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BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 1/25

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Hansel & Gretel Witch HuntersHANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS

“It’s a movie with absolutely no ambition other than to be a one-note joke. And I wish the joke was funnier. Once you’ve seen ten minutes of it you’ve pretty much seen the whole thing.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“If the very title has you rolling your eyes, don’t even bother. But if you’re willing to go along for the ride, Renner and Arterton make a good crime-fighting, er, witch hunting team.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, Sci-Fi Movie Hype

 

ParkerPARKER

“Jason Statham playing Donald Westlake’s Parker? It’s a beautiful match; sadly wasted. The tone and aesthetics director Taylor Hackford have chosen split the difference between a spaghetti western and a sitcom.”- Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

 

MOVIE 43Movie 43

“The third of fifteen segments in this omnibus film from producer Peter Farrelly finds Anna Faris asking Chris Pratt to ‘poop on me.’ Don’t subject yourself to this crap.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Phoenix

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 1/18

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THE LAST STANDThe Last Stand

“Catnip for action junkies. This is RIO BRAVO on steroids, with cars. What more could you ask for?” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

“A perfectly serviceable Schwarzenegger action film. There are car chases, shootouts, some character moments, a decent cast, a few laughs, and it clocks in at less than two hours.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies.net

 

Broken CityBROKEN CITY

“A silly noir brought to polished heights by a most appropriate (if obvious) cast and crew. Nothing about it is extraordinary. But just about all of it is entertaining.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

“That’s not to say BROKEN CITY is a particularly great film, but it’s a good one and almost novel by virtue of its own lack of novelty.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“An imperfect enjoyment that I’ll probably never watch again, but I can think of far worse ways to spend a couple hours.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

 

AMOURAmour

“It’s an ordeal sitting through AMOUR, in which the hushed air of austerity is broken only by almost imperceptibly understated moments of tenderness.” – Sean Burns, The Improper Bostonian

“What’s more confining in a movie than to stay with two characters in two rooms while their world crumbles? It becomes as much torture for us as it does for them.” - Monica Castillo, DigBoston

 

MamaMAMA

“If you’re willing to go with the flow and not demand the jolts that pass for creativity in too many horror films, you may find yourself impressed.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies.net

 

SUNDANCE SHORTSSundance Shorts

“Varying looks at coupling and unforeseen consequences, from the strains of being gay in a conservative Korean family, to, well, the dangers of donning a bear costume.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Phoenix

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 6/15

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ROCK OF AGES

“Pulverizing, excruciating, incompetent—the pejoratives finally fail me. An hour into this thing, I turned to a colleague and groaned aloud: ‘I want to murder myself.’” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“A train wreck. But it sure is fun to watch.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“Cruise literally does everything to look, sound, and move like a rock star, except for showing any genuine conviction. It’s like someone programmed a robot to play the character, but left out the emotion chip.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse

“Terrible. A bad story told badly through a series of corny on-the-nose song choices and bad comedy.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“Singers should sing, actors should act, and 9 times out of 10 the two should never mix.” – Monica Castillo, DigBoston

“One long evening of 1980′s Rock and Roll karaoke. Manages to evoke both a wince and a smile.”- Tim Estiloz, Boston Latino TV

“Oh, the choreography!” – Steve Head, The Post-Movie Podcast

 


SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

“Plaza does indeed give a great performance, carrying a movie that for the most part isn’t worth her efforts.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

“The Duplass brothers seem to specialize in half-written movies with garbage cinematography, and I would happily donate $10 to buy them a tripod.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly
 
“It reminded me of a movie from the 70′s in the worst way possible. It’s all quirky and cutesy but then has that cop-out indie ending.” – John Black, The Post-Movie Podcast
 
“Everything comes together a bit hastily, but happily the ending doesn’t disappoint.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse
 
 
 
THAT’S MY BOY
 
“If the bar had been set any lower for this film’s vulgar humor only flatworms and slugs could crawl underneath it.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Movie Examiner
 
“Easily Sandler’s best movie in a long, long time.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide
 
“It’s a vile, puerile, lowbrow, totally disposable junk movie, but I can’t deny that it works as one.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist
 
“This may be the most loathsome film of the year.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies.net.
 
“This is the perfect movie to take your dad to on Father’s Day if you hate him.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune
 
“This is a shitty movie on every level. The shittiest.” – Steve Head, The Post-Movie Podcast
 
“Director Sean Anders does nothing to mop up this gross-out comedy mess.” – Monica Castillo, The Boston Phoenix
 
 
 
LOLA VERSUS
 
“Lola battles against many problems in this ridiculously titled film. What’s unfortunate is that none of them are interesting.” – Jake Mulligan, The Suffolk Voice

 

 

CAPE SPIN! AN AMERICAN POWER STRUGGLE

“There’s an awful lot of spin going on in Robbie Gemmel and John Kirby’s playful documentary.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Herald

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 6/8

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PROMETHEUS

“Ridley Scott has fashioned a science fiction film that will leave fans arguing, with some dismissing it out of hand and others declaring it a modern masterpiece.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, The Sci-Fi Movie Page

“The best-looking stupid movie I have seen all year. It’s sumptuously photographed, and quite often inane.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“That’s the big problem with this ‘prequel’ to the original alien film: there’s no real drama, or at least no sense of drama building as the story moves along.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“What’s left behind from the promising start is nothing more than muddled faux-philosophy, and even that’s probably more of a sequel set-up than an artistic statement.” – Jake Mulligan, The Suffolk Voice

“By default, the best thing even vaguely connected to ALIEN to come out in decades.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist 

“If you were lost on an alien planet and a slimy creature emerged from a puddle of black goo, would you call it pet names and attempt to get closer to it?” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

 

HYSTERIA

 ”The kind of vibrator movie you can take your parents to see.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“Contains enough grains of truth to make it just salty, and just spicy, enough that you soon get over the initial uncomfortable impulse to giggle and enjoy some real laughs.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston

“Despite its titillating subject, don’t expect HYSTERIA to create much of a buzz.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Herald

 

PEACE LOVE AND MISUNDERSTANDING

“For all the high-minded philosophical debates about gender equality, vegetarianism, and letting loose, it manages to come off as random chatter trying to sound smarter than the dialogue actually is.” – Monica Castillo, DigBoston

“It’s basically just GEORGIA RULE all over again. Only without Lindsay Lohan. Who thought that was a good idea?” – Jake Mulligan, The Suffolk Voice

 

MADAGASCAR 3: EUROPE’S MOST WANTED
 
“Plenty of slapstick and adventure for the kids, as well as a lot of wit and charm for the adults.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, NorthShoreMovies.net

 

“By the time our intrepid New York menagerie decides to give the circus an American makeover that is, when projected up on the screen in surprisingly effective 3D, glorious to behold, you’ll be hooked.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“Pure, simple fun that gave me the desire to shove sugary cereal in my mouth while watching and change back into my pajamas.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

“Insane in the best possible way.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Herald

 

NOBODY ELSE BUT YOU

“Hustache-Mathieu seems to delight in the small details of the story, the little objects or intimacies that reveal everything you ever wanted to know about a character.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

 
 
 
BEL AMI
 
“By the time yet another Paris matron throws herself at Pattinson, shock and disgust give way to exasperation.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston
 
 
 
 
 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 6/1

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MOONRISE KINGDOM

“In short, it’s simply a masterpiece.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

“I felt no emotional connection to this story at all.” – John Black, The Post-Movie Podcast

“It’s a movie filled with joy and sadness, hilarity and heartbreak, and innocence that is both preserved and shattered.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

“A glorious film. Even those annoyed with Anderson’s hermetic dollhouse pictures might find something to cheer for here.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“A heartbreakingly real depiction of what it feels like to meet someone who seems to understand you, even when you don’t fully understand yourself.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

 

 

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

“Despite ostensibly being the star of the movie, Snow White has no discernible character.”  - Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“The remainder of this film offers little else to keep our interest level beyond mild boredom.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Movie Examiner

“There is a crushing sense of déjà vu coming off the screen in waves.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“It gets to the point where even true love’s first kiss would have trouble bringing this movie back to life.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

“This movie wants you to think that Snow White is an independent warrior, despite her almost complete reliance on men.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse

 

FOR GREATER GLORY 

“C’mon Andy… would it have killed you to at least try a Mexican flavored accent in a film about Mexico?” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Movie Examiner

“Crafted with all the subtlety of a cannon blast.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

“I saw the movie a month ago, and I’m not entirely convinced that it’s ended yet.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Phoenix

 

HIGH SCHOOL

“Sometmes the state of the movie industry can be very depressing.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston

 ”Get it? Because the school is high.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

“Was there a balloon payment due on Adrien Brody’s mortgage? Did his car engine fall out?” – Brett Michel, The Boston Herald

 

 

BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 5/25

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We’ll be updating this page weekly with our reviews, interviews, features and more. 

MEN IN BLACK III

“Trying to keep all the various threads of the storyline straight in your mind will give you a headache and, frankly it’s not really worth it.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“Will Smith continues his sad journey from ‘promising young movie star’ to ‘CEO of Smith Family Dynasty Entertainment Properties.’” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“I hate to break it to our readers, but the wise-cracking worms are practically nonexistent save for a background comment. Sad alien face.” - Monica Castillo, DigBoston
 

“You’ll come out looking for the neuralizer.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“The stupidity of this movie extends beyond 3D, into the dialogue between its characters.” – Evan Crean, Reel Recon

“Brolin’s dead-on impression of a younger Tommy Lee Jones is what makes this movie so enjoyable.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Latino TV

“It won’t change your life nor will it boggle you with its concepts. However if you let it, this is a movie prepared to entertain.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, Sci-Fi Movie Page

“Decisions this safe should never be celebrated.” – Jake Mulligan, EDGE Boston  

“This movie is absolutely weightless, in the worst way possible. It holds absolutely no substance, no lasting power, and I loathe it for existing in the first place.” – Greg Vellante, The Eagle Tribune

 

CHERNOBYL DIARIES

“It’s appropriate that the young cast spends a good deal of time running in circles—it’s a metaphor for first-time director Brad Parker’s repetitive, colorless action.” – Norm Schrager, Paste Magazine

“If I only had a nickel for every fucking bad decision characters make in this film…” – Steve Head, The Post-Movie Podcast
 

“The film’s bark is worse than its bite, and its constant teases wear thin, even over a 90-minute runtime.” – Jake Mulligan, The Boston Phoenix

“If only CHERNOBYL DIARIES had a story. Or even diaries.” – Brett Michel, The Boston Herald

  

POLISSE

“Unforgettable. A multi-layered, almost impressionistic vision of what being immersed in the lives of these police officers must be like.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide
 
“A work of stunning realism that regularly falls off the rails into cop-show melodrama.” – Jake Mulligan, The Suffolk Voice
 
“It’s like seeing an onion of revolting sins peeled away layer by putrid layer, the rot growing blacker with each scene.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston
 
 
 
WHERE DO WE GO NOW?
 
“Part love and loss, part drama and a dash of a few musical numbers, the grief never weighs too heavily before moving on.” – Monica Castillo, La Vida de Mcastmovies
 
“A ramshackle curiosity of a film, poorly made and more admirable in intent than execution.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly
 
 
 
THE COLOR WHEEL
 
“The dialogue feels wholly original as both actors translate their characters’ pent-up disdain for one another into fits of spontaneous spewing — and hilarity.” – Norm Schrager, Meet In The Lobby