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Over the years, the “Rip Van Winkle” concept (inspired by the central conceit of the Washington Irving 1819 short story) has been used by a number of films. The idea – a person hibernating for a number of years and waking up to a vastly ...
U.S. Release Date: 2020-08-06
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity)
Genre: Comedy/Fantasy
Director: Brandon Trost
Cast: Seth Rogen, Sarah Snook, Molly Evensen, ...
Spoilers: This review contains “non-specific” spoilers. Some readers may feel this reveals too much about the ending.For roughly two-thirds of its running length, Bad Samaritan shows potential as a nicely twisty thriller replete with Hitch...
U.S. Release Date: 2018-05-04
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Content, Brief Nudity)
Genre: Thriller
Director: Dean Devlin
Cast: Robert Sheehan, David Tennant, Kerry Condon, ...
It’s the early 1990s and Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) is already well past her sell-by date. An author specializing in biographies (she once landed on the New York Times bestseller list for one she wrote about game show panelist Dorothy Kil...
U.S. Release Date: 2018-10-26
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity)
Genre: Drama/Comedy
Director: Marielle Heller
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Richard E. Grant, Dolly Wells, ...
Crank 2: High Voltage is the freak show act at a carnival. It's so over-the-top that the phrase ceases to have meaning in this context. It's a bizarre concoction of testosterone, adrenaline, and psychedelics. It seeks not only to top its predece...
U.S. Release Date: 2009-04-17
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Nudity, Sexual Situations)
Genre: ACTION/COMEDY
Director: Neveldine & Taylor
Cast: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins Jr., ...
While watching Dear Evan Hansen, I was reminded of the 1994 film I’ll Do Anything. Originally designed as a musical (with eight songs by Prince), the decision was made in the editing room to release the Nick Nolte vehicle as a straight drama...
U.S. Release Date: 2021-09-24
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity, Suicide, Mental Illness)
Genre: Musical/Drama
Director: Stephen Chbosky
Cast: Ben Platt, Julianne Moore, Kaitlyn Dever, ...
When it comes to the pantheon of the Worst Movies Ever Made, there are only a few challengers to the title claimed by Plan Nine from Outer Space. One of those is Tommy Wiseau’s universally derided 2003 debut feature, The Room. Instead of fad...
U.S. Release Date: 2017-12-08
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Sexual Content, Nudity)
Genre: Comedy
Director: James Franco
Cast: James Franco, David Franco, Alison Brie, ...
A few random thoughts about Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance... A single viewing makes it obvious why Marvel Enterprises would move forward with the sequel to a feature whose box office performance was underwhelming. By making this film, they are r...
U.S. Release Date: 2012-02-17
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity)
Genre: ACTION/ADVENTURE
Director: Neveldine & Taylor
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Violante Placido, Ciaran Hinds, ...
It may be that, through a combination of incompetence and ego, Rob Zombie has finally brought an end to Michael Myers' 31-year killing spree. The latest chapter of the venerable slasher film saga represents the tenth movie to use the title (althou...
U.S. Release Date: 2009-08-28
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Nudity)
Genre: HORROR
Director: Rob Zombie
Cast: Scout Taylor-Compton, Tyler Mane, Malcolm McDowell, ...
Here's a film that evokes, at different times and in different ways, Joe Versus the Volcano, Brazil, and Taxi Driver. It's an effective and affecting movie about the crushing power of office servitude and the soul-sapping impact of office politics...
U.S. Release Date: 2007-11-23
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Situations, Nudity)
Genre: DRAMA
Director: Frank Capello
Cast: Christian Slater, Elisha Cuthbert, William H. Macy, ...
Four years ago, when I reviewed The Hitman’s Bodyguard, I described it as a fun throwback to the mixed-race buddy pictures of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Due in large part to the combustible chemistry between lead actors Ryan Reynolds (w...
U.S. Release Date: 2021-06-16
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity, Sexual Content)
Genre: Action/Comedy
Director: Patrick Hughes
Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, ...