CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR
4 out of 5 stars
Riveting moments w/all of our favorite superheroes, resulting in quite the colossal showdown. The Russo Bros keep all of the rowdiness in check by cutting deep into the difficult sacrifices made by a busted & bruised Avenger family. An entertaining, action-packed blockbuster done right.
GREEN ROOM
4 out of 5 stars
It’ll be tough to not look away, but do your best to endure this ruthless, unapologetic thriller that builds up from an unnerving atmosphere into a spinning wheel of brutality. Though simple, the meticulous directing & sensationally unstable performances make you incapable of forgetting this ferocious film.
MILES AHEAD
2.5 out of 5 stars
Don Cheadle’s talent & attitude electrifies on both sides of the camera in this personalized,yet at times comical, biopic of the innovative musician. With that said, there’s no solemn attempt to cognize Miles’ brilliance beyond his addictions.
MONEY MONSTER
3 out of 5 stars
Being loud & clear about the culture we embrace, Jodie Foster furiously shows us the anger of the cheated in a corrupt system.This financial thriller is quick & swift,& the acting gives it precisely what it needs: panic & honesty. If only the distress,probability & sense of urgency on screen would echo to an audience left serene & distant.
HI-RISE
1.5 out of 5 stars
An unhinged thriller that takes its time before insane parties & maddening characters explode into unmerciful violence involving social status. Tom Hiddleston is always worth taking notice of, but the effort is rigorous in this incomprehensible, jumbled mess.
THE FAMILY FANG
3.5 out of 5 stars
Jason Bateman is terrific as director & star of this sharply observing drama about the devotion of being artistic w/ the ashes of family dysfunction & damage left behind. Nicole Kidman is also greatly potent as the sister who is fed up w/ the antics of her folks. The siblings’ struggles have the most bite, situating a lasting mark w/ a smile.
A BIGGER SPLASH
4 out of 5 stars
Tilda Swinton is impeccable in this psychological drama that flourishes w/ style, sexuality, & seduction. But it’s Ralph Fiennes’ firecracker, rip-roaring performance that blasts this delicious film into beautiful chaos. You can’t help but soak it all in.
NEIGHBORS 2: Sorority Rising
3 out of 5 stars
Maybe unwarranted,but this sequel knows what you want: wild humor coming from crackpot characters. Inside this rerun plot, it serves up hilarious moments, & that’s just enough to get by.
ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS
2 out of 5 stars
Visually speaking, the imagination & inventiveness brightens this otherwise numbing sequel enormously. In a story where time is cherished, no one spent enough of it to create something narratively exciting. Wonderland’s kookiness is all dried up w/ Depp’s madness running thin.
THE MEDDLER
4 out of 5 stars
Susan Sarandon is spectacular in a sweetly enticing film about a mother’s suffocating yet unconditional love. It flows easily w/ affection & irresistible charm.
THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE
2 out of 5 stars
Anger & revenge in a kids movie?! Doesn’t matter b/c besides pretty animation,the story is dumb & pointless & barely enjoyable for any age. Based on a phone app, what did we really expect?