Category: CPE
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Forgotten Gem: Miller’s Crossing (*****) catching a star on the rise
“This film is a definite display of two of the best filmmakers of their time in Joel and Ethan Coen. They show all of the range that would later be used to make some of the films which I really enjoyed, even if there were still those weird one offs that still haven’t grabbed me.…
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Forgotten Gems – Lone Star(*****): John Sayles is still the king
“This is just the tip of the iceberg that goes down into the depths of a deep sea of the human condition. If there is one film that shows a completely honest viewpoint of life on the border of so many things.”
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The Curse of La Llorona (***1/2) is a nice add to the Conjuring Universe
Director Michael ChavesScreenplay Mikki Daughtry, Tobias IaconisStarring Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, Patricia Velásquez, Jaynee-Lynn Kinchen, Roman Christou, Marisol Ramirez, Sean Patrick Thomas, Tony Amendola The Curse of La Llorona is the kind of film that has merit for being solid, if not spectacular. Though there are no scenes in the film that stand out for…
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There’s a turd in The Basement
“I saw this film on a dare from someone who saw the first 10 minutes then fast forwarded to the end. Both he and I had seen this film pushed to the top of our Netflix login, saying there was a 90+% chance we’d like this film. Not sure what the criteria is, but it’s…
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Hellboy Film Chronology 2004-2019
Harbour is actually really good as Hellboy. He makes the character within the lines that Perlman draws, but he also makes it very much his own. There is much more nuance with fewer annoying characters to bounce off of in this rendition. He’s at least on par with his incredible predecessor.
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The Silence (*1/2) rightly gives up in the last act
Director John R. LeonettiScreenplay Cary and Shane Van Dyke based on the book by Tim LebbonStarring Kiernan Shipka, Stanley Tucci, Miranda Otto, John Corbett, Billy McClellan Just about the time when The Silence meets it’s ultimate antagonist, The Reverend (McClellan). My daughter came downstairs from studying. It’s her spring break, so of course she’s trying…
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How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (***1/2) Diminishing Returns
“If I could, I would edit out most of the dialogue spoken by anyone but Hiccup, Astrid, Valka, Stoick and Abraham’s Grimmel the Grisly. It would not change the comprehension of the story one bit and it would definitely allow us to enjoy Toothless and his White Fury more. Anyone who owns cats will like…
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Another Look: The Highwaymen vs. Bonnie and Clyde
“The Warren Beatty film has received a gentle critical wind in the ensuing years, remembered more for its groundbreaking violence than for any of the many nominated performances. In retrospect, its not a bad film, but it’s not a classic, either. The main thing it lacks is a cohesive story that’s not real accurate with…
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The Kid (***1/2) is a good first step
“The Kid is a good film with a limited scope. D’Onofrio manages to keep things within the realm of the legend as we know it and add a little something extra. Here’s one vote to see the great actor work a little more on becoming a better director.”
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Captive State (**) is a long shot
“Wyatt and co-writer spend so much time setting up the labyrinthian plot, we are allowed little time to invest in learning much about any particular character. The end result plays more sterile than it probably should. The surprise we’re expecting is more of an obligation than a relief. ”
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 