How to Train Your Dragon
Computer-animated fantasy film about an awkward Viking teen who aspires to be a dragon slayer. The animation is nice and children will be entertained. However, why do films aimed at children always feel the need to teach us something? And if the script must lecture the viewer, it should really be something more interesting than […]
Hot Tub Time Machine
Mindless comedy about a group of friends that time travel back to 1986 to the glory days of their teen years. A strictly hit and miss affair. Your enjoyment of this will depend on whether you feel most of the jokes work or fall flat. I side with the latter. It doesn’t help that many […]
The Runaways
Solid biography of the seminal LA girl band the Runaways which launched the career of singer Joan Jett. Never a major force on the charts or even with critics, the rock quintet seems an unlikely candidate for a biopic. Based on lead vocalist Cherie Currie’s memoir Neon Angel, this well-acted story follows the somewhat clichéd […]
The Magnificent Seven
Gripping epic western of mercenaries hired for protection by a Mexican village terrorized by a gang of outlaws. Despite being “merely” a remake of Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai and borrowing themes from the westerns of John Ford, this action film remains one of the most riveting of all time. Director John Sturges has a remarkable […]
A Prophet
Morally ambiguous tale about a young Arab prisoner who gets entangled with a Corsican Mafia group on the inside. This first hour of this crime drama is absorbing as our youthful protagonist must fend for himself in an environment that is totally foreign to him. Newcomer actor Tahar Rahim is quietly convincing as the initially […]
Alice in Wonderland
Carefully studied, but exquisite reworking of both Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. Alice, now a teenager, returns to the magical place of her youth, but has no memory of her prior visit. Lewis Carroll’s books were never big on narrative structure. Director Tim Burton attempts to remedy this with additional characters […]
Black Dynamite
Humorous action comedy concerns an ex-CIA agent’s quest for revenge when the mob kills his brother. Film’s strong suit is in the details as it lovingly recreates the early 70s Blaxploitation film to perfection. It’s all here, from the garish costumes to the low production values and implausible plots. Even the film quality is so […]
Valentine’s Day
Inconsequential romantic comedy presents interconnected storylines of various Angelenos on Valentine’s Day. It all goes down pleasantly enough, but there’s nothing revelatory here. As a matter of fact, it’s rather shallow. One of those Hollywood products designed to appeal to you if you’re female and between the ages of 13 and 25. Given its sitcom-like feel, […]