Movie Reviews Archives | Page 7 of 9

Chris Pine (Jack Ryan) and Kevin Costner (Thomas Harper) in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit

‘Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit’ review: Run-of-the-mill, but not unenjoyable

Post author:JL
Post published:February 5, 2014
Post category:Movie Reviews

Some Russians living in the past are planning the collapse of the U.S. economy, and it's up to a brilliant CIA analyst to stop them. If this plot sounds familiar, it's because every other action movie ever made, save those about unstoppable vehicles or sci-fi elements (and sometimes not even then), has it, give or take a few minor changes: the nationality of the villains, the "thing" they want to collapse, the government organisation of the hero's vocation.

The ensemble cast of August: Osage County

‘August: Osage County’ review: A surprisingly compelling family drama

Post author:JL
Post published:January 25, 2014
Post category:Movie Reviews Awards Season

August: Osage County quietly holds your attention until you realise that you are not just perfunctorily sitting through it, as you would sit through a family gathering that you have to be at -- you really are invested in what happens to this family.

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street

‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ review: Vulgar and excessive, but so HILARIOUS

Post author:JL
Post published:January 16, 2014
Post category:Movie Reviews

Leonardo DiCaprio as Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street The Wolf of Wall Street review in a nutshell A movie that reaches such…

The all-star cast of American Hustle: Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale and Jennifer Lawrence

‘American Hustle’ review: Messy plot, memorable characters

Post author:JL
Post published:December 28, 2013
Post category:Movie Reviews Awards Season

When a movie spends its first three minutes on Christian Bale carefully arranging his sparse hair into a comb over, with his shirt unbuttoned to show off a paunchy stomach, you know somehow that plot isn't its biggest concern.

Michael Fassbender (Epps), Lupita Nyong'o (Patsey) and Chiwetel Ejiofor (Solomon Northup) in 12 Years a Slave

‘12 Years a Slave’ review: An unforgiving look at slavery through the eyes of one of its victims

Post author:JL
Post published:December 24, 2013
Post category:Movie Reviews Awards Season Movies and the Real World

Just as Schindler's List is the first to come into mind when people think of films about the Holocaust, 12 Years a Slave will go down in cinematic history as that film for slavery.

Robin Williams as Sean Maguire and Matt Damon as Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting

Flashback to 'Good Will Hunting' (1997): "My boy's wicked smart." So's this movie.

Post author:JL
Post published:December 21, 2013
Post category:Movie Reviews

Borrowed a few movies from the library a few days ago. The library@esplanade has a great collection -- from classics all the way to fairly…

The dwarves looking on the ruins of Dale, or "the Desolation of Smaug".

‘The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug’ review: Feeling a lack of something. Satisfaction.

Post author:JL
Post published:December 13, 2013
Post category:Movie Reviews Books to Film

If you've never read The Hobbit before, or aren't a purist, I suppose you'll like it. Everyone else will have many bones to pick.

Sylvester Stallone, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, Terry Crews and Nan Yu in The Expendables 2

‘The Expendables 2’ review: A big old ’80s-flashback action cheese-fest

Post author:JL
Post published:December 5, 2013
Post category:Movie Reviews

Ah, the nostalgia, watching action stars of the '80s stage a comeback! Saw The Expendables 2 last night, and I couldn't stop laughing at all these hulking, muscled men, tendons popping out, grunting through their lines. Their cheesy lines. It's so rife with cliches, glaring showdowns, ridiculously overblown action, bad plot devices and one-note, unspeakably evil villains that it's essentially one big cheese-fest poking fun of itself.