BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 08/15/2014

sylvester-stallone-in-the-expendables-3-movie-3THE EXPENDABLES 3

“Hughes has no idea how to film his stars. All the would-be-iconic reveals fall flat, and everybody just appears uncomfortable at unflattering angles.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

THE EXPENDABLES 3 is an action movie that clearly just wants to have a good time doing whatever they can think of for about two hours before the end credits begin to roll.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“While many critics have, correctly, noted how much the EXPENDABLES series owes to ‘80s action films, Stallone has a deeper debt to an entirely different group of movies:  the 1956 AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS, IT’S A MAD, MAD, MAD, MAD WORLD, and WHO FRAME ROGER RABBIT?” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“The film pays so little attention to narrative that the plot (not really very different from that of the second movie, 2012’s THE EXPENDABLES 2) scarcely registers.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

THE-GIVER_612x412-bannerTHE GIVER

“There’s nothing groundbreaking in THE GIVER, but it’s a nice movie overall that should satisfy fans of Lois Lowry’s award-winning novel.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“In the movies, as in life, timing is everything. In the case of THE GIVER, it’s a movie that’s several years too late.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, Sci-Fi Movie Page

 

Rich-Hill-AppacheyRICH HILL

“Not a stretch goes by without a tragedy, in fact – it’s as if Palermo and Tragos picking the moments and images that will pack the most punch, with no regard for the rhythm of actual day-to-day life.” – Jake Mulligan, Edge Boston

 

LAND HO!13929-1

“LAND HO! is going to be massive at the blue-haired art-house I frequent where I’m always at least three decades younger than everybody else in attendance. And deservedly so: the sucker plays.” – Sean Burns, Movie Mezzanine

BOFCA MIDWEEK ROUNDUP 8/13/14

Note: The Boston Online Film Critics Association extends its condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the late Robin Williams. 

Greetings movie-lovers! Here’s your weekly sampling of what the members of the Boston Online Film Critics Association have been doing, seeing and saying lately. Enjoy!

Michael Cox reviewed DOM HEMINGWAY and DISNEY’S BEARS

Deirdre Crimmins reports on horrific offerings from Fantasia Fest

Kilian Melloy on THE DOG and the passing of Robin Williams

Bob Chipman talked GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and more on The Escapist Podcast

Joyce Kulhawik weighs in on LIFE ITSELF

Spoilerpiece Theatre took on GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY and TMNT

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP 8/8/2014

TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES (2014)TMNT

“The worst thing to happen to turtles in a movie since CANNIBAL HOLOCAUST.” – Bob Chipman, Escapist

“The action makes one appreciate the subtlety of the TRANSFORMERS movies and the humor consists of things like one of the Turtles facing death admitting he didn’t get the ending of LOST, a TV show that ended four years ago.” – Daniel Kimmel, Sci-Fi Movie Page

“I have no stake in the TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES reboot/remake other than its entertainment quotient, which rates somewhere on the “meh” part of the scale.” – David Riedel, SF Reporter

“Just looking at it for what it is, this movie doesn’t give you much to hate outside of the unnecessary changes.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

 

INTO THE STORM

INTOSTORM

“It is weather porn. That’s not a glib cheap shot. It’s an accurate summing up of a totally empty film that exists for one purpose: to thrill people who get off on extreme weather.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“If INTO THE STORM embraced its terribleness in a self-aware kind of way like Syfy flicks, it would be much more fun to watch.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse

“INTO THE STORM would be a perfectly solid made-for-TV movie, but I can’t for the life of me figure out how it got a theatrical release.” – Deirdre Crimmins, All Things Horror

“So derivative that one imagines [David] Spade sitting a row behind you at the theater, taunting the screen, saying, “I liked INTO THE STORM more the first time I saw it…when it was called TWISTER.” – David Riedel, SF Reporter

 

calvary03CALVARY

“Despite McDonagh’s occasionally messy overreaches, this is an extremely moving portrait of a man trying to live his faith in a time and place where such a thing seems damned near impossible.” – Sean Burns, Movie Mezzanine

“For those interested in watching a movie that’s different from the normal summer blockbuster in just about every way imaginable, CALVARY may be something that you may want to see.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“McDonagh is trying to deal with the fact that talk is cheap. But he also seems to think the rest of the things we do – the social climbing, the status searching, the fighting, and yes, the drinking – are pretty damn cheap, too.” – Jake Mulligan, Movie Mezzanine

“One doesn’t jump from a story about child rape to casual guffaws easily, but writer-director John Michael McDonagh pulls it off.” – Dave Riedel, San Antonio Current

 

MOOD INDIGOmood-indigo

“In fine European art-house style, MOOD INDIGO relishes its quirky style and magical realism, but refuses to flinch from pain and horror.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

 

WHAT IF WHAT IF

“Maybe that’s too tall an order for what is supposed to be a romantic comedy, but if you can accept the fact that WHAT IF isn’t funny from the outset, you may find some worthwhile qualities.” – Kristofer Jenson, DigBoston

 

 

THE HUNDRED FOOT JOURNEYTHE HUNDRED-FOOT JOURNEY

“It’s pleasant, it’s professionally produced, and leaves you with that warm bath feeling. It’s not a great film but it is one that will please many.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“You’d need a pretty big Venn Diagram to jot down all the audiences this movie is hoping to endear itself to.” – Jake Mulligan, Edge Boston

 

 

STEP UP ALL INSTEPUP ALLIN

“In the last chapter of the series, b-boys and girls took on the 99% motif and saved small businesses on the Miami waterfront. Two years later, they learn the hard way that idealism doesn’t pay the bills.” – Monica Castillo, Movie Mezzanine

BOFCA MID-WEEK ROUNDUP

Hello, film fans!

As you know, the Boston Online Film Critics Association publishes a weekly round-up of our members’ reviews of major new releases to Boston-area theaters every Friday. But BOFCA’s diverse membership does more than just that: Many of us publish reviews, articles, videos and podcasts on a wide variety of other film and entertainment related subjects.

Thus, we’re instituting a new Mid-Week Roundup; where you’ll find a choice selection of the other great content BOFCA members have to offer. As this is our inaugural installment, a few selections may go back a bit – but if you haven’t seen it yet, it’s new to you. Enjoy!

Movie Mezzanine’s “History of Film” had Sean Burns on 8 1/2 and Andy Crump on PLAYTIME

David Riedel, Evan Crean and Kris Jenson have new podcast venture, Spoilerpiece Theatre. Check out a new episode here.

Sean Burns and Jake Mulligan examine the Boston Repertory scene blog-style at Boston Rep Film

Inkoo Kang reviewed THE COLD LANDS

Deirdre Crimmins looked at the classic DARK CITY and HAUSU (HOUSE) for The Brattle Theater, and offered dispatches from Fantasia Film Festival

David Riedel dove into BRIGHT DAYS AHEAD

Tim Estiloz, Monica Castillo and Jared Bowen appeared on WGBH to talk Summer Movies

Killian Melloy reviewed BOY MEETS GIRL

Bob Chipman and Inkoo Kang appeared on the Escapist Movies Podcast

Michael Cox reviewed the documentaries BIG JOY, THE FINAL MEMBER and THE UNKNOWN KNOWN

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 08/01/2014

guardians_of_the_galaxy_castGUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

“GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY plays less like a Marvel Studios commodity and more like a two-hundred-million-dollar version of 1980’s sci-fi cable staples like THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BONZAI ACROSS THE 8TH DIMENSION or THE ICE PIRATES.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

“GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY defies Marvel’s house style. By the time the credits roll, you’ll be eager for Gunn to do it again.” – Andy Crump, Movie Mezzanine

“I do like GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, but it’s not something that gave me a lot to love.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“It turns out to be the goofy and action-packed antidote to most of the summer’s blockbusters.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“It feels like someone threw Spielberg movies, Stephen Chow movies, and FLASH GORDON into a blender, and GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY is what came out.” – Jake Mulligan, Edge Boston

“What a joy—and not a little bit of a relief—it is that GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY may be the best Marvel movie, period.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

 

GET ON UP
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“Anyone buying a ticket to see Get on Up, the new biopic of legendary soul singer James Brown directed by Tate Taylor (The Help), should be given a CD of Brown’s greatest hits with each purchase.  At least then they’d walk away with a better sense of what made the man famous in the first place.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

“If you like James Brown and the music from that era, you’ll find a plethora of things to like in GET ON UP.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“… it can’t distract us from how familiar the story feels, even if you know nothing at all about Brown. What makes the film worth seeing–even if you don’t know his music–are the two lead performances.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies