Happy Friday! rdquo; next week, a swell of smaller, independent, and foreign pictures are hitting theaters this weekend. in full swing, we’re happy to go along. Despite the blockbuster-less slate, there’s still plenty of mystery, horror, and gun-filled action to (temporarily) sate any action lovers’ palate. Plus a romantic comedy and a maybe-for-children-maybe-for-adults animated feature. Enjoy!
as Poe, who, after cleared of initial suspicions, is tasked with solving a series of murders fashioned after gruesome deaths from his own stories. E. T. rdquo; and Elliott, the life of the film seems inexplicably tied to the lives of these victims, and “The Raven” gets progressively deader with each murder case. A messy script, wooden performances, and bungling direction from McTeigue bring little to the table, and stakes remain low throughout since the culprit can be identified from his first walk-on. If The Joker had neon signs pointing at his head that flashed, “Villain. says, “it is, in short, by some distance the worst film we've seen in this young year. It makes us grieve sincerely for Cusack, one of our favorite stars, and for everyone who wasted their time and energy on the picture.
Statham plays a failed-cop-cum-failed-organized-crime-stiff who decides to end his life after mobsters murder his wife. But things turn around for the saddened (but still muscled! hero: his will to live is restored by a young girl who, providentially, is also his means for revenge. Two for one deal! As usual, Statham is pretty unshakeable, his victory over random goons always fairly certain. However, an engaging plot that moves forward at a good clip keeps the film from desperate predictability. helps to both deepen and advance the adventure. calls the film “a take-no-prisoners crowd-pleasing asskicker, one that invests its familiar mob war trappings with the forward momentum that can only be provided by a filmmaker smart about genre, and an attitude that makes no apologies for political correctness, MPAA determinations, or a lack of a modern sensibility.
You know what I hear people say a lot? ldquo;Let’s leave San Francisco. For the middle of nowhere. rdquo; This week, there’s a picture for all of them. rdquo; hits theaters this weekend. are happily engaged until they move from the City By The Bay to university-town Michigan in pursuit of Violet’s career. Once there, Tom’s personal and professional lives take a turn toward sucksville while his fiancée blossoms in her new locale, a refreshingly nontraditional situation that prompts expected resentment. However, likeable characters, realistic twists, and belly-laugh-inducing humor give the film appeal and heart, and it lands solidly among the more substantial comedies of the Apatowian Era. co-star as the couple’s colorful and interesting friends and family. says the film is “a genuinely affecting picture about the all-too-real complications and expectations of trying to tie the knot while negotiating careers, complex emotional baggage and family obligations.
Pirates! who also wrote the screenplay, the film centers on a pirate captain named Pirate Captain, who commands a crew of even more hilariously named swashbucklers. The captain is on a mission to win the prestigious Pirate of the Year Award: short the necessary cash but up one extinct Dodo bird, he enlists the help of Charles Darwin (yes, that Charles Darwin) to guarantee his success. Visual and verbal gags abound, providing nonstop laughs, while the very tactile stop-motion animation in 3D lends a beautiful aesthetic to the movie. provide just a few of the wacky voices in this frenzied story. deems the film “an embarrassment of visual riches, with each frame containing more jokes and sly gags than entire live action movies. These are pirates who inhabit a very specific, fantastical world, who are less interested in actual high seas villainy than appearing like they are. They're insecure, neurotic, and totally relatable.
Scandinavia: so hot right now. is the slickest kind of crime thriller. steals valuable paintings from his clients. Jaime Lannister! rdquo;! ndash; discovers Roger’s double-dealing and threatens his life. A mix of sultry, nasty, blackly comedic characters and moments create a fun, quick ride though some palpable plot holes and a largely unfocused script are problematic. says, “fans of the genre will certainly have fun across its brisk running time, but aside from a few memorable sequences -- a gruesome car crash, and a surprising attempt to dispose of a body -- it's unlikely to linger long in the memory.
rdquo; also hits theaters this weekend. a journalist who wrote the article the film is based on), relates the tale of a Texas mortician who is so loved in his community that they rally to his defense when he’s convicted of murder....
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