Month: June 2015
Inside Out: Pixar returns to animated genre with maturity
by Matt Ward
If Christopher Nolan made a children’s movie, it might end up something very similar to “Inside Out,” the latest Disney/Pixar blockbuster to hit theaters. The ultimate thinking man’s kids’ film (both figuratively and literally), director Pete Docter’s third feature film is incredibly layered and cerebral in much more complex ways than his other features, 2001’s “Monsters, Inc.” and 2009’s “Up.” On the surface, “Inside … Read More Inside Out: Pixar returns to animated genre with maturity
Jurassic World: Nostalgia at its finest in action adventure
by Matt Ward
Sequels that genuinely work, or even come remotely close to living up to the original film, are few and far between. While last weekend’s smash hit “Jurassic World” isn’t exactly a modern carbon copy of Steven Spielberg’s 1993 masterpiece “Jurassic Park,” so much of what made the original feature awe-inspiring, terrifying and innovative is preserved in what very well may be the summer’s best … Read More Jurassic World: Nostalgia at its finest in action adventure
Spy: Melissa McCarthy makes comedic comeback
by Matt Ward
Sookie St. James is making a comeback. The warm, kind-hearted neighbor character played to perfection by comedienne Melissa McCarthy in TV’s “Gilmore Girls” has been largely missing from the rising star’s film credits, while McCarthy has made her name mucking it up in less than savory roles. Her latest adventure, the spoof film “Spy,” is by no means family-friendly entertainment, but continues a step … Read More Spy: Melissa McCarthy makes comedic comeback
Aloha: Why Crowe’s latest film paid the ultimate price for sins of another film
by Matt Ward
Dead on arrival. Angered by a Seth Rogen-James Franco buddy comedy that saw the duo attempt to assassinate Kim Jong-un, North Koreans hacked emails and threatened war if 2014’s “The Interview” was released into American theaters. Despite their best efforts, last year’s email hack of Sony Entertainment executives didn’t kill the raunchy buddy comedy, released video on demand to widespread support from celebrities and … Read More Aloha: Why Crowe’s latest film paid the ultimate price for sins of another film
San Andreas: Destruction provides unintentional comedy
by Matt Ward
While “Aloha” can be considered a flawed movie, there’s no such redeeming for the latest disaster movie starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, “San Andreas,” a film which asks the question no one was asking: What happens if the San Andreas fault tries to rip apart half of California? The screenplay, written by Carlton Cuse, plays to every basic stereotype B-rate action and/or disaster movies … Read More San Andreas: Destruction provides unintentional comedy
Cinematic Considerations 