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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: IT’S JEM!!!!!! Well, if you subtract the outrageousness, temper the excitement and adventure, subdue the glamour, glitter, fashion and fame. BUT IT’S JEM!!!!!! No one else is the same… well, except everyone on YouTube who ever had a dream of being a viral sensation. TRULY, IT’S JEM! Oh, and forget the female empowerment of the cartoon Jem, too, because this Jem is very unsure of herself and has a ton of angst. Wait, it’s Josie and the Pussycats in Jem’s outfits and the actual holograms replaced by a metaphor?

Over the summer, I saw Taylor Swift’s 1989 tour. I’m a big fan of Swift’s music and really enjoyed her live. However, there were occasional moments targeting the core of Swift’s fandom — teenage girls — with an emphasis on delivering an inspirational, empowering message. My guess is a lot of young Swift fans walked away from the concert feeling a little inspired by Swift’s message while many of the older, more cynical Swift fans and parents of the screaming Swifties may have rolled their eyes.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Catch it now… or when it’s re-released after it’s Oscar nominations. With the exception of a few stutters, Bridge of Spies is a thoroughly enjoyable throwback. Credit Steven Spielberg for a solid directorial turn, the Coen Brothers for an excellent script and some great performances. Pencil in Mark Rylance for a Best Supporting Actor nomination for his role as captured Russian spy Rudolf Abel.

To be honest, I was lukewarm on the concept of Bridge of Spies. The trailer didn’t blow me away and while the expectation was a competent film from Spielberg and Tom Hanks, this may have been their best collaboration (for what it’s worth, Saving Private Ryan was the best of their four collaborations, Bridge of Spies was second best). Not only was the film a pleasant surprise, it was one of the best movies of the year and might make a little noise come Oscar nominations.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 90/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 95/100

The teaser trailer for Joy was great a few months ago. The official trailer is a wee bit better as we get a better idea of what Joy should be. Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro, David O. Russell… this isn’t their first rodeo together and that’s not a bad thing. December is loaded!

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: How could something so beautiful and technically stunning be so hard to watch? The imagery of Crimson Peak is impressive and wonderful. It’s how you’d hope every Gothic horror film would look. Unfortunately, it’s neither scary nor interesting relying completely on visuals to keep you engaged. And that only gets you so far.

Crimson Peak is eye candy. It has beautiful images. Even the frightful sights are masterfully crafted. The use of color, costume and score are impeccable. Guillermo Del Toro, known for his imagery, has done it again with this homage to classic horror… visually. Unfortunately, Crimson Peak lacks fear, mystery, compelling characters or anything captivating other than the images. At a smidge under 2 hours, even that gets old by the final act.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take, Trailers

Anticipation (Before Trailer): 30/100

Anticipation (After Trailer): 45/100

Bleeding Heart doesn’t look to be a unique concept. Pretty sure it’s been there, done that. Hopefully, the film has a fresh take and the trailer delivers enough to think it might. Jessica Biel is a solid actress and Zosia Mamet is on the rise. While it’s highly unlikely to even be a blip on the box office radar or get more than a limited release, it’s set to hit theaters in December.

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Goosebumps targets kids and the parents who grew up reading and watching Goosebumps. Outside of that demographic, you might feel a little left out. There’s some fun moments but they’re fleeting and it feels a little dated.

Goosebumps answers the question, “What if our childhood came to life and terrorized us until we figure out a way to overcome the real terror of it all?” Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: Who’s there? A bad but highly entertaining and watchable midnight movie with goofy one-dimensional characters and more script than gore from Eli Roth… and that’s saying a lot (and not all good but not all bad). Knock Knock is the perfect “can’t sleep at 2am, let’s see what’s on cable or Netflix” film.

If you are going to watch an Eli Roth movie starring Keanu Reeves for a great script and top notch acting, shame on you. However, if you go into Knock Knock with the intentions of seeing a dark, (intentionally) funny, sexual thriller that is pure schlock (and I mean that in the most flattering way possible) then you might come away with a fun viewing experience.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: As bad as it gets. One of the worst of the year. If you take the long way home, let’s hope it doesn’t take you through Big Stone Gap.

Big Stone Gap is a harmless romantic comedy but without the romance and the humor. About the only thing more ridiculous than it’s lack of romance and humor are the character’s names. From Spec Broadwater to Ave Maria Mulligan to Fleeta Mullins to Iva Lou Wade to Jack MacChesney to Sweet Sue Tinsley to Pearl Grimes, the names are as absurd and simple as the film.Read More →

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In: 2015, Hot Take

Hot Take: He Named Me Malala is an uninspiring, uninteresting documentary about an amazing, inspiring young woman who survived a harrowing ordeal standing up for young women’s rights to education. As a documentary, unlike the subject, it doesn’t take a stand, is completely disjointed and sucks all of the drama, heart and life out of a tale so full of those three things.

It’s hard to be critical of He Named Me Malala because the subject of the film and her family are so likable, her cause so just, what happened to her so brutal and her recovery so miraculous. However, when a documentary desperately pursues a narrative that just isn’t there, the result is a muddled mess. Both Malala and the documentary want you to believe she’s as ordinary as every other girl in the world. But she’s not and it’s an aspect of her story that should be celebrated and explored rather than sugar coated.Read More →