Category: New Releases
Still Alice: Oscar contender not up to muster
by Matt Ward
What might have been a touching look at how a close-knit family deals with tragedy in the wake of the mother’s early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis becomes a trite farce that twists the emotional knife in the backs of its viewers during the independent drama “Still Alice.” The film is most notable for Julianne Moore’s Oscar-winning performance as a 50-year-old linguistics professor who slowly loses … Read More Still Alice: Oscar contender not up to muster
Serena: Cooper, Lawrence make most of uneven frontier drama
by Matt Ward
Pair a three-time Academy Award-nominated actor with an Oscar-winning actress and put them in a hauntingly beautiful period film and it would seem like a recipe for instant success. Yet “Serena,” the third on-screen pairing between Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, takes major missteps that equal or slightly outpace its positive strides, making for an uneven and mundane film as a whole. Most of … Read More Serena: Cooper, Lawrence make most of uneven frontier drama
Focus: Smith, Robbie have decent chemistry in romantic heist flick
by Matt Ward
There’s a lot of layers to the latest offering from Will Smith, who starts the long road back from cinematic wasteland with the romantic drama-comedy heist film, “Focus,” co-starring “Wolf of Wall Street” starlet Margot Robbie. There’s the con, led by Smith as the consummate con artist, practiced in deceit. There’s the romance, with Robbie slithering her way into Smith’s gang and into his … Read More Focus: Smith, Robbie have decent chemistry in romantic heist flick
McFarland USA: Disney offers heartwarming sports tale
by Matt Ward
January and February are usually the time of year where films the major studios aren’t real comfortable with get released and it’s often a wasteland of below-par cinema. Every once in a while, during this time of year, a film overcomes this stigma and becomes something worthwhile. Such is the case with the latest Disney release — “McFarland, USA” — starring the timeless Kevin … Read More McFarland USA: Disney offers heartwarming sports tale
Fifty Shades of Grey: Chemistry, quality missing in film adaptation
by Matt Ward
It takes two to tango — one to lead and one to follow — in the feature film adaptation of E.L. James’ best-selling erotic novel “Fifty Shades of Grey.” The follower, Dakota Johnson as the naïve and bookish Anastasia, is a breath of fresh air anytime she appears on screen and truly gives 110 percent of herself to every scene no matter how much … Read More Fifty Shades of Grey: Chemistry, quality missing in film adaptation
Kingsman The Secret Service: Firth steps out as action star
by Matt Ward
“Kingsman: The Secret Service,” an action adventure thrill ride from “X-Men: First Class” director Matthew Vaughn, gives viewers Colin Firth as he’s never been seen before — a fighter, not a lover. By far the most mainstream work in the long and celebrated filmography of the Academy Award-winner, Firth is charming and dynamic in this modern imagining of independent gentleman spies and everything you … Read More Kingsman The Secret Service: Firth steps out as action star
Jupiter Ascending: Sci-flop not worth your time
by Matt Ward
It’s unfortunate that “Jupiter Ascending,” the latest sci-fi adventure from the Wachowski directing team of “Matrix” fame, wasn’t released last summer like originally scheduled. The film, which believes itself to be the second coming of the original “Star Wars” trilogy, is more like the Jar Jar Binks of the sci-fi genre, heavily derided, over-animated and just not that good. It certainly doesn’t seem like … Read More Jupiter Ascending: Sci-flop not worth your time
A Most Violent Year: Quiet drama honors gangster genre
by Matt Ward
Hollywood is putting serious pocket change into remaking vintage films using modern technology for new audiences. It seems as though no film is beyond the grasp of remake-hungry directors, though there are still some movies that need to be left untouched. You just can’t remake “The Godfather.” “A Most Violent Year,” a little-seen film that the National Board of Review chose as the best … Read More A Most Violent Year: Quiet drama honors gangster genre
Selma, The Imitation Game: Strong leads pace Oscar-nominated biopics
by Matt Ward
There’s no reason not to like “Selma,” the Ava DuVernay-helmed drama which chronicles the civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama, during the 1960s led by captivating activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. British actor David Oyelowo makes the most of a poorly outlined script by first time screen-writer Paul Webb, largely succeeding in the attempt to provide a larger picture of King … Read More Selma, The Imitation Game: Strong leads pace Oscar-nominated biopics
American Sniper: Compelling Cooper performance stuns audiences
by Matt Ward
By now, if you haven’t seen or heard about Clint Eastwood’s epic war drama “American Sniper,” odds are good that the cell phone reception on that deserted island you’ve been living on is spotty at best. The drama kicked off its national release with six Academy Award nominations — including Best Picture and Best Actor for Bradley Cooper — and completely dominated the cinematic … Read More American Sniper: Compelling Cooper performance stuns audiences
Taken 3: Leave Liam Neeson’s family alone
by Matt Ward
Enough already. There’s no more story to explore in the now-tired “Taken” franchise which saw a former CIA operative (Liam Neeson) rescue his kidnapped daughter in the first installment, then save himself and his ex-wife in the sequel. There’s no one left Neeson’s character cares about to kidnap, so obviously the solution is to frame him for the murder of the ex-wife he just … Read More Taken 3: Leave Liam Neeson’s family alone
Into The Woods: Misunderstood film an above-average movie musical
by Matt Ward
Many audiences have left the Disney-produced fairy tale film, “Into the Woods,” disappointed and with little right to be. Certainly, the studio is to fault for not clearing up the confusion surrounding the film. Too many people have left screenings surprised they just watched a musical and many others probably were in shock when the film doesn’t end with Cinderella’s marriage to the prince. … Read More Into The Woods: Misunderstood film an above-average movie musical
Cinematic Considerations 