Tag Archives: Review Round-Up

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 03/04/2016

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WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT

“WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT is episodic, so much so that one may rightly wonder if it Baker’s (or Barker’s) tale would work better as a miniseries.” – Andy Crump, A Constant Visual Feast

“Tina Fey gets her best role since playing Sarah Palin on ‘Saturday Night Live.'” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“It may not leave an impression with you far after watching it but it’s a good way to spend two hours watching talented people do things.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

 

videothumbnail_zootopia_officialtrailer_disney_a4d0f4ceZOOTOPIA

“It says a lot about the state of America’s cultural dialogues on acceptance and discrimination that a Disney movie feels this urgent, but maybe a movie about animals living under the impression of harmony is a long-term solution for our short-term failures.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“ZOOTOPIA is by no means a miss, it just never fully settles into its own message or visual style.” – Deirdre Crimmins, Cinematic Essential

“Everything you could want in an animated film: creative visuals, solid script, engaging characters.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“And perhaps, it’s a movie we all need. Something that shows us how to love others, how to not only accept those who are different from us, but embrace them. ” – Greg Vellante, Sound & Picture

 

londonhasfallenLONDON HAS FALLEN

“This is a movie designed to appeal to the worst in its audience.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

“London Is Fallen is fast, frenzied and, at least for the audience, a truly fun and entertaining wild ride.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Examiner

“…this is all about the action and plot.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 02/19/2016

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RACE

“[Stephan] James is perfectly cast as Owens, combining his movie star good looks with a steely edge that gives the character believable backbone.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“Although the story of Jesse Owens means a lot in terms of historical importance, RACE isn’t the movie that showcases its truly epic stature.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“The myth of the Olympics is that it’s not about politics, but that’s nonsense. RACE gives us the story of an athlete who, simply by doing his best, made a powerful political statement that still resonates today.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“RACE has Important stamped all over it, starting with the ham-handed double meaning of its title, but its own feeling of importance cannot overcome the ponderous way the story clumps along, nor the undisciplined sprawl of its narrative.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

thewitch3THE WITCH

“Lots of horror films try to jolt you for micro moments at a time. THE WITCH coils itself around your soul, through craft, through performance, through authenticity of era as well as feeling, and through narrative candor.” – Andy Crump, A Constant Visual Feast

“The film comes on the wave of enthusiastic reviews from last year’s Sundance Film Festival, and that should be the giveaway. What plays well at this showcase for arty films doesn’t always work elsewhere.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“I found it difficult to identify that many things in THE WITCH that I liked. While I didn’t hate the movie, it certainly doesn’t give me anything to love or even appreciate.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“The portrait-esque snapshot of a time without rational hope is as endearing as it is bone-shaking.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

“There’s something here, for sure, but I’m not quite sure it all comes to fruition by the end of the story’s 92 minutes. ” – Greg Vellante, Sound & Picture

 

635658325675827027-XXX-RISEN-MOV-JY-5898-72638074RISEN

“A half- baked Biblical epic.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“…it’s more the pity that RISEN takes some decidedly lazy shortcuts, and can’t help throwing in some dubious — or downright incorrect — elements.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

the-club_2THE CLUB

“THE CLUB’s unobtrusive style works well even though it’s handling the kinds of controversial topics that usually lend themselves to being too dramatic and emotional in real life.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“…as a muted alternative to Hollywood’s attempt at examining the same atrocity, the film is refreshing for its grand uncertainties.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

 

73a44045c897a28aece5878e5181d3a023661d37TOUCHED WITH FIRE

“…there’s an intensity — of joy, of sadness, of hope, or of despair — that fits the characters’ own extremes of mood.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

 

 

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 02/12/2016

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maxresdefault (8)DEADPOOL

“DEADPOOL is an inspired piece of cinema that hits on both humor and action in a way that many people would want it to.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“Much of the success in bringing it off is due to Ryan Reynolds, whose film career often seen him trapped in roles that didn’t make good use of his talents…” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“Underneath the surface-level fourth wall-breaking conceit lies a self-satisfaction that consistently gets in the way of the film saying or doing anything ‘different.'” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

 

maxresdefault (9)ZOOLANDER 2

“…a bloated, convoluted, self-indulgent assault of tired, often deadly unfunny jokes and repetition…” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Examiner

“Depending on your threshold for inanity and slapstick you’ll either find this hilarious, or just mildly amusing.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“ZOOLANDER 2 is a movie that I don’t hate as much as I probably should since I did manage to laugh/smile a handful of times.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

 

howtobesingleHOW TO BE SINGLE

“For young women setting out on a journey to “find themselves” (whatever that means) it is good to see a movie that gives them plenty of life stories to relate to, all with different but mostly happy endings.” – Deirdre Crimmins, Cinematic Essential

 

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 02/05/2016

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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES

“It is goofy fun, and fans of the original will be impressed by just how much of Austen is preserved.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES is such a gallimaufry of ideas and styles and classifications that the film stands no chance of converting skeptics into believers, particularly when those skeptics are either fluent in Romero, or Austen, or both.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES suffers from poor execution in just about every way.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“there’s no ‘joke’ to be told in the movie-proper that’s any funnier than the mere fact that it actually IS a movie and not a 2 ½ minute Lonely Island skit.” – Bob Chipman, The MovieBob

 

thumbnail_23310HAIL, CAESAR!

“…like watching Turner Classic Movies while under the influence. ” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“HAIL, CAESAR! is one of the most ambitious films [the Coen brothers] have attempted recently and they certainly pull it off, swimmingly.” – Deirdre Crimmins, Cinematic Essential

“The movies don’t necessarily give us answers to our woes, but they always give us diversion, and that just might be answer enough.” – Andy Crump, A Constant Visual Feast

“…HAIL, CAESAR! is ultimately about the folly of searching for meaning in a cruel and indifferent universe.” – Sean Burns, The Artery

“…the Coens’ script allows the worst fears of the midcentury left and right to be literally realized.” – Jake Mulligan, Dig Boston

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 01/29/2016

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THE FINEST HOURS

“Disney has made a family-friendly movie that treats its characters with respect, but anything in the script resembling grit or rough edges has been sanded away by the Disney Machine.” – David Riedel, Salt Lake City Weekly

“What a breather in a new year marked by murkier depths than ever before.” – Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce’s Choices

“…there’s something to be said for blockbusters that validate life instead of treating it as disposable.” – Andy Crump, A Constant Visual Feast

“It tells us more about heroism in real life than many a Hollywood fiction.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“… the whole thing may be a bit wobbly but it delivers on the promise of telling an untold story of stone-faced sailors overcoming insurmountable odds.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

 

717613_118KUNG-FU PANDA 3

“While none of it is going to change how we look at animated films, there’s some good stuff in KUNG-FU PANDA 3 that people will be able to find value in.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“You’ll see worse animated offerings this year, and you’ll definitely see better, but you may not see many that are quite so tragically lackadaisical. ” – Andy Crump, A Constant Visual Feast

 

 

Mojave Movie (4) MOJAVE

“…a halfhearted attempt at giving Hollywood’s studio system what it deserves.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“One ultimately wonders how much of the movie is Monahan indulging in a bit of sardonic self-flaggelation for all his success in an industry that he doesn’t seem to respect very much.” – Sean Burns, The Artery

“Luckily, MOJAVE has so many out-of-left-field tricks that you can’t help but admire its scattered approach.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

 

The-Lady-In-The-Van-ReviewLADY IN THE VAN

“See it for Smith’s performance, stay for the genuine twists on a tired and old tale of friendship despite warring personalities.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review