52nd Chicago International Film Festival U.S. Indies entry and presentation
“Middle Man” blends an acidic edge with showy panache that bleeds from every character, large and small. Credit the devious fun of Crowley for the snappy dialogue that pops from each character. The comedy is clever instead of coarse while maintaining its darkness. Nearly every speaking part of this colorful cast of funhouse mirrors nails a zinger or two that fits right into that line of taste.
Read MoreBy employing all of the bells and whistles of today's digital effects and key frame animation, director Jon Favreau's live-action reimagining of Walt Disney's adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Book" sets its own stage very quickly to put adventure and peril first and foremost. The groovy and memorable song-and-dance numbers from the original's 1967 soundtrack are forever revered as the leading component of the traditional animated classic's charm. Those episodes of music have been trimmed from six songs to about two-and-a-half. Ferocity steps ahead of frolic and you might ask yourself how you feel about that when you watch "The Jungle Book."
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