Category: CPE
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John Wick (***1/2): I’m thinking you don’t kill the dog
John Wick – 2014 Director Chad Stahelski, David Leitch Starring Keanu Reeves,Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Adrianne Palicki, Bridget Moynahan, Dean Winters, Ian McShane, John Leguizamo, Willem Dafoe Screenplay Derek Kolstad John Wick (Reeves) is a retired hitman / tough guy for the Russian Mob. He got out and nobody really wanted him back in. The Mob Boss’s Son, who amazingly had no clue who he was,…
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Foxcatcher (***): It doesn’t take a genius to be born into money
Foxcatcher – 2014 Director Bennett Miller Starring Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Vanessa Redgrave, Sienna Miller, Anthony Michael Hall Screenplay by E. Max Frye, Dan Futterman A story about misfits can be a sweet thing about overcoming adversity. In the case of Mark (Tatum) and Dave Shultz’ (Ruffalo) intersection with John “Golden Eagle” du Pont (Carrell), it is an eerie and dangerous…
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Jersey Boys (***1/2) is solid but dims the power of the band
Jersey Boys – 2014 Director Clint Eastwood Starring John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Michael Lomenda, Vincent Piazza, Christopher Walken Screenplay based on the play by Marshall Brickman, Rick Elice When reviewing a movie based upon a musical, it’s hard to see the origin material as anything other than a starting point. Most of the events may have happened in one form…
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Dolphin Tale 2 (***1/2) Accomplishes what it sets out to do
Dolphin Tale 2 – 2014 Writer and Director Charles Martin Smith Starring Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Nathan Gamble, Kris Kristofferson, Cozi Zuehlsdorff, Morgan Freeman, Bethany Hamilton Dolphin Tale 2 is a continuation of a story that is a sweet if derivative of real events. This time around, Winter, a dolphin – who lost her tail fins and was nursed back to health…
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Dumb and Dumber To (**1/2) Makes one think maybe the first one wasn’t that good
Dumb and Dumber To – 2014 Director Peter and Bobby Farrelly Starring Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Laurie Holden, Kathleen Turner, Brady Bluhm, Steve Tom, Rachel Melvin , Rob Riggle, Paul Blackthorne, Dalton Gray, Swizz Beatz Screenplay Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, Sean Anders, John Morris, Bennett Yellin, Mike Cerrone Dumb and Dumber is one of those movies that seemed like a great movie when I saw it. Watching its sequel, the tone and the feel are…
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A Walk Among The Tombstones (***1/2): Deliberate, with a few surprises
A Walk Among The Tombstones – 2014 Writer and Director Scott Frank Starring Liam Neeson, Dan Stevens, Boyd Holbrook, Sebastian Roché, Brian “Astro” Bradley, David Harbour, Adam David Thompson Based upon the book by Lawrence Block There is something very lived in about Liam Neeson’s Matthew Scudder, the protagonist from A Walk Among The Tombstones. Given the this story takes place…
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The Hundred-Foot Journey (**) feels like a trip to McDonald’s
The Hundred-Foot Journey – 2014 Director Lasse Hallström Starring Helen Mirren, Om Puri, Manish Dayal, Charlotte Le Bon Screenplay Steven Knight based on the book by Richard C. Morais Part of the problem with the wave of Oprah Winfrey endorsed artistic product is that every story feels so antiseptic to actual living. The story that would otherwise be compelling feels…
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The Equalizer (***1/2) is brutal art in motion
The Equalizer – 2014 Director Antoine Fuqua Starring Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo Screenplay Richard Wenk based on the TV Show by Richard Lindheim and Michael Sloane The Equalizer is the type of story that would have agonized one to watch if it had been created by lesser talents than Fuqua and especially Denzel. Bearing…
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Housebound (***1/2) – Animal on the loose
Housebound – 2014 Written and Directed Gerard Johnstone Starring Morgana O’Reilly, Rima Te Wiata, Glen-Paul Waru, Cameron Rhodes, Ross Harper, Ryan Lampp A New Zealand film that was a hit at SXSW this year, Housebound is an effective thriller with some comedic elements thrown in for good measure. Morgana O’Reilly gives a game performance as a street wise crook…
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The Giver (***) begat Pleasantville
The Giver – 2014 Director Phillip Noyce Starring Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Brenton Thwaites, Cameron Monaghan, Odeya Rush, Alexander Skarsgård, Katie Holmes, Taylor Swift Screenplay Michael Mitnick, Robert B. Weide based on the book by Lois Lowry The Giver is one of the original modern teen dystopian tales, where a society has been created from the ruins of the old one. This time,…
Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews 