Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews

Author: coolpapae

  • Non-Stop has Characters, Heroes

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    Non-Stop – 2014 Director Jaume Collet-Serra Starring Liam Neeson, Julianne Moore, Scoot McNairy, Michelle Dockery, Nate Parker, Jason Butler Harner, Anson Mount, Lupita Nyong’o, Linus Roache, Corey Stroll Screenplay John W. Richardson, Chris Roach, Ryan Engle Non-Stop is the kind of movie that is full of surprises.  It has the burden of a premise that we’ve seen many times before, most notably in Passenger 57, Executive Decision,…

  • 300 Rise of an Empire – Introducing the “B” Team

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    300 Rise of an Empire – 2014 Director Noam Murro Starring Sullivan Stapleton, Eva Green, Lena Headey, Hans Matheson, Rodrigo Santoro Screenplay Zack Snyder, Kurt Johnstad 300 Rise of an Empire is a story, starting with the Battle of Marathon and concluding with the Battle of Salamis.  This is before, during and after the Battle of Thermopylae which is the focus of the…

  • The Lego Movie: Applied to our lives like so much Kragl

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    The Lego Movie – 2014   Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller Starring (voices) Chris Pratt, Will Ferrell, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett, Nick Offerman, Alison Brie, Charlie Day, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman Screenplay Lord and Miller Where the heck did this film come from?  They’ve been releasing Lego movies for years straight to DVD, and for some reason, someone got the extremely bright idea to apply…

  • 22 Jump Street: Does Blanche do heroin?

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    22 Jump Street – 2014 Directors Lord and Miller Starring Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum, Peter Stromare, Ice Cube, Amber Stevenson, Jillian Bell, Wyatt Russell Screenplay Michael Bacall, Oren Uziel, Rodney Rothman Conventional wisdom tells us the story about most sequels, and it tells even more about those who review sequels.  Many sequels are made on some sort of auto…

  • Corner Gas, Episode 41: Safety First

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    The Writers – Mark Farell & Paul Mather Director – Rob De Lint A brief synopsis – Brent and Wanda work to develop a bicycle safety comic for Karen.  Upon learning that he is not a Virgo, Hank decides to change his live to match the way Libras live. Davis and Oscar practice safety with ladders while working on…

  • Grudge Match is as tired as it seems

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    Grudge Match – 2013 Director Peter Segal Starring Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kevin Hart, Alan Arkin, Kim Basinger, Jon Bernthal Screenplay Tim Kelleher, Rodney Rothman It’s been so long since Stallone has been in a film that seemed unguarded of actor’s egos, one has difficulty picturing him going through the editing process with each of the actors, saying, “Do you think…

  • Gambit loses the bet

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    Gambit – 2012 Director Michael Hoffman Starring Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Cameron Diaz, Tom Courtenay, Stanley Tucci, Cloris Leachman Writers Joel and Etan Cohen Gambit is a film who’s pedigree and history is more interesting than the film itself.  It’s not for lack of trying, but the original Shirley MaClaine and Michael Caine film nominated for 3…

  • The East is inspired nonsense

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    The East – 2013 Director Zal Batmanglij Starring Brit Marling, Alexander Skarsgård, Ellen Page, Patricia Clarkson, Jamey Sheridan Screenplay Batmanglij and Marling In the life of a young, independent filmmaker, you only get so many chances.  Batmanglij has been working with Brit Marling since they went to Georgetown together.  Their work together has created enough interest with the film The Sound…

  • Forgotten Gems: Once We Were Kings…The Lethal Weapon Series

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    Lethal Weapon Collection – 1987, 1989, 1992, 1998 Director Richard Donner Starring Martin Riggs Mel Gibson Roger Murtaugh Danny Glover Leo Getz Joe Pesci (2-4) Lorna Cole Rene Russo (3-4) Lee Butters Chris Rock (4) Trish Murtaugh Darlene Love Rianne Murtaugh Traci Wolfe Nick Murtaugh Damon Hines Carrie Murtaugh Ebonie Smith Captain Ed Murphy Steve Kahan…

  • The Monuments Men: Thankful for those with vision

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    The Monuments Men – 2014 Director George Clooney Starring Clooney, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bob Balaban, John Goodman, Bill Murray, Hugh Bonneville, Jean Dujardin Screenplay Grant Heslov and Clooney based on the book by Robert M. Edsel Monuments Men tells the story of those who paid attention in the midst of a war.  So many people displaced, wounded and…