Homefront review: ridiculous yet predictable yet kinda fun
Jason Statham teams up with another badass little girl… which makes him almost warm and charming as he kicks the crap out of villains.
action
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire review: reluctant heroine
A devastating indictment of pop culture as propaganda — about its power and the limits of its powers — and an upending of the typical teen-girl romance movie.
Gravity movie review: nowhere to go but down (London Film Festival)
Stunningly accomplished space survival adventure: heartstopping and heartbreaking; the best film of 2013. Just don’t call it science fiction.
Chasing Mavericks review
This gentle father-son(ish) tale about an expert surfer and his teen apprentice is a rare “family” movie that isn’t preachy or insipid.
Thor: The Dark World review: Viking with a chance of wormholes
Think heavy-metal Lord of the Rings. With wormholes. It’s completely mad and kind of awesome.
Ender’s Game review: big ideas, small heart
My soul was never stirred. My spirit did not soar. My intellect did twitch a bit in ways that made my heart ache disagreeably, however.
1 (aka 1: Life on the Limit) review (London Film Festival)
Action packed, with tons of amazing archival footage, but if you don’t already have an interest in Formula 1, it’s unlikely you’ll find one here.
Escape Plan review: old-fogey action
Nothing here is as clever as it is desperately trying to be, but Stallone and Schwarzenegger are game to give us a good time.
Machete Kills review: justice is bloody (hilarious)
Forget about the socially conscious core that fueled the exploitation engine of the first film. This one is flat-out, no-message action comedy, outrageous and hilarious.
Mystery Road movie review (London Film Festival)
Touched by dry humor and elegant action, this is a marvelous blend of classic detective noir and modern Outback Western.
