Category: New Releases
Straight Outta Compton: Rap supergroup featured in new biopic
by Matt Ward
Hollywood has struggled in recent years with developing a broad appeal for its critically popular staple of biographical films, dubbed “biopics,” despite large portions of accolades being heaped upon the genre which brought us Eddie Redmayne’s Oscar-winning portrayal of Stephen Hawking in the little seen “Theory of Everything.” For every Bradley Cooper and Clint Eastwood helmed “American Sniper,” there’s at least a half dozen … Read More Straight Outta Compton: Rap supergroup featured in new biopic
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: Ritchie breathes new life into classic spy series
by Matt Ward
Guy Ritchie has a lot to offer any film he directs. The inventive British director behind such foreign standouts as “Snatch” and “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” made a spectacular transition to American theaters by teaming with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law for a pair of films based on the Sherlock Holmes novels by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. His crisp dialogue and … Read More The Man From U.N.C.L.E.: Ritchie breathes new life into classic spy series
Fantastic Four: Reboot of comic book classic falls flat
by Matt Ward
Someone in Hollywood better take note quick. Indie darling and rising character actor Miles Teller needs a star vehicle ASAP, but “Fantastic Four” just isn’t it. It’s hard not to feel bad for the star of last year’s Sundance winner and Academy Award nominated “Whiplash,” who played the perfect whipping boy to J.K. Simmons in the heavy drama. To go from one of the … Read More Fantastic Four: Reboot of comic book classic falls flat
Mission Impossible Rogue Nation: Fifth installment in Cruise action series running strong
by Matt Ward
It doesn’t matter that he’s flying down a winding Moroccan highway on a motorcycle at break-neck speed without a helmet while assassins are buzzing around him trying to kill him. Exploding cycles falling off the sides of cliffs don’t bug him, nor does the threat of imminent doom if he leans over a centimeter too far one way or the other. At the end … Read More Mission Impossible Rogue Nation: Fifth installment in Cruise action series running strong
Paper Towns: An exercise in managing expectations
by Matt Ward
The author may be the same, but the latest film adaptation of a John Green novel — “Paper Towns” — isn’t anything like last year’s breakout hit “The Fault in Our Stars,” nor is it meant to be. Early in the film, Cara Delevingne’s Margo Roth Spiegelman laments how Orlando, where the movie is set, is full of paper people living in paper houses, … Read More Paper Towns: An exercise in managing expectations
Southpaw: Gyllenhaal elevates boxing movie to next level
by Matt Ward
A great actor can elevate a script beyond its limitations and provide audiences with a compelling performance in spite of limitations on the written page. Jake Gyllenhaal, who narrowly missed out on an Academy Award nomination with a masterful performance in last year’s “Nightcrawler,” shines yet again in Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama “Southpaw,” a film that won’t win any awards, but offers much of … Read More Southpaw: Gyllenhaal elevates boxing movie to next level
Ant-Man: Who knew ants could be so badass?
by Matt Ward
How much audiences will enjoy “Ant-Man,” the latest superhero blockbuster from Marvel Studios, directly relates to how much they enjoy Paul Rudd. By stepping far away from the big, bruising characters like Thor and the Hulk or the dynamic Iron Man and Captain America, Marvel is banking on Rudd, a comic actor, to keep things moving in a positive direction as superhero movies become … Read More Ant-Man: Who knew ants could be so badass?
Trainwreck: Schumer, Apatow team for hilarious comedy
by Matt Ward
Quite likely the year’s top romantic comedy debuted last weekend after receiving much acclaim following an advance screening at this spring’s South by Southwest Film Festival. “Trainwreck,” the mostly auto-biographical feature film debut of comedian Amy Schumer, provides many of the sexually explicit jokes fans of her stand-up comedy love, but with some heart thrown in to provide a nice balance between the hilarity … Read More Trainwreck: Schumer, Apatow team for hilarious comedy
Minions: Adorable animated spinoff sputters late
by Matt Ward
Absolutely no one should be surprised by now that little yellow lemming-like creatures have taken the Hollywood landscape by storm. Minions are everywhere. From lunchboxes to every other commercial it seems like, to their first feature length animated adventures, the henchmen (is it right to call genderless characters men?) from the innovative “Despicable Me” franchise have rightfully taken center stage with “Minions,” a 95-minute … Read More Minions: Adorable animated spinoff sputters late
Self/less: Sci-fi thriller lacks requisite thrills
by Matt Ward
Ryan Reynolds is going to make a major comeback in Hollywood very soon, but unfortunately for science fiction fans, it probably won’t be with the uneven — and commercially underperforming — “Self/Less.” The notion that a dying Ben Kingsley would approach a company to transfer his consciousness into a younger, healthy Reynolds is a terrific idea, but director Tarsem Singh can’t really make the … Read More Self/less: Sci-fi thriller lacks requisite thrills
Magic Mike XXL: Quality, clothes stripped away in subpar sequel
by Matt Ward
Calling something “XXL” implies bigger and better. Double entendre aside, the sequel to the 2012 indie smash hit “Magic Mike” was supposed to blow away female audiences over the Fourth of July weekend like a massive fireworks display. Moviegoers who came out to the Channing Tatum-helmed male stripper fiesta got their fireworks show, but “Magic Mike XXL” feels closer to the premature explosion from … Read More Magic Mike XXL: Quality, clothes stripped away in subpar sequel
Terminator Genisys: Stop destroying San Francisco already
by Matt Ward
Throw convention out the window if you’re planning on seeing “Terminator Genisys,” the fifth installment in the action franchise that made Arnold Schwarzenegger a household name. Though it’s not completely necessary to have seen all four previous films, a working knowledge of James Cameron’s classics “The Terminator” and “Terminator 2: Judgement Day” will be handy, along with pencil and paper to keep track of … Read More Terminator Genisys: Stop destroying San Francisco already
Cinematic Considerations 