The Divergent Series: Insurgent movie review: being human
Sneakily undercuts tropes of the young-adult hero’s journey. But in a more adventurous movie environment, this wouldn’t feel this fresh as it does.
2015 theatrical releases
Suite Française movie review: enemy mine to love
An immediate and intimate tale of forbidden romance and other complex emotions and contradictory obligations. This ain’t history but a very human now.
X+Y (aka A Brilliant Young Mind) movie review: emotional equations
An honest, heartfelt film, full of lovely performances, yet one that ends up rather unexpectedly conventional.
Run All Night movie review: bloody bromance breakup
Too long and too same-old, and even Liam Neeson’s effortless tough-guy charm can only carry this familiar-feeling film so far.
October Gale movie review: islands in the scream
It’s not very suspenseful or romantic, but the always awesome Patricia Clarkson remains calm and kicks some ass, so that’s something.
Cinderella movie review: fifty shades of ash
A product of the Disney princess machine. Its highest ambition is to move a new line of toys. Or to evoke despair in the fairy-tale-ization of girls’ lives.
Dreamcatcher documentary review: how to get off the streets
An extraordinarily personal story about prostitution, one with a gentle but undeniable humanist force for hopeful understanding.
Unfinished Business movie review: business trip-up
Apparently made by snickering 12-year-olds who like naked boobies and have heard rumors about the phenomenon known as “the business trip.”
Chappie movie review: robot icks
A morally muddled mess that is convoluted in plot and appallingly simplistic in its themes. I am a sad geek today.
Project Almanac movie review: temporal d’oh!
There are things in which horny teenaged boys were not meant to meddle. Like we needed the warning.
