Billed as a high-concept actioner, Looper is really more a high-concept drama. It works on both levels, but still runs into many of the same plot-hole traps that other time-traveling films encounter. At the same time, there’s something to be said for a pretty original story (remember those?) that poses… Continue reading
Safe House is the kind of well-made, exciting action film that delivers the goods fans are looking for. It never aspires to be anything more, as evidenced by the run-of-the-mill corrupt government story at its core. You’ve seen it all before, but it doesn’t matter. This flick is more about… Continue reading
Man on a Ledge falls firmly into the category of the “time filler” film. It’s a competently made, never dull suspense yarn that seems perfectly content being average and unassuming. The problem is that it’s a little too unassuming. A setup like this should wring suspense out of the audience… Continue reading
Rampart faces the age-old dilemma where the lead performance is better than the film itself. This is, perhaps, Woody Harrelson’s best performance, but he’s stuck in a narrative that’s never in a big hurry to get anywhere. Just when you think it’s about to come to a dynamite resolution, it… Continue reading
J. Edgar is a by-the-numbers biopic that’s just never quite as engaging as it should be. Interesting things happen onscreen, but there is an inexplicably empty, sterile feel to the whole affair. This seems surprising considering that J. Edgar Hoover is one of the more polarizing characters in all of… Continue reading
Horrible Bosses is a consistently funny tale of three disgruntled workers trying to off their bosses. It’s a Three Stooges routine, more or less, and plenty crude. While the idea seems to qualify as a black comedy, the execution just feels too darn nice. It’s virtually impossible not be reminded… Continue reading
By now you pretty much know the drill when it comes to Jason Statham action vehicles. He plays a largely charisma-free lead, usually a hit man or other stealthy dude, gets wronged in some way, and takes it out on, well, everyone and everything. The Mechanic, a remake of sorts… Continue reading
The Green Hornet represents a pretty big shot in the arm to the recent crop of self-serious superhero films. While those films like reflect on the problems of the times, The Green Hornet is really only interested in having fun, satirizing the genre, and packing in plenty of over-the-top action.… Continue reading
Why so serious? Faster, starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is his return to seemingly watchable movies, is an unpleasant, cliché-ridden revenge-fantasy that goes about itself completely wrong. If you’re going to make a movie with absolutely zero redeemable characters, at least inject some life through black comedy or just take… Continue reading
RED, standing for Retired Extremely Dangerous, is one of the most preposterous films of the year, filled with a “how did they get these people to do this?” cast. It’s also one of the more entertaining; a celebration of crazy action and sly dialogue that has enough crossover appeal to… Continue reading