May 2014 Movie Ratings

May was a month unlike any other. My family and I are in the process of remodeling a new home. I moved my TV to the new house at the beginning of the month anticipating that we'd be moving in shortly. Unfortunately, the process has been prolonged by a variety of factors. As a result, it was a very barren month for movie watching.

The lone film that I saw in May was the theatrical release of Godzilla. It wasn't great, simply seeing a film in IMAX 3-D helped satisfy my movie craving.

Godzilla (2014) Score: 27.5 - 6.5, Grade C+

April 2014 Movie Ratings

April started off terribly with stinkers like The Silver Chalice, I'm Not There and Anchorman 2. Thankfully, it rebounded thanks to a repeat viewing of True Grit as well a couple strong 2013 films.

The Silver Chalice (1954) Score: 14.5 - 3.5, Grade F
I'm Not There (2007) Score: 23.5 - 5.5, Grade C-
Rock Star (2001) Score: 27.0 - 6.5, Grade C+
Anchorman 2 (2013) Score: 19.5 - 4.5, Grade F
August, Osage County (2013) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade B+
Dead Pool (1988) Score: 24.0 - 6, Grade C-
The Princess Diaries (2001) Score: 25.0 - 6, Grade C
From Russia with Love (1963) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade B-
Out of the Furnace (2013) Score: 31.0 - 7.5, Grade B+
True Grit (2010) Score: 34.5 - 8.5, Grade A (Repeat Viewing)
Home Front (2013) Score: 21.5 - 5, Grade D
Grudge Match (2013) Score: 26.0 - 6.5, Grade C
Philomena (2013) Score: 30.0 - 7.5, Grade B+
Thor: The Dark World (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade B-
Saving Mr. Banks (2013) Score: 31.0 - 7.5, Grade B+
8 Mile (2002) Score: 27.0 - 6.5, Grade C+
Billy Liar (1963) Score: 27.0 - 6.5, Grade C+
A Time to Kill (1996) Score: 28.5 - 7.0, Grade B- (Repeat Viewing)
First Knight (1995) Score 26.0 - 6.5, Grade C+

March 2014 Ratings

The great thing about March is that most of the heavy hitters from awards season start to hit the Blu Ray market. This month's selection of films is highlighted by Academy Award nominees (and winner) 12 Years a Slave, Dallas Buyer's Club and American Hustle.

Bronson (2008) Score: 29.0 - 7, Grade B
Hannah and Her Sisters (1986) Score 29.0 - 7, Grade B
Dallas Buyers Club (2013) Score 32.0 - 8, Grade A-
How I Live Now (2013) Score 30.5 - 7.5, Grade B+
Catching Fire (2013) Score 31.5 - 7.5, Grade B+
A Series of Unfortunate Events (2004) Score 28.5 - 7, Grade B- (Repeat viewing)
For A Few Dollars More (1965) Score 29.5 - 7, Grade B
The Ghost and Mrs. Muir (1947) Score 29 - 7, Grade B
Inside Llewn Davis (2013) Score 31.5 - 7.5, Grade B+
12 Years a Slave (2013) Score 32.5 - 8, Grade A-
The Counselor (2013) Score 20.5 - 5, Grade D
American Hustle (2013) Score 32.5 - 8, Grade A-
Sixteen Candles (1984) Score 29 - 7, Grade B (Repeat viewing)
Red Riding Hood (2011) Score 19.5 - 4.5, Grade F
The Outlaw, Josey Wales (1976) Score 31 - 7.5, Grade B+
28 Days (2000) Score 20 - 5, Grade D- (Repeat viewing)

 

February 2014 Movie Ratings

A short month, combined with a busy schedule, limited my February viewing a bit. I didn't make it to the theater to see any of the Oscar contenders as I have in previous years. I did, however, watch a handful of quality indie films. 2013 was a very strong year for indies. Enough Said, Short Term 12 and All is Lost highlighted this month's group.

The low point of the month was clearly Michael Bay's latest stinker, Pain & Gain. This "action comedy" was boring and devoid of laughs.

Escape Plan (2013) Score: 26.5 - 6.5, Grade C+
The Flowers of War (2011) Score: 29 - 7, Grade B
Friends with Kids (2012) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade B-
Ender's Game (2013) Score: 29.5 - 7, Grade B
All is Lost (2013) Score: 30.5 -7.5, Grade B+
Pain and Gain (2013) Score: 17.5 - 4, Grade F
All is Bright (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade B-
Short Term 12 (2013) Score 29.5 - 7, Grade B
Collateral (2004) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade B+ (Repeat Viewing)
Enough Said (2013) Score 32 - 8, Grade A-
In a World...(2013) Score 28 - 7, Grade B-
Rush (2013) Score 31 - 7.5, Grade B+
10 Things I Hate About You - 26.5 - 6.5, Grade C (Repeat Viewing)

January 2014 Film Ratings

Below is a list of the films that I watched during the month of January. They are in order of the date watched. Each film is scored based on our scoring model and assigned a grade accordingly. Dates represent the film's US theatrical release.

The month was highlighted by a theatrical viewing of Martin Scorsese's, The Wolf of Wall Street.

Tower Heist (2011) Score: 27 - 6.5, Grade: C+
White House Down (2013) Score: 18.5 - 4.5, Grade: F
The Frozen Ground (2013) Score: 26.5 - 6.5, Grade: C
The Wolverine (2013) Score: 27.5 - 6.5, Grade: C+
The Amazing Adventure (1936) Score: 25.5 - 6, Grade: C
Don Jon (2013) Score: 29 - 7, Grade: B
300 (2007) Score: 25.5 - 6, Grade: C (Re-Watch)
16 Blocks (2006) Score: 27 - 6.5, Grade: C+ (Re-Watch)
Thanks For Sharing (2013) Score: 25 - 6, Grade: C
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) Score: 34.5 - 8.5, Grade: A (In Theater)
The Act of Killing (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade: B-
The Spectacular Now (2013) Score: 28.5 - 7, Grade: B-
Fruitvale Station (2013) Score: 30 - 7.5, Grade: B+
The Lone Ranger (2013) Score: 24 - 6, Grade: C-
Lee Daniels' The Butler (2013) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+
Captain Phillips (2013) Score: 32 - 8, Grade: A-
The Family (2013) Score: 28 - 7, Grade: B-
What Maisie Knew (2013) Score: 30.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+
Ain't Them Bodies Saints (2013) Score: 31.5 - 7.5, Grade: B+

New in Town (2009)

Directed by Jonas Elmer

Starring: Harry Connick Jr. and Renee Zellweger





Typically I reserve reviews for those movies which a) I see in theaters b) I find really entertaining or c) are monumentally terrible.

This happens to fall into the latter. Now I should state that I am not much of a Renee Zellweger fan. I think her best performance to date was in Cinderella Man and she was adequate in Chicago and Me, Myself & Irene, but I think she is generally overrated and the fact she won an Oscar for Cold Mountain makes me cringe.

So as you can see leading into this movie there was not much hope for me liking this movie. I decided to try out the idea from my last post (Grading based on expectations) I expected this to grade out in the 4-6 range. Which means my expectations were fairly low though not close to being low enough.

Acting (4 - Below Average): I am sure there are days when I come to work and I do not perform as well as the day before. Everyone is like that and to some extent you could there are days when (by no fault of my own) little is accomplished. That describes the acting in this film. While I would not classify the acting portion as unwatchable it was definitely sub par. That said this is where this particular movie shines (that is not a good thing). In all honesty I liked JK Simmons, like always, and Siobhan Fallon did a decent job (above average for her).

Audio / Visual (1 - Unwatchable): While the camera work could be classified as average the polka music that plays throughout is a HUGE distraction and annoyance. Its not even the fact that its polka that's bothersome, but the particular songs that were chosen. The audio portion of this film lends itself to the rating chosen.

Plot (1 - Unwatchable): So a female business professional comes into the board meeting late, wearing 6 inch heels and a tight fitting dress and is provided the opportunity to become vice president by turning around the operations of a small food production plant. Oh if it were only that simple. This script contains pretty much everything a bad script should have, predictability, unfunny jokes, poor character background, and terrible dialogue. There is really no redeeming quality to this plot, at all. And will someone please tell Hollywood that the whole I "I don't like you, but I really do like you, but I am not going to tell you or show you until I get drunk and then I will try to hit on you thing" has been done about 5 billion times to many. And the whole widower raising kids is overplayed too (no offense to those people who are actually in this situation). For as many times as I have seen this in film there must be a huge population of guys in this situation that I don't know about...yes I am talking to you Disney.

Entertainment (2 - Terrible): I'm not sure there is anything else I can say about this film other than don't spend the $1 at red box to rent it.

Overall (2 - Terrible)

I do not know who would be more offended by this movie, female business professionals, people from Minnesota, or the people that actually watched this film. I tried hard to find an actual budget for this film to see how much Hollywood threw away, but I couldn't find it. It's sad to think that a movie like Slumdog Millionaire almost doesn't happen yet trash like this gets picked up and filmed all the time.

I Love You, Man

Directed by John Hamburg

Starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel


Acting (7): Rudd and Segel are natural fits for the bromance genre. They're equal parts everyman awkwardness, hollywood charm, and frat boy intellect. Though they don't have to stretch much, they play the roles well. Supporting characters played by JK Simmons and Jon Favreau also provide some laughs.


Audio / Visual (7): There is nothing special about the way this film was shot, but there was nothing distractingly bad either. Since a portion of the plot revolves around Rudd and Segel's love of the band Rush, plenty of their classic tunes are interwoven throughout.

Plot (7): The Bromance genre has found a niche over the last couple years and this film falls right in line with it's predacessors. The story is formulaic for the most part and the film ends with a rather cliche and corny wedding scene. However, the story is well executed. The pace is solid and the characters, particularly the two leads, are developed enough that the audience actually cares about the outcome.

Entertainment (7.5) While some of the more vulgar jokes fall flat early on, the film picks up steam as the relationship between Rudd and Segel's characters develop. The film manages a decent balance of vulgar college humor and sweet Rom Com charm. Despite most of the major laughs being given away in the trailer, there is still plenty of entertainment value here. Rudd proves, once again, to be one of the most likable comedic leads in the business.

Overall (7) GOOD