Author: coolpapae
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Unfriended (***1/2) And into the future of horror
Unfriended – 2015 Director Levan Gabriadze Starring Shelley Hennig, Moses Storm, Renee Olstead, Will Peltz, Jacob Wysocki, Courtney Halverson, Heather Sossaman Screenplay Nelson Greaves One year ago, Laura Barnes (Sossaman) killed herself as the result of a cyberbullying episode. So, of course one year later, when her friends are all sharing a group conversation via Skype, it only occurs to one of them,…
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The Martian (****1/2) – The good of the one…
The Martian – 2015 Director Ridley Scott Screenplay Drew Goddard based on the book by Andy Weir Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Sean Bean, Sebastian Stan, Aksel Hennie, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Benedict Wong In a time in which one person taking the lives of many others gets so much attention, it is nice to see a work of art…
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Pixels (**1/2) – Perhaps you were expecting Tennyson?
Pixels – 2015 Director Chris Columbus Starring Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Michelle Monaghan, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Brian Cox, Ashley Benson, Jane Krakowski. Matt Lintz Screenplay Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling There will always be films like this. A comedian past his prime is relegated to following trends started by better films (Toy Story, Wreck-It Ralph) as a vessel to do the same film he’s been doing…
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The Visit (***1/2) – Nice butt, Granny
The Visit – 2015 Written and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan Starring Olivia DeJonge, Ed Oxenbould, Deanna Dunagan, Peter McRobbie, Kathryn Hahn Let’s get the slumping career stuff out of the way. I mean, let’s not even discuss it. You either have enough juice to make a movie or you do not. This movie is made. Done. Finished. And it’s presented a…
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Fantastic Four (***) – Time spent in the negative zone
Fantastic Four – 2015 Director Josh Trank Writers Trank and Simon Kinberg Starring Kate Mara, Miles Teller, Simon Kinberg, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Toby Kebbell, Reg E. Cathey, Tim Blake Nelson The politics of Hollywood perspective mean that often times below average movies are given a free pass for not being better (see Transformers series) and…
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Insidious: Chapter 3 (***) – Come on, you gotta try at least a little
Insidious: Chapter 3 – 2015 Writer and Director Leigh Whannell Starring Lin Shaye, Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Whannell, Hayley Kiyoko, Tate Berney, Michael Reid MacKay, Tom Gallup So I love ghost stories. I just do. And as many times as I have seen films that just don’t do it, I keep going back. Insidious…
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The Age of Adaline (***) Does the job on a Sunday afternoon
The Age of Adaline – 2015 Director Lee Toland Krieger Screenplay J. Mills Goodloe, Salvador Paskowitz Starring Blake Lively, Michiel Huisman, Kathy Baker, Amanda Crew, Harrison Ford, Ellen Burstyn In the grand scheme of things, I will not remember this movie in 5 years. It’s not because it’s a bad film, though. Romantic films aren’t my thing, really. It may last longer in my…
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Forgotten Gem: Mi Familia (*****) is where my heart stays
My Family / Mi Familia – 1995 Director Gregory Nava Screenplay Nava and Anna Thomas Starring Esai Morales, Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Constance Marie, Elpidia Carrillo, Enrique Castillo, Scott Bakula, Jenny Gago, Jennifer Lopez, Eduardo Lopez Rojas, Jacob Vargas, León Singer The depth of feeling and wisdom inherent in Gregory Nava’s generation-spanning masterpiece Mi Familia is vast. It’s…
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Why I no longer shop @BestBuy
Today, September 5, 2015 is the last day, according to the rules on the above card, that I am “guaranteed” to pick up my pre-ordered Steelbook copy of Mad Max: Fury Road. Right there on the back of the card it says: “Mad Max: Fury Road Blu-Ray Steelbook will only be guaranteed through 9/5/15.” So…
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Straight Outta Compton (****) is almost brutally honest
Straight Outta Compton – 2015 Director F. Gary Gray Screenplay by Jonathan Herman, Andrea Berloff Starring O’Shea Jackson, Jr., Corey Hawkins, Jason Mitchell, Paul Giamatti, Neil Brown, Jr., Aldis Hodge, R. Marcus Taylor, Keith Stanfield Straight Outta Compton is a story I needed to see. I knew nothing about most rap in the 90’s, even though my music collection was vast. The…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 