BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP 10/11

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

“The name to note, though, is Paul Greengrass. [He is] a filmmaker with a solid vision behind the camera, and this ought to secure his position in the current front ranks of filmmakers.” – Dan Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“What we have here is a bait-and-switch: a man who wants to criticize a particular mode of American thinking while pitching his movie at a tenor that will allow him to make money off the exact audience he’s trying to undercut. I don’t buy into that.” – Jake Mulligan, Letterboxd

“Sometimes when watching a movie that’s particularly emotionally distressing, one has to ask, ‘Just how much harrowing adversity can we watch these characters go through? What’s the endgame here?'”- Dave Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“The kind of movie that makes the Fall prestige season not only tolerable, but worth looking forward to.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

“The whole thing devolves into a military procedural that looks like ZERO DARK THIRTY’S unused b-roll.” – Kristofer Jenson, DIG Boston

 

MACHETEMACHETE KILLS

“The picture is repetitive to an almost Bunuellian extent.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE

“The first movie felt like activism, this one feels like a regular action movie with a message. Just as much fun, not as much impact.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

 

ROMEO & JULIETROMEOJULIET

“Aims for passion, but tumbles into corn… or rather, corn syrup.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE

“It lumbers along in search of a reason to exist.” – Sean Burns, Metro

 

ESCAPE FROM TOMORROWESCAPE FROM TOMORROW

“Somehow, having Buzz Lightyear around just makes things even darker. The production itself was full-scale corporate espionage.” – Kristofer Jenson, DIG Boston

“An outrageous provocation with a renegade spirit that reminds you what a festival like Sundance is supposed to be about.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“But like a roller coaster, a queasily rollicking and dizzyingly loopy climax — involving a kidnapped princess, a mind-reading robot, and a mysterious flu — ultimately makes the long wait worthwhile.” – Inkoo Kang, LA Times

 

A.C.O.D. (ADULT CHILDREN OF DIVORCE) A.C.O.D. (2013) trailer -- Pictured: Adam Scott (Screengrab)

“Zicherman has spent most of his career writing and producing; A.C.O.D. represents his first directing credit, and while he this attempt shouldn’t be his last, he could stand to do a little homework before his next foray into feature filmmaking.” – Andrew Crump, GoSeeTalk

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP 9/27

RUSHRUSH

“Maybe director Ron Howard and screenwriter Peter Morgan thought the literally death defying driving wasn’t enough on its own. Or maybe they saw DAYS OF THUNDER and thought, ‘Man we can do this much, much better, and with real people.’” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“For all intents and purposes, a philosophical argument takes place at 140 mph.” – Sean Burns, Improper Bostonian

“What ultimate lesson might be learned from the story is hinted at in the movie, but Howard is too accomplished a filmmaker to hand us a pat moral. He leaves it to us to decide what it all means.” – Dan Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“Ron Howard might be the most big-earning, blockbuster-producing, award-winning Hollywood filmmaker to still qualify as underrated.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

 

CLOUDY2CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS 2

“Undiscriminating youngsters may be diverted, but even grownups who were somehow charmed by the original movie will have a hard time swallowing this sorry stew.” – Dan Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies

“CLOUDY 2″ is a one-joke movie — it’s a joke that’s able to continually rephrase itself, but it’s still one-joke all the same.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE

“It’s by no means bad – it’s funny, briskly-paced and visually beautiful – but it’s missing the extra wit and worldliness that elevated its predecessor.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

 

DON JONDON JON

“A barn-door broad burlesque of Joisey stereotypes and holy-cannoli accents.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“By treating Jon with sympathy but without sentimentality, Gordon-Levitt has given us a daring portrait of modern masculinity.” – Dan Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies

“What is new stems  from the vitality he lends to his production from behind the camera, something that his dabbling in short-form cinema can only hint at.” – Andrew Crump, Go-See-Talk

 

BAGGAGEBAGGAGE CLAIM

“It’s funny enough to earn a “worth watching” designation, but you can’t shake the feeling that a commercial break is going to interrupt any second.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE

“Paying hypocritical lip service to progressive gender politics, BAGGAGE CLAIM turns out to be one of those movies where the woman gets to deliver a big speech about how she doesn’t need a man in order to define herself, while Mr. Wright is waiting in the wings all the same.” – Sean Burns, Metro

enough-saidENOUGH SAID

“Writer/Director Nicole Holofcener has turned an everyday situation into something singular, sweet, and smartly observed.”-Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce’s Choices

“It’s a shame there aren’t more movies like ENOUGH SAID. It’s a touching comedy with moments of drama about people who are actual adults—people with children and responsibilities and jobs—and not just assholes who work in graphic design”- David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP 9/20

PRISONERSPRISONERS

“It’s really a tricky thriller, crossing its fingers and hoping you buy into the tricks. And too often confusing depravity for intensity.” – Norm Schrager, Meet-In-The-Lobby

“Surprise! Turns out the reason they were advertising this so much is the movie is really good!” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

“PRISONERS is cruel and unusual punishment.” – Dan Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“It pops like a kernel in a myriad ways–full of nooks and crannies, threatening & thrilling, sad & shocking, and just plain entertaining.” – Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce’s Choices

 

THANKS FOR SHARINGTHANKS FOR SHARING

“…a remarkably sensitive and surprisingly romantic ensemble drama about sex addiction.” – Inkoo Kang, Village Voice

 

 

A SINGLE SHOTSINGLE SHOT

“A SINGLE SHOT was filmed in the Vancouver mountains under the gray-skied chill of encroaching winter, yet for some reason the actors sport spotty Southern accents. Maybe that’s just how they think all poor people talk.” – Sean Burns, Metro

BOFCA REPERTORY PODCAST #4

showgirls

For your listening pleasure: Steve Head, Monica Castillo and Kristofer Jenson discuss the Brattle Theatre’s Recent Raves series (including ONLY GOD FORGIVES, KINGS OF SUMMER, and MUSEUM HOURS) and the last leg of the Harvard Film Archive‘s look at Hitchcock classics. Plus, the Coolidge Corner Theatre has a lineup of “So Bad It’s Good” titles like SHOWGIRLS, TROLL 2 and AN AMERICAN HIPPIE IN ISRAEL to welcome students back to Boston.

Listen to the whole podcast HERE

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP 9/6

RIDDICKRIDDICK

“In terms of narrative sophistication, this is a step backwards: THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK served as a pointed, and somewhat satirical, comment on the ascendency of religion in the realm of politics; there’s none of that here.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston

“…offers the endless fun of staring intently at the screen, wondering what possible emotion, thought or even sensation the stone-faced meat-golem onscreen is attempting to convey.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

“RIDDICK does what Riddick does best: Kill people. Killin’ ain’t your thing? It’s best to avoid RIDDICK, which earns its R rating. – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

 

HELL BABYHELL BABY

“Everyone’s ready and able, infusing even the deadest scenes with an attitude that stokes a small laugh, at least.” – Norm Schrager, Meet-In-The-Lobby

“Funny on its own terms, and not just as a superior – if slightly uneven – alternative to the recklessly terrible and laughter-challenged garbage that passes as parody in the mainstream.” – Andrew Crump, Go-See-Talk