MOVIE REVIEW: Foxcatcher

"Foxcatcher" was a passion project for Bennett Miller that he immersed himself into for over two years since 2012. He spent the better part of 2013 and 2014 solely editing this very meticulous film. What results, in my opinion, is a flawed sculpture where the artist spent so much time whittling over the immensity of the project and its details that he lost sight what the piece represented. Without a doubt, the effort and the talent is there in front of and behind the camera, but, somewhere, this film drowned itself out and lost the core of what really mattered.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Homesman

We men can’t resist a good western. On paper, the new film opening in Chicago this week, “The Homesman,” starring and directed by Tommy Lee Jones could sell tickets to us men just by his presence alone. His gruff persona is perfect for the genre in every way. The “guy film” potential and exterior stops there at Tommy Lee Jones. “The Homesman,” adapted from the novel of the same name from notable western writer Glendon Swarthout dives deeper, darker, and fervently towards a different perspective.

MOVIE REVIEW: Tracks

In 1977, a single woman named Robyn Davidson, along with her dog and four camels, decided to trek on foot across that barren desert landscape from Alice Springs to the Indian Ocean. The route was over 1,700 miles and would be about the equivalent of walking from Omaha, Nebraska to the Pacific Ocean. In this country, that's a matter of following a few highways and crossing all sorts of populated areas. In Australia, that journey is unmarked, dangerous, isolated, and devoid of almost any human help or settlement.

ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW: Miss Julie

Two-time Academy Award-nominee Liv Ullmann brought her new film, “Miss Julie,” to serve as the opening night film of the 50th Chicago International Film Festival on Thursday, October 9th. “Miss Julie” is based on the 1888 August Strindberg play of the same name and stars two-time Oscar nominee and rising star Jessica Chastain (“Zero Dark Thirty”), Golden Globe winner Colin Farrell (“In Bruges”), and fellow two-time Oscar nominee Samantha Morton (“Minority Report”). Both Ullmann and Farrell attended the Opening Night Gala in Chicago.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Skeleton Twins

Thanks to their outstanding careers on "Saturday Night Live," Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig are completely recognized, celebrated, and even typecast as total comedic performers. We've never seen them do real drama until "The Skeleton Twins." The success of your like or dislike of the film will come from your desire to either want more comedy or not believe the drama.

REVIEW RE-RUN: The Expendables 2

HUMOROUS DISCLAIMER: I had pretty overwhelming feeling going in that The Expendables 2 was going to be a carbon copy of the first movie from 2010, only bigger, louder, busier, and very few minor differences of note. Well, I was right. While redundant enough to come across as Xerox as The Hangover Part II was to The Hangover with just a change of setting, this doesn't make The Expendables 2 any less awesome. To have a little fun and prove this point, I have copied my EXACT 2010 review of The Expendables word-for-word below (follow the link and see) and added strike-through edits and red text additions of those very minor differences. Enjoy!

MOVIE REVIEW: 22 Jump Street

Disclaimer: I pulled this trick out a few years ago in comparing “The Expendables” with “The Expendables 2” where, because of the incredibly repetitive scenarios between the original and the sequel, I literally wrote on top of the first review for the review of the second movie. After seeing “22 Jump Street,” a movie that intentionally aims to copy its first effort, I knew this was a good chance to have a little editor’s fun again. Follow the strike-throughs below for edits and the bold writing for new language inserts. Other than that, the review for the first film might as well be the review for the second film. It’s that similar.

MOVIE REVIEW: Godzilla

Amazingly, I’m happy to report that this “Godzilla,” while actually having a trainwreck in it (two in fact), is not a complete trainwreck itself. This is a legitimate summer blockbuster in scale and in quality. The promised size and scope of monster carnage that the 1998 film failed to compellingly deliver and, honestly, we never thought we would see done right on the big screen is successfully accomplished in a big way. This new film makes “Pacific Rim” look as silly as it really is, “Transformers” look downright weak and tiny, and even makes the controversial city destruction final act of “Man of Steel” look like a knocked-over sand castle or two.

MOVIE REVIEW: Neighbors

That said, the peak occupied by any R-rated comedy isn’t very high and far from snow-capped among the clouds of cinema greatness. Rarely do movies like “Neighbors” create any watershed or bedrock. In terms of peaks and heights, let’s go ahead and just call “Neighbors” your new favorite sledding hill or deluxe tree house. Besides, that’s not the “high” this film is looking for anyway, if you get my drift. The target is decidedly, and rightfully, low-brow.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Amazing Spider-Man 2

As much as this new take still feels rehashed on many levels, this sequel is the real deal as an exciting comic book adventure and spectacle. "The Amazing Spider-Man 2" is ideally suited to be the blockbuster opening act of the summer of 2014. It indeed does embody a second film that is narrowly better than the first film.

MOVIE REVIEW: Stalingrad

In one of the largest and most expensive Russian film productions ever attempted, the simply-titled "Stalingrad" makes its debut in U.S. theaters this weekend to put their personal and emphatic voice to their proud history. "Stalingrad" was Russia's entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar competition for this weekend's 86th Academy Awards. It is also the first Russian and first non-American film to be shot in IMAX 3D. Last year, the film became Russia's largest modern box office success. No matter what you think of Russia or what you know about the Battle of Stalingrad, this often impressive film can play in the big boy's pond.

ADVANCE MOVIE REVIEW: Draft Day

Rest assured, thanks to his endless versatility and charm, Costner proves again that he is a comfortable and lifting presence to any sports film, even a football one.

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

BRINGING YOU MOVIE REVIEWS AND MORE SINCE 2010

CRYPTOCASINOS

TheVore.com Streaming options

Brilliantly

Content & Links