BOFCA REVIEW ROUNDUP: 7/5

THE LONE RANGERTHE LONE RANGER

“Bad craftsmanship is one thing, but continuing the Hollywood tradition of treating Native American on-screen characters like packing peanuts to sell a genre throwback is another thing altogether.” – Monica Castillo, Bitch Magazine

“Clearly they are trying to turn Tonto into another Captain Jack Sparrow, but it doesn’t work. Depp, an immensely talented actor, should be ashamed of his minstrel show performance here.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

“For all those who think Depp is making fun of the Comanche—the tribe that adopted him—the joke’s on them. This entire movie is a joke. The only question is whether you’re in on it.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“Sorry, but the genocide of Native Americans just doesn’t strike me as funny. Depp’s patented character eccentricities have jumped the shark into annoyingly repetitive, borderline offensive buffoonery.” – Tim Estiloz, Boston Movie Examiner

“While Depp’s Tonto is easily the most ill-conceived, offensive-on-a-thousand-levels, what-the-hell-could-they-possibly-have-been-thinking element of THE LONE RANGER, it’s far from the only thing wrong with this movie.” – Bob Chipman, The Escapist

“The weirdest summer blockbuster in eons, it’s a bitterly cynical, Sergio Leone-styled bloodbath full of fairy-tale flourishes and slapstick silent comedy interludes. I have no idea who this movie was made for, but I’m glad I saw it.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

 

Despicable Me 2DESPICABLE ME 2

“Laugh-out-loud funny. And depending on how loudly you laugh, you may embarrass yourself. The most charming thing about this sequel to the hilarious DESPICABLE ME is that it’s just so gleefully silly.” – David Riedel, Santa Fe Reporter

“Directors Chris Renaud and Pierre Coffin may overfill the frame with plenty of playful detail, but they keep the action compact and digestible for all ages. And it’s a whole lot of fun, at every moment.” – Norm Schrager, Meet In The Lobby 

“The energy level never flags, even though you might wish everybody would stop to
breathe once in awhile. Overstuffed with daffy non-sequiturs, DESPICABLE ME 2 is almost too much of a good thing.” – Sean Burns, Metro

“The feel good movie of the summer. There is continual comic invention as well as a hilarious twist involving the Minions that reminds us of just how important they are to the film’s success.” – Daniel M. Kimmel, North Shore Movies

 

 

Kevin HartKEVIN HART: LET ME EXPLAIN

“Hilarious. Comedy is always about the underdog, and there is nobody better at losing right now than Kevin Hart. Diminutive and sputteringly brilliant, he’s mad as hell about becoming the butt of his own jokes.” – Sean Burns, Philadelphia Weekly

“When Hart nails a word, or even a syllable, it’s with the dynamic snap of a tiger’s pounce. Put that together with his physical dynamism, and he’s a comic dervish to be reckoned with.” – Kilian Melloy, EDGE Boston

 

The Way Way BackTHE WAY, WAY BACK

“Predictable in its sweetness but satisfying all the same. It’s like the multinationally branded ice cream sandwich you get on any pier in the Western Hemisphere, market-tested to appeal to as many people as possible.” – Inkoo Kang, Village Voice

“Has the playful spirit and unbridled optimism of a movie from twenty or thirty years ago. There’s rude humor that never gets raunchy, and a comedic innocence similar to that of ‘80s films from this genre.” – Evan Crean, Starpulse