Turturro shines in engaging, poignant Pickpocket Harry is a creature of habit. Prowling the streets of New York City, constantly on the lookout for an open bag or a glimpse of a wallet, the pickpocket is a master at lifting small valuables from his unsuspecting marks. Yet, he and his skill set are antiquated. In […]
Film
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See lacks truth, Wicker is amusing from start to finish
Truth proves elusive in See “Remember, as a documentarian you are an observer, an author but not a director, a discoverer, not a controller.” – Albert Maysles. I suppose that’s one way of looking at what the role of a documentary filmmaker is. Maysles and his brother, David, have adhered to this philosophy with great […]
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Life a well-done romance, latest Sense and Sensibility adaptation is flat
Profound Life defies expectations A general description of Rachel Morrison’s Love of Your Life would surely do it a disservice. At first blush, one would think it is nothing more than an overwrought romance replete with a pair of star-crossed lovers, a nearly unbearable tragedy and new hope found in the arms of someone new. […]
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Badman lacks subtlety, Hathaway shines in poor Verity
Lack of subtlety hobbles “Badman” A common lament among older moviegoers is that “they don’t make ’em like they used to.” This sentiment is a double-edged sword. While the wish for a certain degree of consistent craftsmanship that was part-and-parcel of studio filmmaking is understandable, the more complex subject matter dealt with in modern films […]
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Digger one of year’s best movies, Heart a moving experience
Ambition of Digger dwarfs competition It would be easy to dismiss Tom Cruise’s latest as Oscar bait – and let’s be honest, it is – but there’s much more at play in Alejandro G. Inarritu’s Digger. Brilliant and daring, this instant classic takes no prisoners in going after myriad institutions, the film a primal scream […]
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The Stunt Driver has heart, Charlie Harper almost bearable
The quest for validation propels Driver Ken Polsjek lived his life with a well-earned chip on his shoulder. Abandoned by his father, brought up in poverty and likely struggling with an undiagnosed learning disability, the cross-eyed young man was bullied and ostracized, desperate to find a place where he belonged. Fortune shone on him when […]
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The Weight is thoughtful and compelling, Uprising lacks heart
Physical and emotional burdens drive compelling Weight On April 5, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt issued Executive Order 6102. This step toward righting the floundering U.S. economy dictated “the hoarding of gold coin, gold bullion and gold certificates” over the amount of $100 was now forbidden. The reasoning behind that was this act was leading […]
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The Runner and Runner both fall short, Fix lacks a purpose
Logic trips up The Runner You gotta give it to Gal Gadot. She can run, and do so in a variety of ways. If you need her to run with joy, she’s on it. If she needs to run with desperation, no one does it better. Throw in being able to commit this act in […]
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Portraits of grit and determination in “Her Game is Hardball”
A revelatory dive into baseball history as well as a testament of hope, Mark Durand’s Her Game is Hardball is a fascinating documentary that looks at many forgotten eras of American sports history while portending the birth of another. Nine years in the making, the film examines the struggles of women’s baseball in America, while […]
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Mayday is smart and funny, realistic Sun shines
Reynolds, Branagh energize Mayday With the exception of 1988’s Red Heat, I’d be hard-pressed to name a Cold War buddy movie. John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein set out to double the total of this subgenre with Mayday, a surprisingly entertaining piece of ridiculousness. Smart, funny and driven by as an unlikely duo of actors […]
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Acme is imaginative and fun, great acting saves Tony
Satire and humor run riot in Acme Propelled by the kind of publicity money can’t buy as well as a cleverly subversive advertising campaign, Dave Green’s Coyote vs. Acme arrives in theaters with great fanfare, an event that seemed destined never to occur two years ago. This was one of three films that David Zaslav, […]
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Faraway Tree provides a magical escape, Oak Street is a half-baked dino film
Tree casts a delightful spell A fantasy for both children and adults, Ben Gregor’s The Magic Faraway Tree finds the perfect balance of whimsy and post-modernism to make it work for both groups. Based on the novels by Enid Blyton, the film leisurely casts its spell, its story unfolding effortlessly between an idyllic rural landscape […]
