BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP 7/31/2015

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATIONMISSION

“The summer movie we’ve been waiting for: filled with action, exotic locations, and enough plot twists that you simply can’t check your brain at the door.” – Daniel Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“Prince Tom is on screen, at an operatic scale yet again. None shall sleep.” – Jake Mulligan, Dig Boston

“The way Cruise and Ferguson dispatch baddies clearly stronger than them is balletic, shooting people the way Astaire and Rogers danced: cheek-to-cheek.” – Sam Cohen, Under The Gun

“For a wildly fun, mindless night out at the movies don’t miss MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION.” – Joyce Kulhawik, Joyce’s Choices

“Not much of a thought in its head but impeccably crafted nonetheless and always delightful to watch.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

“If nothing else, “Rogue Nation” has the sense to stick with what the “Mission: Impossible” movies do best.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE

“Proves to be one of the year’s best blockbuster action movies thus far.” – Tim Estiloz, El Mundo Boston

“Clearly falls short of Ghost Protocol, but there is some fun to be had if you can accept the lack of depth that we’re asked to watch.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

 

VACATIONVACATION (2015)

“Instead of relying on sight gags and absurdist humor (there’s an incest gag in the original film, people), Vacation follows a new family versed in more smarm than charm.” – Sam Cohen, Under The Gun

“Nothing in Vacation is spectacular, but you’ll most likely feel satisfied with what’s there after you’ve finished watching it.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“The original is much better. In fact, all four of the original Vacation movies – National Lampoon’s Vacation, European Vacation, Christmas Vacation and even Vegas Vacation – are better.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

 

A LEGO BRICKUMENTARYBRICKUMENTARY

“Directors Kief Davidson and Daniel Junge manage to capture the essence of what makes playing with these colorful plastic bricks so entertaining (some would say addictive) to those who do.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

 

PHOENIX 2013PHOENIX

“A masterful melodrama that pays loving homage to cinema’s past.” – Charles Nash, EDGE

“…a German movie that is smartly and emotionally written, is beautifully acted, has a camera in the right spot with the right lighting in scene after scene and asks that the audience think for itself instead of leading it around by the dick.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

 

 

SUGARTHAT SUGAR FILM

“The sight of the filmmaker munching on a sandwich of sugar cubes and spooning up sugar from a shockingly full cup is comical, but also revolting. He makes his point.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE

 

irrational-man-woody-allen-810x486IRRATIONAL MAN

“Woody is famously averse to taking vacations, but sitting through IRRATIONAL MAN you’ll wish he’d try — just to give us one.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

BOFCA MID-WEEK ROUNDUP 7/29/2015

Jake Mulligan looks at screwball comedy via Howard Hawks and HIS GIRL FRIDAY

Andrew Crump reviews FELT

Steve Head talks ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK

Deirdre Crimmins looks back at TANK GIRL

Monica Castillo and Sean Burns contribute to Indiewire’s Hypothetical Documentary Sequels roundup

Kilian Melloy reviews A GAY GIRL IN DAMASCUS

Joyce Kulhawik reports on the Woods Hole Film Festival and reviews SAVING KITTY

Bob Chipman belatedly revisits TERMINATOR GENISYS and BATMAN

Jared Bowen interviews Will Lyman

Spoilerpiece Theatre assembles for THE TRIBE, PIXELS, SOUTHPAW and INFINITELY POLAR BEAR

Derek Deskins pens a letter to Adam Sandler

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 07/24/2015

southpaw-jake-gyllenhaal-50-cent

SOUTHPAW

“Overall, SOUTHPAW doesn’t come close to living up to all that it could have been.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

“Fuqua, who brought out the darkness in Denzel Washington when he directed the actor toward an Oscar in TRAINING DAY, does the same with Gyllenhaal here.” – Brett Michel, The Improper Bostonian

 

PixelsPIXELS

“PIXELS is bad enough to make you hate the things you love, and watching it made me want to take a blowtorch to every scrap of video game memorabilia in my home.” – Bob Chipman, Movie Bob

“Extremely talented actors like Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Brian Cox and Jane Krakowski are wasted on two-dimensional roles that no amount of talent can fill with humor and heart.” – Michael Cox, Edge Boston

“It’s nowhere near as good as his early work, but PIXELS is a vast improvement over the number of failed movies that he’s put out over the past several years.” – Jaskee Hickman, The Movie Picture Show

 

1428888381_cara-delevingne-nat-wolff-paper-towns-zoomPAPER TOWNS

“It’s a worthwhile one for teenagers, but adult viewers might feel they are looking at situations and revelations that have long since receded in the rear view mirror.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

the-tribeTHE TRIBE

“…a film of eerie silence and cool, unblinking composure. ” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

“…an unfaltering look at studying the human brain’s capacity to survive at all costs.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

“Slaboshpytskyi has made a movie that’s enhanced by its setting and sub-culture in ways that are organic rather than gimmicky (assuming you foolishly consider sign language a “gimmick”).” – Andy Crump, Cinematic Essential

 

DO I SOUND GAY still 14DO I SOUND GAY?

“Mixed and mingled with the celebs are chats with old school friends and relatives. The sum total is amusing, but also unquestionably engaging.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

“If the answer to the film’s titular query bothers you, even today, well, then you’ve got some work to do, don’t you?” – Andy Crump, Birth.Movies.Death.

 

Hippocrates-StillHIPPOCRATES: DIARY OF A FRENCH DOCTOR

“The moral and ethical quandaries outlined here are stark and, if a little too cleanly drawn, are nonetheless reflective of the realities medical professionals face. ” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston

 

 

 

 

 

BOFCA MID-WEEK ROUNDUP 7/22/2015

Jake Mulligan talks Howard Hawks

Evan Crean reviews WOMAN IN GOLD, LITTLE BOY and GOING CLEAR

Jared Bowen interviews Judd Apatow

Spoilerpiece Theare talks ANT-MAN and TRAINWRECK

Andy Crump looks at FELT and interviews Joshua Oppenheimer of THE LOOK OF SILENCE

Kilian Melloy looks at HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN, reviews WHAT WE DO IN THE SHADOWS, SET FIRE TO THE STARS, LOVE UNTO DEATH/LIFE IS A BED OF ROSES and X-MEN: DOFP – ROGUE CUT

BOFCA REVIEW ROUND-UP: 07/17/2015

Paul-Rudd-Ant-Man-MovieANT-MAN

“ANT-MAN will likely play just as well on the small screen–so to speak–but for those needing their Marvel fix between THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON and the reboot of THE FANTASTIC FOUR, it will do.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“You know, for kids.” – Sean Burns, Spliced Personality

“ANT-MAN is ultimately underwhelming even if it’s not necessarily exactly unpleasant.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“Like many latter-day Marvel flicks, this one is steeped in plot, but screenwriters Adam McKay and Rudd keep the jokes flying whenever the franchise wheels start spinning.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

 

trainwreck-judd-apatow-amy-schumerTRAINWRECK

“Schumer’s confidence in this movie and her stand-up is infectious.” – Monica Castillo, International Business Times

“…if  Amy Schumer making sex jokes could be inserted into every run-of-the-mill comedy today, that’d be great.” – Sam Cohen, Under the Gun Review

“The results are standardized to the point of frustration, but don’t take this as a sign you shouldn’t see TRAINWRECK; it’s often hysterical, it’s wonderfully acted, and if you like Schumer there’s no reason not to support her work.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

“A romantic comedy that is as sweet as it is sidesplitting should not be so difficult to find. TRAINWRECK fits the bill, and does so with little effort and a lot of maturity.” – Deirdre Crimmins, Cinematic Essential

“As the leader of this talented circus, the blame for not getting enough actual laughs in the film falls squarely at Apatow’s feet.” – John Black, Boston Event Guide

 

tangerineTANGERINE

“…Baker isn’t rejecting that Hollywood tradition—he’s reclaiming it.” – Jake Mulligan, Dig Boston

“…a lewd, madcap romp tempered with unexpected moments of sweetness and grace.” – Sean Burns, The ARTery

“Baker treats L.A. like a living, breathing character as much as a backdrop for his study of the sex work industry, told from ground-level perspectives.” – Andy Crump, Paste Magazine

 

 

mr-holmes-ian-mckellen-860x442MR. HOLMES

MR. HOLMES only has one significant issue that prevents it from being an entertaining drama about the legendary investigator in his later years.” – Jaskee Hickman, Cinematic Essential

“The films works well enough as a drama, in large part because it downplays the mythology of Sherlock Holmes and approaches the character as a real person struggling to shed the outlandish image with which he’s been burdened by fictionalized accounts of the cases he’s solved.” – Kilian Melloy, Edge Boston