Tag: Movies

It’s an all-too-human failing that we’re unable to encounter new experiences without comparing them to previous ones. The Dark Knight Rises – third (and everyone says final) film in director Christopher Nolan’s Batman series – is action-packed, dark, dramatic, and consistently thrilling. It’s everything comics fans and ordinary moviegoers want in a summer blockbuster, and especially this one. Unfortunately, in the inevitable comparison with Nolan’s brilliant previous effort, The Dark Knight, this new instalment comes up short. While it’s by no means a disappointment, the feeling of something lacking nags at the back of your mind throughout.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-dark-knight-rises-movie-review/

Seth MacFarlane knows his audience. The creator of Family Guy, American Dad, and The Cleveland Show has specialized in animated TV sitcoms that push the boundaries of appropriateness while simultaneously honouring their origins in classic family comedy. With Ted, his first live-action feature film, he provides a similar experience that should please his fans. But is it enough to justify the ticket price for the same kind of thing you could watch for free at home?

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

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

However much we might approve or object, the reboot has quickly become Hollywood’s tool-of-choice for the revival of successful franchises that have lost their lustre. For the creators, it’s a handy shortcut: by re-jigging the essential elements, they don’t have to do as much heavy-lifting as they might in creating a concept from scratch. And by linking in a new backstory, they have options to explore for future films.

There are limits to this technique, however. Sam Raimi’s highly-successful Spider-Man was released only a decade ago, and then followed by a sequel that some critics called the best superhero movie ever. When Spider-Man 3 faltered and failed to meet expectations, a decision to reboot was made, and now we have The Amazing Spider-Man. But while it’s largely entertaining, the memory of the older films is still too fresh for this new version to be fully engrossing.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/the-amazing-spider-man-movie-review/

Family life can sometimes be tough, especially if your family has a public reputation to uphold. Often, it’s the kids who feel it the most, whether chafing under the demands of their parents, or being unfairly judged by the outstanding performance of their siblings. The former sums up the plot of Brave, the latter the public impression of Brave the film as it compares to the other highly successful productions of Pixar Animation Studios. It’s a great movie, but it’s in such stellar company that the shine’s been taken off it.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

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

There was a time when an Adam Sandler movie was mostly greeted with anticipation. Happy Gilmore, Big Daddy, and even The Waterboy may not exactly be classics, but they seemed fresh, and we at least got the sense that Sandler was trying his best. That’s My Boy feels like nothing more than a mindless cash grab. It’s a film you’ll have to be a diehard Sandler fan to enjoy, and even that may not be enough.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/thats-my-boy-movie-review/

By the time a film franchise reaches its third instalment, a certain problem sometimes arises. The main characters’ major weaknesses or flaws have been corrected or resolved by the previous stories, and as a result the original lineup is no longer able to drive a plot by itself. New characters appear to provide the heroes with the motivation to run off on further adventures. The larger cast then throws off the film’s focus to make room for everyone, old and new. Such is the case with Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted, but even so, much of the action is so anarchically silly that you may not mind. Certainly, the kids won’t.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/madagascar-3-europes-most-wanted-movie-review/

“This is no fairy tale,” an ad for Snow White and the Huntsman warns us, and it’s right: while the film preserves many of the same elements, it raises both the scale and the stakes of the classic story. On the whole, this makes it a worthy summer blockbuster, though it sometimes buckles under its own weight.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/snow-white-and-the-huntsman-movie-review/

It’s been ten years since the last Men in Black movie, long enough for many to ask “Why now?” However, if a third film in the series gets the elements right, and presents an enjoyable experience, then maybe we should ask “Why not?” Helpfully, Men in Black 3 does those things for the most part, even if it’s not a triumphant return to form for the franchise.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/men-in-black-3-movie-review/

Sacha Baron Cohen is nothing if not courageous. The creator of Borat and Brüno regularly treads the fine line between humour and offense, often generating both in equal measure. With The Dictator, Baron Cohen and his frequent collaborator, director Larry Charles, now aim their satire at political and religious extremism, particularly as practiced by the infamous world leaders of North Africa and the Middle East. But, while the film often walks that same fine line, it also seems curiously conventional, and lacking in edge. It’s not hard enough for rabid Baron Cohen fans, and others may be left wondering what the big deal is.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

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

There really is no other actor like Johnny Depp. In a long, eclectic career, and especially in collaboration with director Tim Burton, he has given us characters that are nearly impossible to imagine being portrayed by anyone else. This seems doubly true for Dark Shadows, though it’s a pity the rest of Burton’s movie doesn’t live up to Depp’s performance.

Read the rest of my review at Oakville.com:

http://www.oakville.com/articles/dark-shadows-movie-review/