Movie Reviews

The Story: In the final days of his life, Edgar Allan Poe is called in to help solve a series of murders based on his stories. The Lowdown: Glossy, slick, utterly absurd thriller that pits Edgar Allan Poe against a serial killer. It's entertaining on its own merits -- well, mostly -- but definitely not…

In Brief: A solidly produced, (mostly) impressively cast and very long historical drama in the Masterpiece Theatre mold about the nine-day rule of England by the ill-starred Lady Jane Grey -- with a very thick coating of balderdash romance to make it more palatable. It will appeal to those who like this sort of thing…

In Brief: More or less true -- but more true in spirit than fact -- this is the story of bargain-basement, cross-dressing filmmaker Edward D. Wood, Jr. (Johnny Depp), centering on his strange relationship with down-on-his-luck horror icon Bela Lugosi (Martin Landau). A quirky, warm and loving tribute to one of cinema's most original characters.…

In Brief: A very peculiar -- and fact-based -- comedy-drama about Swedish researchers conducting experiements on how to design the most efficient kitchen for Norwegian bachelors (they've already done this for Swedish housewives) by observing, but (theoretically) not interacting with their subjects. Yes, it's as screwy as it sounds. It's also pretty engaging.

The Story: A group of chimpanzees -- particularly a young chimp named Oscar -- fight for survival in the forests of Africa. The Lowdown: Too simplistic to be truly educational, and often too scatterbrained to feel like actual filmmaking.

In Brief: Enjoyable, if unexceptional, star-studded comedy thriller of a type we don't see anymore. Essentially, it's a slightly silly romantic comedy with George Segal and Jacqueline Bisset as a divorced couple -- both working in very different capacities in the world of food -- who become involved in the self-descriptive mystery of the title.…

In Brief: A double dose of Bela Lugosi from his classic years at Universal. First in Robert Florey's Murders in the Rue Morgue (1932), and then in Louis Friedlander's The Raven (1935) -- the latter also boasts Boris Karloff in its cast, but it's really Lugosi's show. They may not be Lugosi's absolute best films,…

The Story: After finding a photo of an unknown woman while serving in Iraq, a Marine tracks her down in her Louisiana hometown and quickly becomes ingratiated into her life. The Lowdown: A schmaltzy, melodramatic and standard Nicholas Sparks’ film. Exactly what you'd expect from this subgenre.

The Story: A young boy, abandoned by his father, is taken in -- at least on weekends -- by a beauty shop owner who tries to break through his reserve. The Lowdown: Immaculately crafted and beautiful small-scale drama that manages to scale emotional heights without undue manipulations. See this film!

The Story: Memoir-based film about the relationship between a son and his troubled father. The Lowdown: A remarkably well-made film with splendid performances from both Robert De Niro and Paul Dano. Moving without being sentimental, gritty without being grungy, and with no end of filmmaking style.

In Brief: Over the years, Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) has come to be regarded in many quarters as Woody Allen's best movie. Is it? Maybe. Maybe not. One thing is certain, it's one of his most finely tuned ensemble pieces, with every character having a feeling of reality to them. It's rich, warm in…

The Story: Steve Harvey's book is turned into a standard rom-com about what happens when a group of women apply the lessons outlined in his book to their own lives. The Lowdown: Slow-moving, tedious, overstuffed rom-com with a solid cast who are lost at sea in a bad premise with a worse screenplay.

The Story: A phone call mistakenly notifies the wrong candidate that he's won the prestigious Israel Prize, plunging the world of Talmudic scholarship into a dilemma. The Lowdown: A brilliantly made, but exceedingly bitter film that does a fine job of skewering academia, but isn't going to be to every taste.

In Brief: Paul Morrissey's famous X-rated take on the Frankenstein story (better known as Andy Warhol's Frankenstein) is of the bathful-of-blood-and-a-bucket-of-entrails school of deliberately schlock horror -- with occasional time-outs for sex. The aim is more laughs than chills, though it may be too gruesome for the timid. It's all about a misguided mad scientist…

In Brief: The once highly acclaimed, now sadly forgotten actor George Arliss stars as a multimillionaire financial wizard who returns home after a year straightening out U.S. interests in Europe to find his family so involved in their own pursuits that they scarcely have time for him. Taking a tip from his butler, he decides…

The Story: Faith-based movie about a young man's trip into the broader "real world" when events cause him to lose his faith in his church. The Lowdown: Flawed, but generally likable little movie that's several notches above the usual faith-based fare.

The Story: A former CIA operative who’s been framed for the murder of his best friend is sent to a maximum-security prison in outer space to save the president’s kidnapped daughter. The Lowdown: Wholly derivative action/sci-fi film that is dumb fun, but could really stand to be a bit dumber and revel in its own…

The Story: Three imposter Stooges go out into the world in an attempt to save their orphanage from foreclosure. The Lowdown: It may have the mechanics of the Three Stooges down, but this attempt to bring the Stooges back to the movies is utterly devoid of the charm and feel of the real thing.

The Story: A documentary about the life story of Jamaican music icon Bob Marley. The Lowdown: Surprisingly involving documentary on Marley's life, presenting his story through archival footage, the memories of his friends, family and associates -- and, of course, through his music.

The Story: Fact-based story of the Polish plumber/sewer worker who helped a group of Jews hide in the sewers of Lvov, Poland, during the Nazi occupation of WWII. The Lowdown: A grim, often powerful Holocaust drama that perhaps works best as the story of the spiritual growth of the man who saved a group of…

The Story: A group of 20-somethings -- obviously under the watchful eye of a roomful of technicians -- go on one of those invariably ill-fated weekends in the woods. The Lowdown: It's reasonably entertaining and kind of clever, but The Cabin in the Woods far from the amazingly brilliant take on the horror film it's…