ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS (2016)
A film loosely based on Lewis Carroll’s ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS directed by James Bobin with a screenplay by Linda Woolverton and produced by Tim Burton is a film more in common with its predecessor (ALICE IN WONDERLAND) than the actual novels they are purported to be based on. Though I would dare to say that the first ten minutes were worth the price of admission, the rest of the film was a bit heavy handed and though not lacking in imagination, was not exceptional i
X-MEN: APOCALYPSE (2016)
Bryan Singer directed this film from a screenplay by Simon Kinberg based on the X-MEN comic book series by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. I found the picture to be engrossing and well done and as the ninth installment in the X-MEN franchise is one of the best films in the series. Taking place in 1983 it details the awakening of the ancient mutant En Sabah Nur and his plans to cleanse the human race and take over the world, thus prompting the X-Men to battle against him and his band
THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE (2016)
An animated film directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly is based on the Angry Birds video game and is a film I found enchanting and very entertaining and that’s from an adult’s point of view. With an excellent voice cast that included Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Sean Penn, Bill Hader and Peter Dinklage it features a very entertaining storyline and excellent animation from Sony Pictures Imageworks. If you find yourself pressured into seeing this b
THE NICE GUYS (2016)
Shane Black’s film from a screenplay he co-wrote with Anthony Bagarozzi is a neo-noir crime buddy comedy that stars Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling that doesn’t quite work. It showed questionable taste for a comedy in placing a young girl in some very questionable situations, which if this were a straight drama might be deemed appropriate, but seem out of place in a film that can’t decide if it’s a straight drama or an outright comedy. I found the script wanting and frankly h
ELVIS AND NIXON (2016)
Liza Johnson’s film from a screenplay by Joey Sagal, Hanala Sagal and Cary Elwes is a fictional account based on a true life meeting between Elvis Presley and President Richard Nixon that occurred on December 21, 1970. Since this incident took place before President Nixon started recording everything that went on in the Oval Office, the story that transpires is a supposition of what may have occurred during that most unusual meeting of two men that you would assume had nothin
MONEY MONSTER (2016)
Jodie Foster’s film from a screenplay by Alan Di Fiore, Jim Kouf and Jamie Linden and starring George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell, Dominic West, Giancarlo Esposito and an excellent Caitriona Balfe (OUTLANDER), is a superb piece of filmmaking. Essentially a story that confronts the corporate greed that is Wall Street and how miscalculations and misconceptions can ruin ordinary people’s lives, it shows what can happen when one man driven by despair succumbs to. Truth
THE DARKNESS (2016)
Greg McLean’s film from a script he co-wrote with Shayne Armstrong and S.P. Krause is supposedly based on an actual incident of a family who visited the Grand Canyon and brought home an ancient Indian artifact that produced a supernatural force that took over their lives. However I am sure this film played very loosely with the facts and stuck very closely to a protocol that’s been done many times before. At first somewhat intriguing, this story dissolves into pure ridiculous
LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP (2016)
Whit Stillman’s film from his own screenplay adaptation of the novella LADY SUSAN by Jane Austen is in many ways a revelation and totally delightful in it’s execution. The cinematography by Richard Van Oosterhout, the costumes by Eimer Ni Mhaoldmhnaigh and the music by Benjamin Esdraffo are alone all worth the price of admission, but the jewel of the production is the direction, writing and the magnificent cast lead by Kate Beckinsale as Lady Susan Vernon who could find herse
CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR (2016)
Co-directed by Anthony Russo and Joe Russo from a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely and based on Captain America by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby is essentially everything right about what should be done when filming an action adventure Marvel film. It has a compelling storyline that is not overly reliant on its special effects, though they are featured prominently in this film. A fine cast headed by Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian