Tuesday, December 16, 2014

2014 Fall Movie Reviews - September & October

September 19th

The Maze RunnerThomas (Dylan O'Brien) and Teresa (Kaya Scodelario) are deposited in a community of boys after their memories are erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require them to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape. Also starring Will Poulter and Thomas Brodie-Sangster.

Opening Weekend: $32.5 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 63%

Review: We've had an over-saturation of dystopian young adult adaptations recently and I'm burned out. But I honestly really enjoyed The Maze Runner just as much as, if not more than, the (overrated, imo) Hunger Games films. It's exciting and intriguing, propelled by earnest efforts from its young cast. And what's fascinating is that even though the end sets up a sequel, it's clearly not going to be a carbon copy of this first entry, but something new, and that is truly breaking the current pattern of dystopian young adult adaptations. I'm looking forward to seeing where the Maze Runner franchise leads.
The Final Word: 3.5/4 - Go buy a ticket.


October 3rd

AnnabelleA couple begins to experience terrifying supernatural occurrences involving a vintage doll shortly after their home is invaded by satanic cultists.

Opening Weekend: $37.1 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 29%

Review: Typically in a horror movie review I find myself saying that I enjoy the initial premise, but that the execution slips into expected tropes and stereotypes. Annabelle is actually the opposite. A haunted doll does not sound like a concept worthy of a feature film (though a possessed doll certainly carried the Chucky franchise for a while), but as the film plays out, it actually incorporates a number of different horror movies hues such that there were moments that truly shocked and scared me. That was a pleasant surprise. Unfortunately the climax of the film does allow for my criticism of predictable let-down, but there are enough creepy moments sprinkled throughout Annabelle that this semi-prequel to The Conjuring  is worthy of a watch sometime.
The Final Word: 3/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket.


Gone GirlWith the disappearance of his wife (Rosamund Pike) having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man (Ben Affleck) sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent. Also starring Neil Patrick Harris and Tyler Perry.

Opening Weekend: $37.5 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%

Review: Count Gone Girl as one of the many films plagued by a box-office curse; when a film makes a lot of money, like Gone Girl's hundreds of millions, it is often overlooked for the Academy Awards (this year's Best Picture nominees have actually set a record for lowest combined earnings since the category was expanded years ago). The fact that the film was not even nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay is absurd (right up there with Leo not being nominated for Best Supporting Actor in Django Unchained in 2012). It is a phenomenal screenplay from Gillian Flynn, based on his own book, that drags the audience from suspenseful conflicts to shocking surprises and back again in a way that engages from start to finish. David Fincher can over-direct at times, but seems the ideal fit for the movie, as were Affleck and Pike as the main characters (I won't call either a protagonist or antagonist, for to specify may spoil the film). Pike in particular is fantastic, fully earning her Oscar nod. Ultimately, Gone Girl is a taunt, dark tale, a bit long, but smart enough to fill its time with truly intriguing drama.
The Final Word: 4/4 - Go buy a ticket, the poster, and the DVD


October 10th

Dracula UntoldAs his kingdom is being threatened by a Turkish ruler (Dominic Cooper), young prince Vlad Tepes (Luke Evans) must become a monster feared by his own people in order to obtain the power needed to protect his family and the families of his kingdom.

Opening Weekend: $23.5 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 23%

Review: Word on Hollywood Blvd. is that Universal wants to pull a Marvel; that is, create a connected cinematic universe between all its classic horror movie franchises. I rather like the idea of creating a horror universe, filling it with the likes of Frankenstein, the Mummy, the Wolfman, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, and all the other loved monsters from movie history to create a darker, more terrifying world. Unfortunately, Dracula Untold is an awful first step for the studio. Filled with light, flashy action, the film indicates that rather than horror, this new set of films is to be closer to the Avengers than I originally thought, making classic nightmares into misunderstood superheroes. Dracula is decent enough, but for me only serves as a reminder of what might have been but went unrealized, for both the infamous vampire and his monster movie kin. So if you want a horror movie, turn back now. But if you want a superpowered action movie, I suppose Dracula can fill those desires as well any other cheap popcorn flick.
The Final Word: 2/4 - Wait to rent it.


The JudgeBig city lawyer Hank Palmer (Robert Downey Jr.) returns to his childhood home where his father (Robert Duvall), the town's judge, is suspected of murder. Hank sets out to discover the truth and, along the way, reconnects with his past. Also starring Vera Farmiga and Billy Bob Thornton.

Opening Weekend: $13.1 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 46%

Review: It may be a snobby thing to say, but The Judge is really a drama intended for mainstream audiences to get to feel like they have good taste in movies. Is it better than pop-bang blockbusters? Yep. Is is really all that great? Nope. But a lot of people will think so, because they don't usually watch indie dramas. It's an interesting film, to be sure, with a very strong effort from Robert Duvall (worthy of his Oscar nod), but the movie tries to jam-pack so many dang dramatic cliches into its 140 minute run-time that while it would serve as a great introduction to common cinematic tropes for a typical audience member, those who may watch a few more movies than average will find its comprehensiveness exhausting, just like this run-on sentence.
The Final Word: 3/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket.


St. VincentA young boy whose mother (Melissa McCarthy) has just divorced finds an unlikely friend and mentor in the misanthropic, bawdy, hedonistic war veteran (Bill Murray) who lives next door. Also starring Naomi Watts.

Opening Weekend: $7.7 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%

Review: 
The Final Word: 3/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket.



WhiplashA promising young drummer (Miles Teller) enrolls at a cutthroat music conservatory where his dreams of greatness are mentored by an instructor (J.K. Simmons) who will stop at nothing to realize a student's potential.

Opening Weekend: $135,388 (from only 6 theaters)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Review:
The Final Word: 4/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket, the poster, and DVD.



October 17th

BirdmanA washed-up actor (Michael Keaton) who once played an iconic superhero must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory. Also starring Emma StoneEdward NortonZach Galifianakis and Naomi Watts.

Opening Weekend: $2.5 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 94%

Review:
The Final Word: 4/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket, the poster, and DVD.



FuryA battle-hardened army sergeant (Brad Pitt) commands a Sherman tank and his crew (Shia LaBeoufJon BernthalMichael Peña) on a deadly mission behind enemy lines. Out-numbered, out-gunned, and with a rookie soldier (Logan Lerman) thrust into their platoon, they face overwhelming odds in their heroic attempts to strike at the heart of Nazi Germany.

Opening Weekend: $23.7 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 78%

Review:
The Final Word: 3.5/4 - Go buy a ticket.



October 31st

NightcrawlerWhen Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a driven man desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Also starring Rene Russo.

Opening Weekend: $10.4 million
Rotten Tomatoes: 95%

Review:
The Final Word: 4/4 - Go buy a matinee ticket, the poster, and DVD.

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