Since coming out with “Monsters, Inc.” in 2001, Pixar Studios has come a long way. The studio that had already begun to be known for its prestige in beautiful animation and unique storytelling soon rocketed to nearly unanimous critical acclaim. It is partly because of this acclaim that their latest effort, “Monsters University,” is good, but not great. It...
The Fresh Prince crash lands on Earth and sends the Karate Kid to save both their skins. In many ways, that would have made a more engaging story than what audiences saw in “After Earth,” which comes across as a heavy-handed father-son narrative between Will and Jaden Smith. Most of the dialogue is so on-the-nose it hurts, the special...
It came as a big surprise that the conclusion to Todd Phillips’ “Hangover” series involved no hangover at all. The decision to completely stray from the premise that ultimately led to the second installment’s utter failure was most likely due to critics’ complaints about how much of a facsimile “Hangover II” actually was. “The Hangover Part III” is nowhere...
My first thought after leaving the theatre is that “Star Trek Into Darkness” is not as good as J.J. Abrams’ 2009 reboot. Although Abrams has an obvious appreciation for the series, “Into Darkness” is simply not as well-crafted as its predecessor. With that said, the newest installment in the series is still a wild ride and I had fun...
If there's one thing Baz Luhrmann does well, it's theatrics. From 1996's “Romeo + Juliet” to 2001's “Moulin Rouge!” Luhrmann has an obvious knack for weaving soap opera atmosphere into his works. He's a unique storyteller, but in “The Great Gatsby,” the Australian director went a little bit too over the top and missed the mark. The heart and...
"Iron Man 3” had big shoes to fill. As Marvel’s first post-Avengers outing, this installment in the Iron Man franchise soars, surpassing its predecessors. This is currently the best film in Marvel’s ever-expanding cinematic universe.
The film has high ambitions. It juggles political commentary and half a dozen central characters wound into a relatively intimate narrative that is far more...
“The Big Wedding,” directed by Justin Zackham (“The Bucket List”), explores a trending subject in today’s television shows and movies: the modern family. As cliché and uninteresting as it sounds, viewers are in for a pleasant surprise.
I know what you guys are thinking: not another romantic comedy! Interestingly enough, the focus of “The Big Wedding” is less about the...
3.5 out of 5 stars
Over the last two decades, Michael Bay has emerged as one of the most lucrative directors in film history. His films are known for their heavy spectacle and lack of narrative and character development. Bay is praised by many for his contribution to pop culture and directorial inventiveness, but is highly criticized by fans of...
3 out of 5 stars
“Oblivion,” the second directorial effort from Joseph Kosinski (“Tron: Legacy”), is a visually stunning, if empty piece of pop entertainment. With a pedigree in video game commercials and graphic novels, Kosinski builds a post-apocalyptic earth that is both gorgeous and potentially menacing. Tom Cruise plays Jack Harper, one of the last humans stationed on a...
In the last decade, the Scary Movie series grossed over a billion dollars, revitalizing the genre of film parodies. “Scary Movie V,” the latest entry, is the most inept and unintelligible thus far. The foundation of “Scary Movie V” is the sleeper hit, “Mama,” released earlier this year and “Evil Dead,” which was released last week––talk about a rough...