BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 07/18/2014

The Purge AnarchyTHE PURGE: ANARCHY

“But what makes The Purge: Anarchy interesting is that the real enemies are not the head-clubbing street gangs nor any stray rapists who are bound to become Grillo’s bullet fodder. No, the problem here is the 1%…” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

The Purge: Anarchy isn’t great, but it serves its purpose by providing fans of the first film an expanded look at the universe that’s been created.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“Escalation to absurdly gratuitous heights would have suited this story perfectly, but it’s nowhere to be found.” – Kristofer Jenson, C-Ville

“Like a 13-year-old know-it-all, The Purge: Anarchy reveals its bone-deep inanity by trying to appear smart.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“This is a movie with plenty of violent action–including a chase through a subway tunnel involving a flame thrower–but that also has a brain in its head.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

BOYHOOD - 2014 FILM STILL - Ellar Coltrane

BOYHOOD

“Much like in Linklater’s Before trilogy, there’s a cumulative power in watching these people age before our eyes.” – Sean Burns, TechnologyTell

“Boyhood turns out to be far more than a movie using a gimmick to get the attention of potential moviegoers.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“The passage of time is a tricky concept to capture on film, but Boyhood nails it: Nothing in the world is permanent, but everything that happens—no matter how small—has repercussions, even if you’re not aware of it at the time.” – Kristofer Jenson, Dig Boston

Sex TapeSEX TAPE

“This last section utterly deflates the rest of the movie’s energy and its viewers of the hope that Sex Tape might offer anything more than its initial observation about the unreliability of technology and its one-laugh-per-five-jokes rate.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“It’s not unlike the porn videos that inspired it: with bad acting and a flimsy script it may temporarily satisfy but will soon be quickly forgotten.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

Wish I Was Here

WISH I WAS HERE

“Those Big Moments can represent catharsis, however, only to a viewer already on Braff’s wavelength. Otherwise, they merely strike audience members (including myself) as self-indulgent, even silly.” – Inkoo Kang, The Wrap

“Braff understands the secret that parents keep from their children: We’re making it up as we go along. Wish I Was Here is a sweet film that reminds us that we’re not alone on the journey.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, The Jewish Advocate

 “And because Wish I Was Here is my kind of trash, I admit it may, in reality, be a total piece of shit. I wouldn’t know that, of course, as I was caught up in its smarmy splendor.” – David Riedel, San Antonio Current