The Magnificent Seven movie review: a dusty, dry husk of a movie
Humorless, rote, clichéd, and entirely unsurprising. Antoine Fuqua attempts to recapture old Hollywood magic — and fails — rather than create his own.
historical
#LFF2016: A Date for Mad Mary, Chasing Asylum, The Dreamed Ones
Quick takes from the 60th London Film Festival, with public screenings from October 5th-16th, 2016.
Finding Altamira movie review: family at the intersection of science and art
Couched in a tale of scientific discovery is a lovely portrait of a father-daughter relationship grounded in intellect and curiosity, a rare thing onscreen.
Anthropoid movie review: human-shaped but lacking in human substance
Familiar-feeling tale of a real-life plot to kill a high-ranking Nazi in 1942 Prague manages some suspense thrills but mostly misses the emotional ones.
Kubo and the Two Strings movie review: quest for family
Magic, music, and monsters come together to create a marvelous fairy tale that’s scary, sweet, and full of tough emotions that kids’ movies often avoid.
Ben-Hur movie review: it’s fine, everything is fine
It’s not great. It’s not terrible. It is bland manufactured entertainment product. It’s fine. Hollywood is not creatively bankrupt. Everything is fine.
Robinson Crusoe (aka The Wild Life) movie review: castaway… you know, for kids!
A bland electronic babysitter, suitable only for small children still distracted by bright colors, slapstick cartoon animals, and simplistic wordplay.
cult classic film virgin: Sid & Nancy
Riveting and repulsive, with a claustrophobic perspective that mirrors its subjects: all id, all in the moment. But it’s also shallow, all on the surface.
Floyd Norman: An Animated Life documentary review: meet the “wise old man” of Disney
He’s a charming character, a fascinating player in cinema history. Absolutely essential viewing for Disney fans and those interested in animated filmmaking.
The Childhood of a Leader movie review: the history of the world, part Europe
Cinematic wankery at its most puerile. Two hours of the sun setting revealing that this is why it gets dark at night would not have been more pointless.
