[3] In this third Meet the Parents film, Robert DeNiro’s characters suffers a heart attack, causing renewed concern that his son-in-law, played by Ben Stiller, be able to carry on as the family’s patriarch when he’s gone. Little Fockers feels hastily concocted with a script that’s overly-contrived and an ensemble cast that is barely ever in the same room together. As much as I’ve enjoyed …
[8] Four boys are sent to a juvenile detention center where they are raped and brutalized by the guards. Thirteen years later, two of the boys have a chance encounter with the head guard that ends in vengeful bloodshed. It’s then up to the other two boys, one now a district attorney, to free their convicted pals and enact revenge on all the remaining guards. …
[7] Director Jay Roach and cast return, adding Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Steisand to the mix, for this sequel to Meet the Parents. In preparation for their big wedding, Ben Stiller and Teri Polo need for their parents to meet each other. We got to know her parents — Robert DeNiro and Blythe Danner — in the previous movie. The sequel brings all the characters …
[7] Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro headline this ‘comedy of errors’ flick about a male nurse seeking permission from an ex-CIA agent to take his daughter’s hand in marriage. Formula comedies usually fail or succeed on the strength of casting. To that end, Stiller and DeNiro carry Meet the Parents over the finish line. The screenplay conjures up a handful of memorable moments — including …
[8] On its surface, Joker is an origin story about Batman’s arch-nemesis. So at first glance, you might mistake it for ‘just another superhero’ movie. But writer/director Todd Phillips and actor Joaquin Phoenix have actually made a film that transcends the comic book genre. Joker works as a disturbing character study, an all-too timely allegory, and a provocative meditation on a theme — something we …
[8] Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence star in this tale of two clinically depressed people (he’s diagnosed bipolar) who strike up an unusual relationship. She teaches him to dance with her for an upcoming competition in exchange for delivering letters to his ex-wife, who has a restraining order against him. While he obsesses over the ex, Lawrence begins to pine for Cooper. Everything comes to …
[7] Mickey Rourke stars as a ’50s detective hired by a mysterious client (Robert DeNiro) to determine whether a missing man is living or dead. Rourke travels from New York to New Orleans interviewing characters played by Charlotte Rampling, Lisa Bonet and others, before realizing his subjects are all getting murdered and that the case might be a supernatural one involving witchcraft and the Devil. …
[6] Kenneth Branagh directs and stars in this somewhat faithful adaptation of Shelley’s spectacular novel. While it hits most of the plot points, it doesn’t quite capture the essence of Shelley’s work — that if you tinker irresponsibly with nature (or play God), you’ll reap the whirlwind. This could have been achieved if Branagh gave a more believable performance. He and Helena Bonham Carter are …
[6] This film, along with What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, both released the same year, made young Leonardo DiCaprio a star. DiCaprio holds his own against the formidable Robert DeNiro, here playing an abusive step-father. The performances are good, but the story (based on the memoir of author Tobias Wolff) is predictable and protracted. Ellen Barkin is good in a thankless role. Look for Tobey Maguire, …
[8] Close-knit friends from a mining community share a harrowing experience during their tour of duty in Vietnam. Michael Cimino’s three-hour long film focuses primarily on the aftermath of the ordeal, now one of the most famous scenes in movie history, a deadly game of Russian roulette forced upon prisoners at a POW camp. Robert DeNiro plays the most level-headed friend, who tries to help …
Copyright © 2024 | Theme by MH Themes