“The Devil Inside” (Paramount) is an eye-poppingly bad, grotesque exorcism outing that combines inept storytelling with a lazy, sullen antagonism toward the Catholic Church.
Archive for Category: "Movie Reviews"
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.
The Darkest Hour
In an earlier era, “The Darkest Hour” (Summit) — a weak entry about five … whoops, four … wait, make that three plucky youngsters running away from invading aliens — would have been marketed as cheap thrills for drive-in moviegoers.
The Adventures of Tintin
Parents as well will nod appreciatively at the messages of self-sacrifice, friendship and determination on offer.
Endurance, heroism shine forth in ‘War Horse’
“War Horse” (Disney) is the epic screen version of Michael Morpurgo’s 1982 novel, previously made into a successful stage play, about an English farmer’s son (newcomer Jeremy Irvine) who trains and cares for a thoroughbred horse that his father (Peter Mullan) misguidedly buys just to thwart the local squire (David Thewlis).
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked
As Christmas-season attractions go, the animation and live-action blend “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked” (Fox) is kind of a stale cookie.
Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol
Make sure you take your motion sickness pills before seeing “Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol” (Paramount), a dizzying roller-coaster ride of an espionage thriller that propels you from the depths of urban sewers to the top of the world’s tallest building, and throws in outer space for good measure.
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows
“Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows” (Warner Bros.), director Guy Ritchie’s second take on the classic detective fiction of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, follows the pattern of its predecessor as it downplays old-fashioned sleuthing in favor of a constant flow of confrontations, escapades and escapes.
Hugo
Set against the luminous background of 1930s Paris, the family-oriented 3-D fable “Hugo” (Paramount) is a visually rich, emotionally warm adaptation of author Brian Selznick’s best-selling — and Caldecott Medal-winning — novel, “The Invention of Hugo Cabret.”
Arthur Christmas
Cartoonist Thomas Nast, who popularized Santa Claus in the 1880s, could not have envisioned the high-tech world of “Arthur Christmas” (Columbia), a mostly delightful 3-D animated comedy which equips Kris Kringle with a stealth ship, GPS navigation, battalions of ninjalike elves, and scanners that measure children for “naughty” or “nice.”
The Muppets
Jim Henson’s singing, dancing, wise-cracking band of puppets returns to the big screen in “The Muppets” (Disney), an old-fashioned and genuinely funny homage to a simpler age of wholesome family films.
The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1
Here’s a puzzler wherewith to bamboozle your friendly neighborhood canon lawyer: Is being undead an impediment to marriage? The question arises, of course, because the gothic sequel “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn — Part 1″ (Summit) opens with the nuptials of its by-now iconic but nonetheless ill-assorted central pair.
Happy Feet Two
Penguins are once again tap dancing at the bottom of the world in “Happy Feet Two” (Warner Bros.), the 3-D sequel to the 2006 movie which won the Academy Award for best animated film.
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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