Movie Reviews

Lincoln

A saintly man makes an uninteresting subject

In 1865, President Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis: Nine) had just been elected to his second term. He enjoyed a wide popularity in spite of the Civil War, which slaughtered American citizens and deeply divided the country.

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– by Diana Beechener – 11/22/12

Skyfall

Nobody does it betterSkyfall

Fifty years after James Bond ordered his first vodka martini — shaken not stirred — he has become a cultural icon and a bit of a Cold War relic. Donning an impeccable tux, swilling a few drinks, driving too fast in an Aston Martin and having casual sex with every scantily clad woman who catches his eye makes Bond a bit of a dinosaur. The actors may have changed, but the smarmy swinging-sixties vibe has remained.

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– by Diana Beechener – 11/15/12

Flight

You’ll need an airsick baggie for this one

When SouthJet Airlines flight 227 falls from the sky, some miraculous maneuvers from the captain save most of the passengers from death. Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington: Safe House) is thrust into the spotlight as the media clamors to learn more about the hero.

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– by Diana Beechener – 11/8/12

Cloud Atlas

You can make Hugh Grant old, but you can’t make him Asian

A butterfly flaps its wings in 1849 and starts a revolution in a futuristic Korea. Seven stories traverse time and space, interweaving in an overly simplified metaphor for reincarnation. Such is Cloud Atlas, a bloated, visually stunning, poorly acted and frustrating exercise in filmmaking. The film follows a core group of characters through several lives. The choices they make in each current life affect their next life. They are also bound to meet certain individuals over and over again.

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– by Diana Beechener – 11/1/12

Paranormal Activity 4

The scariest part of this movie is its lack of creativity

Five years ago, Katie Featherston killed her boyfriend, sister and sister’s family, sparing only her infant nephew Hunter. Katie and Hunter’s whereabouts are still unknown. Since the murders were all caught on tape, you’d think there would be an active investigation, at least a manhunt and a lot of news coverage aimed at finding the woman who brutally murdered three people and absconded with an innocent child.

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– by Diana Beechener – 10/25/12

Argo

A story so crazy it has to be true

A mob is terrifying: throngs of people massing together to chant, brandish firearms and burn effigies, promising violence at every turn. In 1979 Iran, these mobs are becoming a daily occurrence outside the U.S. embassy. Though the danger is palpable, the workers have their orders and try to ignore the daily threats.

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– by Diana Beechener – 10/18/12

Frankenweenie

Not even death can stand up to the power of love and a few thousand volts

Young science prodigy Victor Frankenstein (Charlie Tahan: Blue Bloods) has one friend in the world: his faithful pup Sparky. They spend their days together making movies, hanging out in Victor’s attic workshop and playing ball in the yard.

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– by Diana Beechener – 10/11/12

Looper

If you could do it all over again ... would you still try to shoot yourself?

In the year 2072, it’s almost impossible to get rid of a body. Fortunately, time travel has been invented. It’s outlawed, but that doesn’t stop the mob from using it to clean up their kills. Instead of outfitting a victim in cement shoes, they chuck the poor mook into a time machine. Thirty years in the past, a Looper waits in a Kansas field with a blunderbuss and a tarp, ready to shoot, wrap and incinerate whoever shows up.

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– by Diana Beechener – 10/4/12

Dredd 3D

In the future, you won’t have to worry about jury duty

In a post-apocalyptic future, most of the East Coast has morphed into Mega City One, which boasts a dirty, radioactive and heavily armed population. The only thing standing between the city and chaos are the judges. This law enforcement group is entrusted to respond to crimes, sentence and, if necessary, execute criminals on the spot. After seeing this movie, you’ll never argue with a cop again.

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– by – 9/27/12

For a Good Time, Call …

Don’t pick up the line unless you’re ready for a raunchy ear-full

Lauren Powell (Lauren Miller, who also co-wrote the screenplay) is living her New York dream: A perfect apartment, a closet full of cute yet conservative clothes, a career in publishing and a dreamy boyfriend.

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– by Diana Beechener – 9/20/12