but one thing it is not is boring. As sort of a cross between Dante’s Peak, Gladiator, and Titanic, it blows up people and ancient architecture as efficiently as any disaster movie could. There are plenty of… Continue reading

The Lego Movie (2014)

The Lego Movie (2014)

There’s way more going on in The Lego Movie than initially meets the eye. This is a high-energy, smart, and surprisingly touching family film that truly delivers something for everyone – and maybe even more so for adults. What could have been nothing more than an annoying product placement film… Continue reading

The Monuments Men (2014)

The Monuments Men (2014)

“Damon, Murray, Blanchett, and Goodman are in? Well, then, our work here is done.” It seems more than likely that sentence or a variation thereof was uttered during the early stages of The Monuments Men, a dreary and largely uninteresting film about events that shouldn’t be dreary and uninteresting. A… Continue reading

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)

A lean, old-school espionage thriller that never tries to be more than it is, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit is a very pleasant surprise and possible franchise starter from director Kenneth Branagh. Based upon the character created by the late Tom Clancy (not based on any novel this time, just the… Continue reading

Lone Survivor (2013)

Lone Survivor (2013)

The opening sequence of Lone Survivor, utilizing real and raw footage of the agony and determination it takes to become a Navy SEAL, is great stuff. Had the rest of the film been built with this focus and care, Lone Survivor could have been really special. Instead it’s a pretty… Continue reading