2014

Posted on October 17, 2014 by bofca

FURY

“This is a film about men who have lost their bearings in the tumult of conflict, and who only regain them by forming an anchor out of upheaval and chaos.” – Kilian Melloy, Kal’s Movie Blog

“… a solid World War II drama that has some original flourishes as it covers familiar tropes about the madness of war.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“The best than can be said about FURY is that it eventually will fun to watch on Blu-ray so you can skip the acting and just watch the action.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“…FURY is a bloody war film that has no desire to soften things up for the people who may not be able to stomach too much brutality.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“Sure enough, after an exceedingly promising first hour and change, FURY devolves into a fetid pile of self-aggrandizing macho horseshit – wholeheartedly embracing every dumbass blaze-of-glory cliché the film had thus far studiously avoided.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

“At its heart, though, it’s an ugly, hypocritical piece of jingoistic macho-porn that made me sick to my stomach through its depiction of traumatized, American protagonists who’ve become morally desensitized to the atrocities of war.” – Charlie Nash, Edge Boston

ST VINCENT

“As Vincent, Bill Murray successfully handles the weight of this film as well as you could hope for, and does so in a way that audiences will mostly enjoy.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

THE BOOK OF LIFE

“Sure, THE BOOK OF LIFE could have been tighter and more coherent, but there’s no way it could be any more sincere.” – Andy Crump, In Review Online

“THE BOOK OF LIFE navigates this cultural dichotomy beautifully with its narrative approach, reverent attention to detail, and colorful characters and settings that pop off the screen.” – Monica Castillo, Movie Mezzanine

“Ice Cube has made a career being angry on film … Here, he actually sounds happy and full of joy, and it’s a beautiful thing to hear.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“From the animated wooden characters to the colorful depiction of Mexican mythology–new territory for Hollywood–the film is endlessly inventive.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

THE BEST OF ME

“…like traditional pornography, “The Best of Me” has no purpose other than to get a specific reaction…” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 10/10/2014

Posted on October 10, 2014 by bofca

THE JUDGE

“As much as the film relies on the Hank/Downey charm, it retains a skepticism of its best asset, especially when it comes to women.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“If the Oscars were a third grade social studies class, The Judge would be the kid who always raises his hand fastest but consistently gets the answer wrong.” – Kristofer Jenson, Dig Boston

“Surrounded by a top-notch supporting cast, this is an acting duel between Robert Downey, Jr. and Robert Duvall. The result is a draw, which is another way of saying that the audience wins.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“The Daddy Issues run thick in this movie; none of the boys ever mention Mom again after she’s planted in the ground. They spend the evening of her funeral doing shots at the local bar and telling stories about their father — who apparently makes even his children address him as ‘The Judge.'” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

“Perhaps Downey the producer should have fired the editor, or at least let one of the other producers or director David Dobkin trim things a little.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“THE JUDGE is an okay movie that does some things well enough for me not to say that it’s average or below.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY

“There are some solid laughs, a dearth of fart jokes, and Carell and Garner have enough energy to make everything passable, if not great. Again, ALEXANDER could be better, but it could also be a hell of a lot worse.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“This isn’t the sort of movie that really demands devoted scrutiny or requires any heavy lifting from critics or audiences; it’s there, and if you’re a ten-year-old (particularly if you’re a younger or middle child), the film’s combination of pee jokes, physical gags and parental comeuppance will probably steamroll you.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“For someone who is, say, nine or ten, this should be hilarious.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

DRACULA UNTOLD

“…it suffers from the problems of all reboots that start with an origin story: since we know where it’s going, there’s got to be a lot of stuff to grab our attention. ” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“Like all big movies these days, DRACULA UNTOLD is set up to spawn sequels.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

“It’s a PG-13 vampire movie. How good can it be?” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

KILL THE MESSENGER

“KILL THE MESSENGER is a film that has the potential to move you in a multitude of ways as a viewer looking for amature film with something to say.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“This is pungent stuff, but a similar case was portrayed far more vividly in Michael Mann’s THE INSIDER – a movie that Cuesta and company obviously watched more than once in their preparations.” – Sean Burns, North Shore Movies

THE OVERNIGHTERS

“…so sketchy is the material as it’s presented here that finally it’s hard to know whether Pastor Reinke is a modern saint throwing himself mightily against apathy and social neglectfulness, or a whack job in his own right…” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

ART AND CRAFT

“We just don’t learn how Landis creates his meticulous forgeries – although watching the process will leave you gobsmacked – but we spend a lot of time getting to know the man and the reasons he does what he does.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 10/03/2014

Posted on October 3, 2014 by bofca

GONE GIRL

“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

ANNABELLE

“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, & 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 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

THE 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

THE 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

TRACKS

“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

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 09/26/2014

Posted on September 26, 2014 by bofca

THE EQUALIZER

“THE EQUALIZER contains the mature rated kind of violence that one would hope to see in a modern-day action movie that isn’t restricted by the all too common PG-13 rating.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS

“Is it just class envy that makes Stiller’s thrill-seeking expeditions in WALTER MITTY and Julia Roberts‘ hedonistic adventures in EAT PRAY LOVE such a dependable trigger for instinctive eye-rolling? Hector doesn’t make it any easier to like him when his midlife crisis takes the form of extreme wanderlust and he books flights to Asia, then Africa, then America.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“…despite the fact that the premise of the movie is endearing enough, and Simon Pegg, who I’ve adored since his breakout role as the title character in Edgar Wright’s millennial cult-hit SHAUN OF THE DEAD, stars as the title character of the film, the execution of HECTOR AND THE SEARCH FOR HAPPINESS is about as elegant as watching a car drive off of a cliff.” – Charlie Nash, Edge Boston

“Too much formulaic watering down keeps HECTOR from self-actualizing its own narrative.” – Monica Castillo, Movie Mezzanine

JIMI: ALL IS BY MY SIDE

“If you are a fan of movies that are so bad they’re good, then get ready to watch the Mommie Dearest of rock movies.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

GOOD PEOPLE

“GOOD PEOPLE is, in short, a bad movie, but that’s not its cardinal sin. Bad movies, after all, can offer a few laughs or the occasional cinematic innovation. Far worse than being a run-of-the-mill misfire, this movie takes the rare distinction of being a total waste of time.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 09/19/2014

Posted on September 19, 2014 by bofca

A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES

“I think there’s an audience for A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES. Not only because it’s Liam Neeson, but it’s also just an interesting movie to watch.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“What a grisly delight, to have the second Liam Neeson film released in 2014 plumb such gruesome depths.” – Andy Crump, Movie Mezzanine

“At this point, Neeson — a walking spectre of regret — feels a bit like a special spice you add onto otherwise tired action movies. Need some pathos? Just sprinkle some Liam on it.” – Jake Mulligan, Edge Boston

“So yes, on one level this is another film in which Liam Neeson has “a certain set of skills,” but part of what makes A WALK AMONG THE TOMBSTONES so interesting is how hard he’s trying not to have to use them.” – Sean Burns, North Shore Movies

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU

“In an ensemble cast this large it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle, but Levy manages to give each of the main characters their due.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“The clichéd nature of THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU does some legitimate damage here, but it’s only one of the many issues that are put on display.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“No sooner has a moment of almost genuine contact between two characters appeared than it’s canceled out by the next scatological joke or mortifying sexual mishap.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

THE MAZE RUNNER

“Despite its racial diversity, instead of forging a new trail, THE MAZE RUNNER follows a fairly formulaic and familiar story filled with tired tropes.” – Megan Kerns, Bitch Flicks

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY

‘THEM’ was created in the editing room, with Benson splicing together scenes from ‘HIM’ and ‘HER’. If this plodding, gloomy version is any indication of Benson’s aims, it appears he’s prioritized quantity over quality. – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“Occasional neutrals, like when the couple is shown in happier times, are fair, but nothing stands out in the hodgepodge of the he-said, she-said half-gossiped yarn.” – Monica Castillo, Movie Mezzanine

THE SKELETON TWINS

“Despite dipping into formula, THE SKELETON TWINS still pulls off the miracle of remaining funny while honestly dealing with the subject of depression.” – Brett Michel, The Improper Bostonian

“Johnson and Heyman’s screenplay shoves these two through enough traumas, revelations and reconciliations that at times, it feels like they just decided to shoot the entire Sundance catalog.” – Sean Burns, Movie Mezzanine

TUSK

“Outside of some of the lengthy dialog heavy scenes, I didn’t find myself having that many problems with TUSK.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“TUSK’s biggest strength is that it knows what the audience’s expectations are and it exceeds each of them. It is preposterous, disgusting, and hilarious.” – Deirdre Crimmins, All Things Horror

“The point is to experience the rare thrill of a movie that manages to go to the wildest extremes of its premise while never taking itself seriously.” – Kristofer Jenson, Dig Boston

LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM

“No matter how mediocre Kennedy’s filmmaking, it’s hard not to get swept up in some of these stories — in the haunted reminiscences of some damn good men who bent the rules as far as they could to save as many people as possible.” – Sean Burns, Movie Mezzanine

“Watching Rory Kennedy’s brilliant new documentary, LAST DAYS IN VIETNAM, you quickly learn that the final chapter of the story begins where your basic knowledge of the Vietnam War ends.” – John Black, Boston event Guide

THE GREEN PRINCE

“As thrilling as it becomes to watch, though, it is the feeling the film leaves you with when it is over that really matters.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

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Tag Archives: review roundup

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