To use a boxing term favored by commentators, “Hands of Stone” has a “big fight feel.” The ferocious energy and volatile personality of Edgar Ramirez’s Roberto Duran emits enough heat to liquefy lead. Add in the smooth and suave Sugar Ray Leonard, played by a game Usher Raymond IV, as the titan to topple and the effect is multiplied. “Hands of Stone” doesn’t break any new ground, but it operates with low mistakes to be a step above competent and solid within the sports film genre.
Read MoreThe award-winning Juliette Binoche is one of those actresses who can captivate an audience in complete silence. Binoche has long been a reflective master of inflection and nuance. She doesn’t have to say a word to convey the waterfall of thoughts an end emotions going on within her characters. She is a true artist for performance and the latest proof of that is her staggering dramatic role in “The Wait,” the directorial debut of Italian filmmaker Piero Messina.
Read More"June Bride: Redemption of a Yakuza" presents an international alternative to the Scared Straight programs that have become a fascination here in the United States. No, not this one (though enjoy a quick laugh), but prison initiatives like those chronicled in A&E's popular "Beyond Scared Straight: Success Stories. Rather than bombard subjects and audiences with fear, one man in Japan finds faith to be the greater answer.
Read MoreIf you take one look at the doctored-up theatrical poster for the independent film "Dough," you might get the impression of an absurd weed romp to come. Very quickly within John Goldschmidt's film, you will see the depth behind the film's comedic costume. For better or worse, "Dough" is a strong mentor-mentee film that just happens to have a special funny ingredient in its cooking that adds wrinkle and flavor.
Read MorePlenty of disaster movies pretend to lean on real science to justify their cinematic ambitions in order to offer belief an audience can accept and exude some form of intelligence. Too often, the manic energy to entertain exceeds the science and a two-hour turd polishing clinic results. The decent ones can touch base with the right science and blend in the theatrics. As long as you can stand subtitles and tray of cheese samples, you have a mild winner in "The Wave (Bolgen)" from Norway.
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