MOVIE REVIEW: THE WITCH

A devout Puritan family in 1630s New England are exiled from their village, and struggle to survive in their new home situated at the edge of a mysterious forest. The sinister, witching forces in the wilderness emerge silently to terrorize them, first by kidnapping the youngest of their five children. As their life-sustaining crops fail, the clan fall victim to paranoia and fear as they begin to turn on one another, eventually suspecting teenage daughter Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy) of witchcraft. With the vast majority of the dialogue culled from primary sources from the time period, Robert Eggers' debut feature The Witch is a terrifying glimpse into a family descending into madness. ~ Daniel Gelb, Rovi

Director: Robert Eggers

Release Date: Feb 19, 2016

Rated R For disturbing violent content and graphic nudity.

Runtime: 1 hr. 30 min.

Genres: Horror

Cast: Ralph Ineson, Kate Dickie, Julian Richings, Vivienne Moore

Review:

The Witch is a impressive moody period horror film that is expertly crafted from the top down.  Robert Eggers’ debut film is meticulously crafted exercise in subtly.  Eggers builds and maintains tension throughout the film by using the solitary setting for a maximum effect.  The film owes a cinematic debt Kubrick’s The Shining by playing up a lot of similar themes even though the build up more tempered and methodical.  Eggers is blessed with a fully committed cast who deliver excellent performances all around with Anya Tayor-Joy leaving a lasting impression.  Taylor-Joy, who looks like the world saddest Hummel figurine, conveys so much through her face and eyes, it’s a terribly impressive performance for such a young actress.  The Witch is the type of high quality horror film that that rarely comes around in a genre which is usually littered with garbage.

A  

Cindy Prascik's Review of Race

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dearest Blog, today it was off to Marquee Cinemas for the first of February's sports biopics, Race. Spoiler level here will be mild, nothing you wouldn't know from the trailers or from Googling Jesse Owens. 

 

Race is the story of legendary track and field star Owens, from his early days at Ohio State University through the controversial 1936 Olympic Games. There's no denying Race is little more than your run-of-the-mill Inspiring Sports Movie, but still-timely issues, nail-biting sports action, and some nice performances make it worth a look. Stephan James is a delight as Owens, earnest and sympathetic. 

 

The film boasts strong supporting turns by Jason Sudeikis, Shanice Banton, William Hurt, and David Kross. Characterizations are pretty broad--the city of Berlin even has its own super-villian-sounding musical cue--but if the storytelling is a bit hokey, it's easy enough to forgive in such a compelling tale. Race runs just a tad overlong and is by no means comfortable viewing. The issues it raises are too near for that, evidence the ugliness in my Facebook newsfeed during the Grammys, or the casual way acquaintances assume it's okay to drop racist comments around me because we both happen to be white. 

 

Race is a long overdue "thank you" to Jesse Owens for his courage, but also hopefully one small step towards a day when bigotry really is a thing of the past. Race clocks in at 134 minutes and is rated PG13 for "thematic elements and language." It's not the best sports movie you'll ever see--it might not even be the best sports movie you'll see this month--but Race has a story worth telling and a message worth hearing. 

 

Of a possible nine Weasleys, Race gets six and a half. 

 

Until next time...

MOVIE REVIEW: DEADPOOL

In this irreverent spin on the superhero genre, mercenary Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) agrees to participate in a top-secret experiment after learning that he has terminal cancer. When the procedure leaves him with advanced healing powers and a disfigured face, he reinvents himself as a wisecracking, spandex-clad antihero known as Deadpool, and seeks revenge on those responsible. Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, and Gina Carano co-star. Directed by Tim Miller. ~ Jack Rodgers, Rovi

Director: Tim Miller

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, Ed Skrein, T.J. Miller, Gina Carano

Release Date: Feb 12, 2016

Rated R for language Throughout, Graphic Nudity, Sexual Content and Strong Violence

Runtime: 1 hr. 48 min.

Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Deadpool is a fun send up of the superhero genre, one that Ryan Reynolds has been talking about since 2002.  Its story is a pretty basic origin story which would been fairly forgettable if it’d played it straight but since Deadpool is a comic book character who knows he’s a comic book character, it rarely does so.  The first half of the film is the strongest with a hefty serving of super hero jokes and 4^th wall breaking madness.  Ryan Reynolds is totally in his element as the wisecracking merc.  His comedic timing is tailormade for the character, which is probably why he’s been such a huge fan.  The film works best when it’s poking fun at the genre, Reynolds and Huge Jackman.  It’s got an anarchic spirit when it’s rolling along at brisk pace.  First time director keeps the film moving at a steady pace with the main potholes occurring when the film has to take care of the rudimentary parts of the superhero plot particularly defeating the baddie and saving the girl.  Still, it’s different enough to give the genre a nice pinch of variety to keep the genre fresh.

B+

MOVIE REVIEW: ZOOLANDER 2

Past-their-prime male models Derek Zoolander (Ben Stiller) and Hansel (Owen Wilson) are recruited by Interpol to investigate a conspiracy after a number of beautiful celebrities are assassinated while posing with Zoolander's signature "Blue Steel" look. Their probe uncovers an ingenious plot by fashion mogul Mugatu (Will Ferrell) to locate and harness the source of the legendary Fountain of Youth. Directed by Ben Stiller. Olivia Munn, Kristen Wiig, and Penélope Cruz co-star. ~ Tom Ciampoli, Rovi

Director: Justin Theroux, Ben Stiller

Cast: Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Will Ferrell, Penélope Cruz, Christine Taylor

Release Date: Feb 12, 2016

Rated R for crude and sexual content, a scene of exaggerated violence, and brief strong language.

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Comedy

Review:

Zoolander 2 isn’t nearly as terrible as some of the reviews suggest but it’s not nearly good enough to warrant its existence.  Once the nostalgia of seeing Zoolander and Hansel passes, we’re left with a fairly routine comedy that’s never quite as funny as the original.  Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson slip back into their roles easily and they do have some funny bits but its never consistent overall.  There are plenty of dead spots along the way with the film perking up substantially once Will Ferrell’s Mugatu reemerges.   Penélope Cruz is game as the biggest new addition to the cast but it leaves you asking why the film isn’t funnier with all the talent assembled. 

C+