In following up on his 2009 reboot of — and prequel to — Gene Roddenberry’s mythos, Abrams crafts a snappy adventure on a spectacular scale. And the story — penned by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci and Damon Lindelof — carries an ethically respectable thematic cargo.
Archive for Category: "Movie Reviews"
Iron Man 3
Given that his first appearance in print dates back to 1963, the comics-based superhero of “Iron Man 3″ (Disney) may be said to be turning 50 this year. Perhaps a midlife crisis is to blame for the lack of freshness and charm that mark the latest addition to this blockbuster screen franchise — or perhaps other factors are at fault.
Jackie Robinson’s struggle to break color barrier well told in ‘42’
Minnesota baseball fans who have visited Target Field are familiar with the lineup of retired numbers hanging near the left field foul pole — all belonging to Twins, except for one: No. 42.
Big Miracle
“Free Willy,” the 1993 whale rescue film, looks like child’s play when compared to “Big Miracle” (Universal), in which not one but three giant mammals are trapped in Arctic ice, and it takes a whole lot more than a sleepy Alaskan town to save them.
Joyful Noise
Though it gives a pass to an incidental out-of-wedlock fling, and showcases some humor and vocabulary that make it unsuitable for youngsters, writer-director Todd Graff’s otherwise uplifting celebration of traditional values emphasizes trust in God and illustrates the positive effects of compassionate and forgiving behavior.
Good acting, spiritual themes mark ‘The Way’
Emilio Estevez directs his father Martin Sheen in film set along the famous Spanish pilgrimage route
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Monkey business turns serious — and rather deadly — in “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (Fox), the latest iteration of the successful screen franchise based on the science fiction of French novelist Pierre Boulle
There be dragons
Knowledgeable moviegoers won’t be surprised by the violence in director Roland Joffe’s newest film, “There Be Dragons.” Joffe also directed the Oscar-nominated films “The Killing Fields” and “The Mission.”
But, you will be surprised by the depth and breadth of the Catholic messages flowing throughout this epic work.
‘True Grit’ and the everlasting arms
“True Grit,” the 1969 film starring John Wayne, was the first “grown-up” movie I saw as a kid. I was 9 years old at the time, and I remember the experience vividly. I also discovered, through that film, that I had a gift for mimicry. For years afterward, at family parties, I was invited to reproduce the Duke’s distinctive drawl: “I wouldn’t a-asked you to bury him if he wann’t dead.”
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