Is it possible to do questionable things for a noble cause? Well, veteran director Catherine Hardwicke (“Twilight”) and first-time full feature screenwriter Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer clumsily answer that thematic question with Miss Bala, an Americanized reshaping of a 2011 Spanish-language tale with the same name. Their vision replays similar story beats as the original, but lacks…
In the midst of the devastation that was Hurricane Sandy back in 2012, New Jersey’s notorious play land, Atlantic City, was stripped to a bleak and torn terrain. First-time director Emanuele Della Valle uses this as a backdrop for his crime-drama film debut, Wetlands. The grey wasteland welcomes a once rogue Philadelphia cop, Babel (Adewale…
With Detroit, Oscar winning director Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker”) and her team have put together a kick-in-the-mouth, knock-your-socks-off movie experience you won’t forget in a docudrama staging of the Detroit race-riots of 1967. Starting with a routine police raid of an illegal after hours club where the local residents harass the police as they…
Just as conflict breaks out in Captain America: Civil War, so is the film itself somewhat conflicted. On a narrative level, it must balance its own story with that of the ongoing Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), continuing established plot lines and characters while also setting up future elements. Stylistically, it has the challenge of presenting…
There’s been a Spider-Man sighting! That’ll be the headline from this second trailer for Marvel’s upcoming Captain America: Civil War, but there’s more to it than that. For one Black Panther is a bona fide bad ass. He gets himself a healthy does of screen time in this to show his speed, agility and strength….
Most of the original boys and girls from the Avengers have reassembled and among them are some new faces (Ant-Man, Scarlet Witch). Problem is in Captain America: Civil War they aren’t all on the same side. Captain America (Chris Evans) believes his friend-turned-enemy-turned-friend-again Bucky (Sebastian Stan) doesn’t deserve death and is the key to uncovering…
I suppose it’s a generational thing that a lot of younger critics seem to adore the newest film by Jonathan Levine (“50/50,” “Warm Bodies”), The Night Before. I mean when I think of harmless Christmas comedies, my mind conjures up movies like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” or “Home Alone,” among others. So when did foul…
