BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 10/03/2014

GONE GIRLlead_large

“It’s wildly over-the-top, sadistically funny, and relentlessly entertaining, but it’s never pleasant. In fact, a majority of it is downright cruel.” – Charlie Nash, Edge Boston

“GONE GIRL is a crazy ride that shows us how to make a mainstream movie something special in this day and age.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“….one of sharpest dissections of a dysfunctional marriage since WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF?” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“Not since Glenn Close boiled the family bunny in FATAL ATTRACTION has Hollywood given the Big Screen a more fierce, frightening, and fabulous femme fatale than Rosamund Pike’s brilliant performance as Amy Dunne in GONE GIRL.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“What could have potentially been a feminist manifesto mutates into something ripped out of a misogynist’s or Men’s Rights Activist (MRA)’s warped fantasy.” – Megan Kearns, Bitch Flicks

“Don’t worry about whether you’ll figure out who’s telling the truth or who’s lying; everybody’s lying.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“How well these characters can manipulate their stories to control what people think is the name of the game and the heart of the movie.” – Joyce Kulhawik, Linked In

“GONE GIRL is one propulsive piece of work, with scene transitions always cutting half a second before you expect them to (even the fade-outs occur at lightning speed) barreling through a whole lotta plot and allowing space for some weird grace notes.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

 

annabelleANNABELLE

“Annabelle doesn’t come close to offering enough scares or quality to make most of us care about the story that it’s telling.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“If you can identify with John and Mia–who seem to be named for the actors who played the lead couple in ROSEMARY’S BABY –then this is a movie that will have you on edge.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“The film has a good sprinkling of campy-awareness, but never chooses the laugh over the scare. Certain musical decisions and camera movements make it clear that you are allowed to be having some fun with it.” – Deirdre Crimmins, All Things Horror

“In fairness, there are a limited number of ways in which a demonic doll can be frightening, particularly when said doll looks like it was made in Evil Co.’s nightmare factory, on an assembly line manned by Satanists.” – Andy Crump, Movie Mezzanine

“Though it’s not without concessions to formula, a sheen of glamour and a stab at real drama distinguish this persistently spooky tale of one woman’s private helter-skelter.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“When it comes to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, the further a movie moves away from the “true” story as documented by these proven frauds, the better it gets.” – Kristofer Jenson, C-Ville Weekly

“Leonetti just keeps throwing shots of the doll into the frame to add ‘edge’ to the film, and it’s an edge that dulls very quickly from overuse. ” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

 

men-women-and-children-movieMEN, WOMEN, & CHILDREN

“This has got to be the crotchetiest, most alarmist movie ever directed by a 36-year-old man, and would probably be the worst film released all year had Jason Reitman not also made LABOR DAY.” – Sean Burns, Movie Mezzanine

 

 

THE GOOD LIETHE GOOD LIE

“The shameless way (the refugees) get treated by the script – as sort of cartoon noble savages that the White Man has to rescue — is embarrassing to watch.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“In a rare Hollywood bid for authenticity, three of the main protagonists were Sudanese Lost Boys themselves, and Oceng was the child of Sudanese refugees. They have just as much a personal stake in the story as their characters.” – Monica Castillo, Paste Magazine

 

 

zero-theoremTHE ZERO THEOREM

“The coda provides the ultimate punctuation point to Gilliam’s commentary, but he leaves clarity in the margins and forces the audience to wade through his abstractions.”  – Andy Crump, Movie Mezzanine

“What holds THE ZERO THEOREM back most of all, however, is precisely what made some of Gilliam’s most standout films shine; when he directs on pure instinct, he is able to cut to the emotional core of situations that might appear absurd on the surface yet peel back to reveal some element of emotional insight.” – Kristofer Jenson, Dig Boston

“Watching Terry Gilliam’s THE ZERO THEOREM is like taking a derivative tour through his past movies. Giant chaotic office like in BRAZIL? Check. Dystopian future like in TWELVE MONKEYS? Check. Beautiful, unavailable woman like in BRAZIL? Check. Main character lost in his own world like in THE FISHER KING? Check.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

 

hero_Notebook-2014-1THE NOTEBOOK

“Depravity, cruelty and nihilism are on full display, and it’s completely unnecessary (and this is coming from someone who can defend Srdjan Spasojevic’s A SERBIAN FILM).” – David Riedel, SF Reporter

 

 

art-Tracks-Movie-1-620x349TRACKS

“The widescreen cinematography, captured on film by Mandy Walker and inspired by Smolan’s photographs, demands to be seen on the biggest screen possible; catch this one in the theater if you can.” – Brett Michel, The Improper Bostonian