Movie Reviews

Starring: Various

The Oscar-Nominated Shorts 2013

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The Story: The Oscar-nominated short films — both animated and live action — presented in one package. The Lowdown: While this year's live action short films are better than the animated ones, this is an overall worthwhile group of shorts — and essential viewing for Oscar-watchers.
Starring: Maggie Smith, Tom Courtenay, Billy Connolly, Pauline Collins, Michael Gambon

Quartet

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The Story: Life at a retirement home for musicians and musical performers is disrupted by the arrival of a famous diva and the threat of the home being shut down if their annual gala isn't a big success. The Lowdown: A rather familiar story is given a first-rate treatment by an excellent cast and assured…
Starring: Loretta Young, Brian Aherne, Sidney Toler, Jeff Donnell, Donald MacBride, Lee Patrick

A Night to Remember

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In Brief: A mystery writer and his wife move into a basement apartment in Greenwich Village only to find a murder committed there on their first night in the place. A sparkling comedy mystery with two bright stars — Loretta Young and Brian Aherne — and a great supporting cast including Charlie Chan Sidney Toler…
Starring: Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julianna Margulies, Mark Margolis, Lucy Punch, Addison Timlin

Stand Up Guys

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The Story: Twenty-four hours in what may be the last day — certainly the last big day — for three elderly gangsters, one of whom has been assigned to kill another. The Lowdown: An oddly stylized little film that mostly serves as a pleasant showcase for stars Al Pacino, Christopher Walken and Alan Arkin, who…
Starring: Thomas Gibson, Ruth Marshall, Cameron Bancroft, Mia Kirshner, Joanne Vannicola, Matthew Ferguson

Love & Human Remains

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In Brief: Remarkably dense and complex dark comedy — with elements of drama, mystery and romance — involving the intertwined relationships of a gay former child star, the ex-girlfriend he lives with, the friend who feels alienated, the actor's psychic/dominatrix friend, the woman his ex is "experimenting" with and the 18-year-old busboy with a crush…
Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Stanley Tucci, Adrian Grenier, Simon Baker

The Devil Wears Prada

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In Brief: Meryl Streep (when she was still trying), Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci keep this comedy going about the ins and outs of the fashion magazine world — and in the process, they buoy up Anne Hathaway (whose role is more at fault than she). It's mostly a lot of good fun with some…
Starring: Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton, Famke Janssen, Pihla Viitala, Derek Mears

Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

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The Story: Fairy-tale stalwarts Hansel and Gretel have grown up, make a living hunting witches and are out to bring down the witches behind a series of kidnappings. The Lowdown: A disposable, superfluous fantasy/action hybrid that’s slight, goofy and occasionally fun in a hokey kind of way.
Starring: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins, Jr.

Parker

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The Story: A criminal sets out for revenge after his accomplices steal his cut of a job and leave him for dead. The Lowdown: A surprisingly amateurish, needlessly serious and egregiously overlong action flick that wastes a decent cast.
Starring: Kate Winslet, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Anna Faris, Dennis Quaid, Greg Kinnear

Movie 43

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The Story: A bunch of tasteless strung-together comedy sketches with famous people making horses' rectums of themselves. The Lowdown: This is what happens when movie stars owe favors, want to be good sports or don't think what they're doing will ever be seen. Tasteless, unfunny, tedious, infantile, boring and a strong contender for 2013's worst…
Starring: John Agar, Mara Corday, Leo G. Carroll, Nestor Paiva, Ross Elliott

Tarantula

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In Brief: Quite possibly the apex of 1950s giant-insect-fear films, Tarantula is no less preposterous than any of the films that surround it, but it manages to keep a straight face and actually seems to believe its own nonsense. Combined with reasonably sound performances, OK special effects and the good sense to keep its monster…
Starring: David Villalpando, Zaide Silvia Gutiérrez, Alicia del Lago, Ernesto Gómez Cruz

El Norte

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In Brief: A beautifully shot — with some incredible fantasy sequences — and emotionally engaging film about two refugees from Guatemala making their way to the United States and the reality of what they find as opposed to what they expect. Splendid on nearly every level, though compromised a little by melodrama that might have…
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Forest Whitaker, Eduardo Noriega, Johnny Knoxville, Luis Guzmán

The Last Stand

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The Story: With an escaped drug lord headed his way, the sheriff of a sleepy Arizona border town plans to bring him to justice. The Lowdown: An aging action star and a meandering, dunderheaded script drag down the movie’s handful of inspired action pieces.
Starring: George Bancroft, Evelyn Brent, Clive Brook, Fred Kohler, Helen Lynch

Underworld

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In Brief: The granddaddy of all gangster movies, Josef von Sternberg's silent classic Underworld holds up very nicely today despite the passage of 86 years. It's a fairly straightforward gangster yarn that's elevated to the level of art by three terrific performances, its toughness and Sternberg's nonstop visual creativity. A must-see for anyone interested in…
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper

Broken City

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The Story: A private eye is hired by the mayor of New York City to prove his wife’s infidelity. The Lowdown: A basic, none-too-surprising piece of neo-noir that works due to strong direction and a remarkable cast.
Starring: Paul Scofield, Wendy Hiller, Leo McKern, Robert Shaw, Orson Welles

A Man for All Seasons

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In Brief: A Man for All Seasons — the Oscar-festooned film from 1966 — is solid, sober filmmaking that tells the story of Thomas More, who lost his head for refusing to compromise his religious views. Impressively made and superlatively cast.
Starring: Jessica Chastain, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, Isabelle Nélisse, Daniel Kash, Javier Botet, Jane Moffat

Mama

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The Story: Two little girls raised in the wilderness by a disturbed — and disturbing — spirit are taken to live with their uncle and his girlfriend. Unfortunately, the jealous spirit goes with them. The Lowdown: Atmospheric and creepy ghost thriller with solid performances and a persuasive evil — yet sad — spirit. There are…
Starring: Ramón Gay, Rosita Arenas, Crox Alvarado, Luis Aceves Castañeda, Angelo De Steffani

The Curse of the Aztec Mummy / The Human Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy

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In Brief: It's a double dose of Mexican mummy horror — The Curse of the Aztec Mummy and The Human Robot vs. the Aztec Mummy — and the films provide just the kind of entertainment those titles suggest. I wouldn't call them good, but, boy, are they ever goofy fun — with a maniacal super…
Starring: Gérard Depardieu, Wojciech Pszoniak, Anne Alvaro, Roland Blanche, Patrice Chéreau

Danton

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In Brief: Andrej Wajda tackles the story of the last political battle between French Revolution titans Danton and Robespierre in a persuasive and involving drama about government machinations to destroy one man who has become inconvenient. Gérard Depardieu gives what is perhaps the performance of his career in this intelligent, compelling and entertaining film.
Starring: Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Sean Penn, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte

Gangster Squad

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The Story: A group of rogue L.A. cops are assembled to take down a notorious mob boss. The Lowdown: Despite a name cast, the film is betrayed by a lack of both energy and originality, and a cloying desire to be taken seriously despite a pretty lame script.
Starring: Marlon Wayans, Essence Atkins, David Koechner, Nick Swardson, Andrew Daly

A Haunted House

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The Story: A spoof of found-footage horror films, in which a couple moves into a new house and are haunted by a demon. The Lowdown: A dumb movie making fun of dumb movies with all the weed and fart jokes you could imagine.
Starring: Alicia Vikander, Mads Mikkelsen, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard, Trine Dyrholm

A Royal Affair

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The Story: Fact-based drama about King Christian VII of Denmark, his marriage to England’s Princess Caroline and both of their relationships with a German doctor who becomes Christian’s advisor. The Lowdown: A fascinating — and relevant story — housed in a beautifully crafted film blessed with three powerful performances. A must-see that fully deserves its…