Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews

Category: 3.5 Stars

  • A Walk Among The Tombstones (***1/2): Deliberate, with a few surprises

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    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…

  • The Equalizer (***1/2) is brutal art in motion

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    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…

  • Housebound (***1/2) – Animal on the loose

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    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…

  • The Expendables 3 (***1/2) – Holy crap! It’s not bad!

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    The Expendables 3 – 2014 Director Patrick Hughes Starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Antonio Banderas, Jet Li, Wesley Snipes, Dolph Lundgren, Kelsey Grammer, Randy Couture, Terry Crews, Kellan Lutz, Ronda Rousey, Glen Powell, Victor Ortiz, Robert Davi, Mel Gibson, Harrison Ford, Arnold Schwarzenegger Screenplay by Creighton Rothenberger, Katrin Benedikt, Sylvester Stallone The first two episodes of this series went down the toilet bowl. The first was a decent attempt at creating a story with some…

  • Mr. Peabody & Sherman (***1/2) isn’t going to hurt anybody

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    Mr. Peabody & Sherman – 2014 Director Rob Minkoff Starring Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Leslie Mann, Stephen Colbert, Allison Janney Screenplay Craig Wright based on the show Peabody’s Improbable History by Ted Key Based on a series of cartoon shorts that were part of The Bullwinkle Show, the idea for Mr. Peabody & Sherman resonated for several years in the…

  • Maleficent (***1/2) True love falls from trees

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    Maleficent – 2014 Director Robert Stromberg Starring Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Sam Riley, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Lesley Manville Screenplay by Linda Woolverton based on Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault  While watching Angelia Jolie’s re-imagining of Maleficent, part of me is amazed at the myriad ways one is allowed to see beyond what is really Disney’s most incomplete Princess story..…

  • Chef (***1/2) is a plea to be recognized right out in the open

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    Chef – 2014 Written and Directed by Jon Favreau Starring Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale, Dustin Hoffman, Robert Downey, Jr., Emjay Anthony One has only to look at Jon Favreau’s Carl Casper’s delicate handling of a menu that he’s made for no one while his staff makes a 10 year menu for a packed house to realize…

  • Edge Of Tomorrow (***1/2): Try, try again…

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    Edge of Tomorrow – 2014 Director Doug Liman Starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor Screenplay by Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth based on All You Need is Kill by Hiroshi Sakurazaka First thing’s first.  Edge of Tomorrow is a likable film.  Tom Cruise puts everything into it, just like usual.  Cruise’s Major William Cage is a mouthpiece…

  • Rio 2 (***1/2) First, do no harm

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    RIO 2 – 2014 Director Carlos Saldanha Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, Leslie Mann, Bruno Mars, Jemaine Clement, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, will.i.am Screenplay Don Rhymer, Carlos Kotkin, Jenny Bicks, Yoni Brenner Rio was a beautiful success in 2011, despite having an all to familiar story and some ridiculous characters.  The film has one of the most beautiful color palettes in recent memory and it’s sequel is even…

  • CPE & Em: Muppets Most Wanted – The Unnecessarily Extended Edition (***1/2)

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    Muppets Most Wanted – 2014 Director James Bobin Starring Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey Written by Nicolas Stoller & Bobin I never thought I needed to see Ricky Gervais break into song, talking about being #2. I never thought I needed to see Tina Fey pretend she had a really bad Russian accent. Never did…