Category: Review

Children are amazing. Not yet jaded by the world, they accept ideas more readily than adults, including the possibility that science can reanimate the corpse of a beloved family pet. Director Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie celebrates and plays on that acceptance in a humorous family-friendly tale about mad science gone wrong. Jaded parents might feel the subject matter is a little odd, but shouldn’t steer kids clear on that basis. They’ll enjoy it, and chances are you will too.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/frankenweenie-movie-review/

Time travel stories are hard. You have to have enough cause-and-effect philosophy and convolution to play to the sci-fi crowd, but not so much that it ruins the story for people who get headaches easily. Inevitably, this balance opens up questionable holes in the plot. But while Looper requires a hefty suspension of disbelief to get through, it tells a solid story with unexpected twists that draw you in.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/looper-movie-review/

The general public has a complex relationship with the police. We give them training and weapons to defend the innocent and protect their own safety, and then get upset when they use them. We rely on them to uphold law and order, and then get angry when they pull us over for speeding. We need them to be warriors, but want them to be part social worker, part referee.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/end-of-watch-movie-review/

In revenue terms, The Walt Disney Company is the biggest media conglomerate in the world. Most people will tell you that’s because it consistently develops quality entertainment products of wide appeal to children and families. The cynical among us will say it’s because The Mouse never stops looking for ways to stick his hand in your pockets. Indeed, the theatrical re-release of Pixar’s Finding Nemo, a wonderful film that nevertheless premiered less than 10 years ago, gives both groups ammunition.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/finding-nemo-3d-movie-review/

The tortured artist, plying his craft, is a cliché in our culture. In reality, artists struggle with their work no less than athletes struggle with their game, or businessmen struggle with the bottom line, or parents struggle with raising kids. Yet somehow, the creation of art is viewed as a uniquely mystical process, unfathomable to outsiders, and sometimes even to other artists. The Words plays heavily into this notion, and might have risen above the cliché thanks to some great performances, but ironically, it’s undone by poor writing.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-words-movie-review/

It may or may not be true that crime doesn’t pay, but in the movies it’s at least interesting. Lawless tells a good enough story, with good enough performances, to help you overlook its occasional flaws.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/lawless-movie-review/

Nobody needs a movie to tell them that bicycle couriers are crazy, but they’re certainly interesting enough characters to build one around. Premium Rush is the result, a smaller-scale chase film that definitely has a lot of rush, though it isn’t quite a premium experience.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/premium-rush-movie-review/

Many people are creeped-out by stop-motion animation, which is probably why it has been so effective in light-hearted spookfests like The Nightmare Before Christmas, Corpse Bride, and Coraline. Add to this list ParaNorman, a dark but lovable film that turns comedy horror into fun for (almost) the whole family.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/paranorman-movie-review/

It’s surely no coincidence that The Campaign appears just three months before the real elections in the United States. Just like the usual arc of a real political campaign, however, the movie generates a lot of excitement in the early going, but ends up limping to the finish.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-campaign-movie-review/