Tag Archives: 2016

All Movie Reviews, Comedy, Indie Films, Love It

Swiss Army Man (2016) Movie Review

July 7, 2016 Alex Brannan

Swiss Army Man begins with Hank (Paul Dano) about to hang himself, a corpse washing upon shore, and lots and lots of farting. The movie is, in short, a story of friendship between a stranded man and a corpse. This corpse, named Manny (Daniel Radcliffe), has special bodily abilities that have the capacity to help Hank find civilization again.

The film initially holds a tone, and some early shots, that are reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s more subdued works. It is quirky, endearing, and strangely blunt. However, as the film progresses it becomes apparent that this is a film with an authorial stamp of its own.

Radcliffe is fascinating as the deadpan human tool. Manny’s lack of worldview makes up much of what Continue reading Swiss Army Man (2016) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Animation, Leave it, Quickie Reviews (<400 Words)

The Secret Life of Pets (2016) Movie Review

July 5, 2016 Alex Brannan

In The Secret Life of Pets, scrappy dog Max (Louis C.K.) finds his home dynamic thrown off kilter when his owner brings home a new dog, Duke (Eric Stonestreet). As a result of their differences, Max and Duke both find themselves taken hostage by animal control, sprung free by vengeance-seeking stray animals, and in a race through New York City to get back home.

The voice acting in the film is fairly strong across the board. Jenny Slate and Kevin Hart are perfectly cast into their roles and steal the show on the charisma front, although Hart Continue reading The Secret Life of Pets (2016) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Animation, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Love It, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

The BFG (2016) Movie Review

July 3, 2016 Alex Brannan

In The BFG, a young girl named Sophie (Ruby Barnhill) is whisked away from her prison-like orphanage in the middle of the night by a giant (Mark Rylance). A Big Friendly Giant (an admittedly redundant name). The BFG takes Sophie to Giant Country, where he must hide her away from the other giants who aim to eat her.

The production design is the first noticeable facet of the film. The juxtaposition of set design between the luminous city streets and the wooded jungle abode of the BFG is clear, but one is not favored stylistically over the other. Both contain distinct Continue reading The BFG (2016) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Horror, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Purge: Election Year (2016) Movie Review

July 1, 2016 Alex Brannan

In the United States, a bitter political battleground is underway over the continuation of the Purge, an annual event in which all crime, including murder, is legal for a 12 hour period.

One former Purge survivor, Senator Charlie Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), has dedicated her life and career to ending the Purge and is at the precipice of taking the presidency. Certain government officials who benefit financially from the Purge, however, are making it a priority to shut the senator up. Permanently.

To be fair, this is the most Continue reading The Purge: Election Year (2016) Movie Review →

All Movie Reviews, Drama, Leave it

Free State of Jones (2016) Movie Review

June 30, 2016 Alex Brannan

In 1862 during the height of the American Civil War, Newton Knight (Matthew McConaughey) is a Confederate medical runner on the Mississippi frontlines. When his nephew dies in battle, Knight decides to get out and give the kid a proper burial at home. Doing this, however, paints Knight as a deserter, and he is pursued accordingly by the army.

The film is stylistically Continue reading Free State of Jones (2016) Movie Review →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Movie Review

June 30, 2016 Alex Brannan

In The Legend of Tarzan, Jane (Margot Robbie) and John Clayton (Alexander Skarsgard), aka Tarzan, return to the jungle years after Tarzan has acclimated to high class civilized life. The story of their relationship is told in flashbacks, where Tarzan is seen as a boy raised by apes and Jane as the daughter of an American teacher.

These flashbacks are shot with little care. Motion is blurred. Camera angles are distorted and displeasing to the eye. The color palette is drab and cold.

When slave traders led by Leon Rom (Christoph Waltz) steal Jane away, Tarzan ventures to save her. The narrative is simple, and thus not the crux of entertainment value to be found in this film. What the film is meant to provide instead is Continue reading The Legend of Tarzan (2016) Movie Review →

Lists

Best Movies of 2016 (So Far)

June 29, 2016 Alex Brannan

We’ve reached the midpoint of the calendar year. A lot of movies have been released. Some surprisingly good. Others leaving a bad taste in everybody’s mouths. Here’s a list of some of the best movies of the year as of June 21, organized by release date.

Deadpool

Deadpool was a film that could have went poorly. Instead, it became one of the bigger surprises at the theater this year. Many were quick to note that Continue reading Best Movies of 2016 (So Far) →

All Movie Reviews, Horror, Long Reviews (>400 Words), Love It

The Neon Demon (2016) Movie Review

June 25, 2016 Alex Brannan

The first image we see in The Neon Demon, following a glittery opening credits sequence featuring trance synths, is a shot of Jesse (Elle Fanning) lying on a couch, her throat slit and blood draining down her limp arm. It is a photoshoot, captured by a leery-eyed Dean (Karl Glusman).

Jesse is trying to break out in the modeling business, moving to Los Angeles on a whim and being whisked away into an indulgent world of Continue reading The Neon Demon (2016) Movie Review →

Box Office Predictions

Weekend Box Office Predictions: 6/24 – 6/26

June 24, 2016 Alex Brannan

This weekend has a slew of new movies being released. Independence Day: Resurgence is looking to be a box office smash as its predecessor once was, although the numbers will likely be far less stellar. The Blake Lively thriller The Shallows, too, is looking for a piece of the pie by also providing a throwback to a box office behemoth of old, Jaws.

Free State of Jones and The Neon Demon also have releases. The former is hoping for Continue reading Weekend Box Office Predictions: 6/24 – 6/26 →

Action/Thriller, All Movie Reviews, Leave it, Long Reviews (>400 Words)

The Shallows (2016) Movie Review

June 23, 2016 Alex Brannan

On a Latin American beach, a young boy finds a helmet with a waterproof camera attached to it that depicts the brutal death of a surfer at the hands of a shark.

We then cut to an unnaturally high key-lit, lens flare-heavy jungle road in which Nancy (Blake Lively) is being driven to a beach, only to find that her surfing buddy has flaked on her. She decides to go out to sea on her own, though, given the sentimental value of the beach that she doesn’t know the name of.

This scene is shot like a dream sequence, but unintentionally. Lens flares and distortion caused by the angle of the camera on the car causes Continue reading The Shallows (2016) Movie Review →

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