Thor: The Dark World, the next chapter in the God of Thunder's journey, is Marvel's "spaciest" movie yet, diving in and out of several worlds and exotic settings. In going full fantasy, Thor: The Dark World has plenty to entertain the masses, but loses a little of the coherence we enjoyed from other better Marvel films.
Read MoreKeanu Reeves has two features this second half of 2013. The headliner is 47 Ronin, a samurai spectacle slotted to join the blockbusters on Christmas Day with a wide release. The other is the smaller-scale Man of Tai Chi, which premiered at screenings in competition at the Beijing, Cannes, and Toronto Film Festivals. The film is Keanu's directorial debut is now playing in limited release here in the United States (including three locations here in the Chicagoland area) concurrently with Video On Demand offerings on several platforms.
Read MoreBLIND SPOT REVIEW #5: The Road
Going back and seeing the movies I should have seen or always wanted to see, but missed.
Read MoreStrong work equals strong results, which is the catalyst to examine Ender's Game, the latest 2013 science fiction blockbuster-to-be. Ender's Game is based on one of the more illustrious pieces of science fiction written in the last half century. Originating as a 1977 short story, author Orson Scott Card's 1985 Cold War-era and Hugo Award-winning military science fiction novel has long been a required reading staple of high school literature classes, college courses, and even our own U.S. Marine Corps.
Read MoreCommanding the screen without his smile and very few words, Redford gives an acting clinic on screen presence in this exhilarating and striking survival drama. The 77-year-old Academy Award winner is the only character in the film and plays a nameless yachtsman at sea in the Indian Ocean. With no cuddly back story and only a single voiceover of a written letter, Redford is alone in this environment.
Read MoreLabor Day can't fit any usual description. The best I can manage is calling it a combination of Bonnie and Clyde and The Bridges of Madison County. How's that for bucking norms?
Read MoreAugust: Osage County brings an outstanding story peppered with howling laughs and poignant family drama that blend tremendously better than expected. The film is fantastically acted to make this popular story very absorbing. This film is tailor-made as a holiday hit-to-be upon its upcoming Christmas weekend release and a sure-fire Oscar contender in many categories come next year. It is undoubtedly one of the best films of 2013 and will be among this website's "10 Best" of the year.
Read More12 Years a Slave, thanks to performances as dedicated as its storytelling mission, is, without a doubt, one of the finest films of 2013. It is an unforgettable movie experience.
Read MoreEnough Said is a smart and mature romantic comedy for the over-40 crowd that's a breath of fresh air when compared to younger and dumber entries in the genre. It packs a thoughtful punch of realism that elevates it from the calculated Hollywood whimsy we're use to seeing from the usual Nora Ephron or Nancy Meyers territory that serves this age range. Enough Said is a very nice date movie for a fall season and calendar year drastically under-serviced in that department.
Read MoreGravity is the best science fiction film from this year’s generous slate of original work in the genre. It’s an entirely worthwhile big screen experience that every single man, woman, and PG-13 eligible child should see for themselves. It’s a special experience. That raises the bar entirely to a whole new level of hype. One that it confidently answers and clears.
Read MoreTechnically sound in every way and employing today's quality of visual effects, Rush chisels its own place on that Mount Rushmore of racing films as an instant classic.
Read MoreWith romance in its cross-hairs and obsession at its fingertips, the end result of Don Jon is a challenging and worthy playing field that addresses just how wide that gap is between romance and obsession.
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