MOVIE REVIEW: Little Men

Celebrated director Ira Sachs channels a shade of William Shakespeare with his latest film "Little Men." An often-repeated quote from Shakespeare's "The Merchant of Venice" reads "the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children." Sachs puts a beautiful spin on that notion using modern-day Brooklyn, two struggling families from different backgrounds, and a blossoming friendship characterized by two terrific debuting teen actors. "Little Men" may be small in scope, but it speaks volumes in repercussions.

MOVIE REVIEW: Jason Bourne

Here’s one word this writer never thought he would use to describe a Paul Greengrass-directed Jason Bourne film starring Matt Damon: FORMULAIC. After a tremendously successful trilogy (and not-so-successful spin-off) that had the right ending nine years ago, Greengrass and Damon were coaxed back into another cat-and-mouse spy game. Its rote construction and stakes that always feel like an arm-length away from stronger impact, “Jason Bourne” may be questionable enough to make us wonder if we’ve been seeing the same film four times now.

MOVIE REVIEW: Star Trek Beyond

The toothpaste is out of the tube, so to speak, for this current “Star Trek” franchise stewarded by J.J. Abrams. Seven years into a reboot of erasure, there’s no going back. This new cast and new timeline is here to stay. If the die-hards haven’t dealt with it by now, they likely never will. Those who arrived in 2009 with wide eyes and a fresh heart have not been disappointed. “Star Trek Beyond” pushes a stellar and steady progression of shiny and modern blockbuster filmmaking with the right salutes to beloved nostalgia that warm from within.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Other Half

For better or worse, Nickie and Emily, the two lovers orbiting at the center of "The Other Half," are two volatile human chemicals. Welshman Tom Cullen's Nickie is a sorrowful, combative man with a hair-trigger temper. Tatiana Maslany's Emily is a bipolar sprite with an astounding gap between her highs and her lows. By themselves, each are unstable and damaged. The question for the film becomes what happens when Nickie and Emily are combined. Does their pairing tame their respective caustic qualities or does it multiply the damage? "The Other Half" has the makings of a fascinating relationship piece and off-kilter love story.

DOCUMENTARY REVIEW: Life, Animated

This website has been moralizing for six years now its central message that "every movie has a lesson." As an educator, it is something that I firmly believe and stand by with every possible film, good or bad. I don't think, in all of my years of movie-going, I have ever seen a more real, living and breathing example of the power and magic of my website's theme than in the compelling and emotional new documentary "Life, Animated." A story like this is why I write. If that message speaks to you, go find "Life, Animated" immediately.

MOVIE REVIEW: Hunt for the Wilderpeople

Cinema aficionados will quickly point fingers towards a few familiar comparisons for director Taika Waititi's New Zealand-based festival favorite, "Hunt for the Wilderpeople." The trouble is they will be shoehorning the film into an unshapely and narrow box where many containers are needed. "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" is rich and broad film with a charm and a sprawling ambition that will ping more that a few of your favorite film sensibilities. Broken into ten cheeky episodic chapters and boasting beautiful natural beauty shot by cinematographer Lachlan Milne, you will find a fun experience that may feel familiar, yet is wholly unique.

MOVIE REVIEW: The Secret Life of Pets

What keeps “The Secret Life of Pets” entertaining is the redeeming measure of charisma. Nothing is ever to a "Pixar Punch" level, yet the ever-present plucky pizzazz washes down the occasional preposterous stupidity with the right cooling chaser. You could do far worse for family summer fun at the theater. Now go home and hug that adorable pooch you left home from the movie theater. He or she has been waiting for you.

MOVIE REVIEW: The BFG

Faithful and imaginative as “The BFG” may be, the proceedings lack contagious inspiration that should come from a film of this intended caliber. Other than “whizpopper” humor, the slivers of cuteness present are ineffectual and the intended themes on dreams are lost in yawns. The silliness misses any chance at meaning. The film is too ridiculous to be approachable and too bizarre to be endearing. Meet Steven Spielberg's worst film.

MOVIE REVIEW: The American Side

There's room for film noir that can inhabit real places and plausible people while still having all the necessary ingredients to make them as cool as the genre demands. With a deep homage to noir coupled with a big dose of 1970's-esque conspiracy thrillers, director Jenna Ricker, in her second feature film, presents "The American Side" starring her Greg Stuhr and a notable ensemble cast. Using upstate New York, Ricker has created a living and breathing seedy side out a wholesome American city and tourist destination. As a film, "The American Side" is satisfying and a constantly engaging throwback detective story that surpasses its glitzy and more expensive Hollywood peer "The Nice Guys."

MOVIE REVIEW: Finding Dory

Unless the title begins with "Toy Story," Disney/Pixar has not had very good luck with effective sequels. "Cars 2" aimed too high for a bigger international stage and "Monsters University" failed as a bonding origin story prequel. Thirteen years after the original, "Finding Dory" changes that weak trend with a winning flourish. Teeming with plenty of vibrant energy and anchored by Pixar's signature punch of finely tuned emotional storytelling, this sequel will delight audiences young and old and earns its mature place as a companion piece to the classic "Finding Nemo."

MOVIE REVIEW: X-Men: Apocalypse

After two movies of turn-back-the-clock course correction, it is fair to rank the "X-Men" series right next to "The Fast and Furious" as a film franchise that was derailed, left for dead, and since rescued with a filmmaking resurgence. "X-Men: First Class" introduced new youthful vigor and was followed by the return of original franchise steward Bryan Singer for the slate-wiping "X-Men: Days of Future Past." The latter film grossed more than double any of its franchise predecessors and enabled the series to pass the torch from the seniors to the juniors. Flush with success, good graces, and a new lease on life, "X-Men: Apocalypse" arrives with the goal to top everything that's been done in 20th Century Fox's offshoot shingle of a Marvel universe.

VIDEO: Post-film reactions to "X-Men: Apocalypse"

I attended a press-only screening of "X-Men: Apocalypse" on May 9. I was able to participate in another quick post-film panel with my fellow members and directors of the CIFCC. Allow me to continue to introduce my "Every Movie Has a Lesson" followers to Pamela Powell of Reel Honest Reviews, Jim Alexander of The Movie Blog, Jon Espino of The Young Folks, and Emmanuel Noisette of Eman's Movie Reviews. Enjoy our rants and raves!

EVERY MOVIE HAS A LESSON

by Don Shanahan

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