Ebert Did It Better: Gasbag Reviews

Category: Ratings

  • You’re Next: Someone wants to live

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    You’re Next – 2011 Directed by Adam Wingard Starring Sharni Vinson, Nicholas Tucci, Wendy Glenn, A. J. Bowen, Joe Swanberg, Barbara Crampton, Rob Moran Written by Simon Barrett Finally horror has come out of the tailspin it’s been in since forever.  In the past year, only Cabin in the Woods stands out as being close to the level as You’re Next.  The things that…

  • At Any Price: A patent on life

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    At Any Price – 2012 Director Ramin Bahrani Starring Zac Efron, Dennis Quaid, Heather Graham, Kim Dickens, Clancy Brown, Red West, Maika Monroe Screenplay by Bahrani and Hallie Elizabeth Newton Things I don’t mind seeing: Any movie introducing the debate about GMO seeds. An actor attempting to move forward in their profession. Films about the difficulties involved…

  • Pain & Gain: Meat

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    Pain & Gain – 2013 Director Michael Bay Starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Tony Shalhoub, Ed Harris Screenplay Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely based on the book by Pete Collins Let’s not get down to the nitty-gritty on this.  No one will benefit from knowing whether the events in the movie are true or not.  What is remarkable is the…

  • Forgotten Gem: Sayles’ Passion Fish takes us for longing

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    Passion Fish – 1992 Written and Directed by John Sayles Starring Mary McDonnell, Alfre Woodard, David Strathairn, Angela Bassett, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Leo Burmester, Lenore Banks, John Henry Redwood “White trash?” said Chantrelle. “It’s more complicated than that…” Mary-Alice replied. There is a mid-way through Passion Fish where Mary-Alice (McDonnell) sees her “more complicated than that” crush Rennie…

  • Forgotten Gem: Sayles’ Casa de los Babys has something to show

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    Casa de los Babys – 2003 Written and Directed by John Sayles Starring Daryl Hannah, Marcia Gray Harden, Mary Steenburgen, Lili Taylor, Susan Lynch, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Rita Moreno, Martha Higareda, Vanessa Martinez There is a point in Casa de los Babys that is startlingly different than most anything else that he has portrayed before.  A somewhat muted…

  • Twixt: Coppola misfiring on all cylinders

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    Twixt – 2013 Written and Directed by Francis Ford Coppola Starring Val Kilmer, Elle Fanning, Joanne Whalley, Bruce Dern, Ben Chaplin, David Paymer Elle Fanning never saw it coming.  A chance to work with one of the most acclaimed directors of the latter half of the 20th century, and she should likely jump at the chance.…

  • Bullet to the Head: This is why Stallone can’t work alone

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    Bullet to the Head – 2013 Director Walter Hill Starring Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Christian Slater, Jason Momoa, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje Screenplay Alessandro Camon based on Du Plomb Dans La Tete by  Alexis Nolent This is Stallone’s version of a comic book movie.  It has few things to recommend it.  One of them is getting to view a career of Stallone head shot photos as police…

  • The Big Wedding: Win some, lose more

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    The Big Wedding – 2013 Written and Directed by Justin Zackham Starring Amanda Seyfried, Katherine Heigl, Robert DeNiro, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes, Topher Grace, Christine Ebersole, David Rache, Patricia Rae, Ana Ayora Based on Mon frère se marie by Jean-Stéphane Bron and Karine Sudan “What is wrong with you?” a question asked by daughter Lila (Heigl), when she…

  • Elysium has no more than one answer to the world’s ills

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    Elysium – 2013 Written and Directed by Neill Blomkamp Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga, Diego Luna, William Fichtner, Wagner Moura, Faran Tahir Alice Braga is one of the most beautiful women in the world.  Her beauty is breathtaking.  I spent much of Elysium wondering how in the world it was that Max De…

  • 42: Somewhere between legend and reality

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    42 – 2013 Writer and Director Brian Helgeland Starring Chadwick Boseman, Harrison Ford, Andre Holland, Christopher Meloni, John C. McGuinley, Lucas Black, Alan Tudyk, Nichole Beharie, C. J. Nitkowski, Brett Cullen, Ryan Merriman, T.R. Knight, Hamish Linklater, Brad Beyer, Jesse Luken, Max Gail, Peter MacKenzie, Linc Hand Somewhere in the middle of 42, a pitcher named Fritz Ostermueller…