BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 6/14

Man Of SteelMAN OF STEEL

“As a pure visual experience, it comes maddeningly close to being a masterpiece. This film’s canvas is magnificent, it’s scope is beautiful, it’s action is thrilling. But it’s heart is joyless, sullen and grim.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“Visually compelling and stunning to watch. The superb performances by the cast – especially Crowe and Costner – provide numerous moments and images of poignancy, depth and nobility.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Movie Examiner

“The desaturated palate and fidgety handheld camera are obvious concessions to the modern blockbuster era. But MAN OF STEEL is first and foremost wonderfully sincere, defined by the decency of its main character.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“The appearance of flying lizards on Krypton is bizarre and mistaken. As is well-known, there were no such creatures on Krypton. There is a moment late in the film that should cause Superman enthusiasts to gasp.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

MAN OF STEEL has heart, soul, muscles, and craft on its side that raises it head and shoulders above average summer fare. It’s only missing the consistency to carry its throughlines to the very end.” – Andrew Crump, Go See Talk

“At two and a half hours, the film feels excessively long and the action sequences are monotonous because most of the fighting involves people ramming each other through buildings at high speeds.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse

“When the fighting starts, use those many minutes to hit the bathroom or the concession stand. Superman may be faster than a speeding bullet, but his movie is as boring as whale shit.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

MAN OF STEEL’s soul resides in its tender origin story. The flashbacks hit just the right note of earnestness without sentimentality and are edited so that you want more, even if another half-minute would be too much.” – Inkoo Kang, Screen Junkies

“You will believe a man can fly. You just won’t connect much with any of the characters because they, like this production, are larger than life, but essentially hollow. This is a big movie, epic in scope, but it’s just no fun.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston

 

THIS IS THE ENDThis Is The End

“Really just an unrestrained, unstructured lark; a middle-finger aimed directly at everyone who isn’t in on their increasingly esoteric jokes. It’s brazenly offensive, abrasively self-aware, and beyond self-obsessed.” – Jake Mulligan, Charleston City Paper

“What a strange anti-vanity project—a bunch of friends got together and made a movie about how they all deserve to go to hell. Probably the most self-indulgent wank in cinema history, yet on occasion it’s hilarious.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“Kind of brilliant. A comedy so well constructed and relentlessly funny that you’re virtually guaranteed to laugh even if the film’s central joke – famous people playing parody versions of themselves – is utterly lost on you.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“Alienating with its abundance of inside jokes. While the concept of celebrities experiencing the apocalypse together makes for a funny YouTube video, it has a hard time sustaining the legs to last a full 107 minutes.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse

“I really enjoyed this film. I laughed at almost PINEAPPLE EXPRESS levels. I might have to rank this as one of my top comedies of the year. I don’t remember in recent memory doubling over this much.” – Monica Castillo, Cinema Fix

“So devoid of good ideas, smarts or laughs that it’s hard to understand just what the purpose is. I can only conclude it’s to get these six friends together and let them riff. And, boy, do they riff.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“One gets a sense that these guys really are friends and they made THIS IS THE END for the same reason Frank Sinatra and the rest of the Rat Pack made OCEAN’S ELEVEN. They thought it would be fun.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

An Oversimplification Of Her BeautyAN OVERSIMPLIFICATION OF HER BEAUTY

“The freeze-frames, backwards motion, flow-charts, flying text and squiggly overlays would be exhausting were they not all synced to such a melancholy groove.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

 

The EastTHE EAST

“There’s a palpable, invigorating rage in the early imagery. But the film trails off, losing itself in its own mythology. It trades its vigor for something smaller and easier-to-contain: a relationship drama.” – Jake Mulligan, Charleston City Paper