|
81%
|
Prisoners (2013)
|
"The film's pace is an endurance test... (but) everyone gets to share in the dread of the final revelations. Does the end justify the means?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
97%
|
Gravity (2013)
|
"... the most spectacular and most accurate portrayal of how and why things work and fail in space... on IMAX and in 3D is finally and absolutely worth the price of admission."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
8%
|
Argento's Dracula 3D (2013)
|
"... perfect for a living room full of inebriated hecklers to have their way with it... you'll never look at a praying mantis the same way ever again."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
67%
|
World War Z (2013)
|
"... the definitive zombie film for people who don't like zombie films yet want to say they liked one."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
69%
|
The Wolverine (2013)
|
"... a holdover to distract us from what we've been craving all along... it's still better than the last Wolverine sorta-solo outing, so there's that."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
75%
|
Despicable Me 2 (2013)
|
"The only thing that really holds this sequel back... it just doesn't seem epic enough to be a "summer blockbuster"... then again, maybe that's a good thing..."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
87%
|
The Conjuring (2013)
|
"Full of atmosphere and ghostly goodness, the only thing that doesn't seem to make any sense is the title."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
72%
|
Pacific Rim (2013)
|
"... follows the ID4 formula to the letter; swap fighters vs. flying saucer action for mechs vs. monsters and enjoy."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
78%
|
Monsters University (2013)
|
"... seems content to coast on exactly what's expected of it until the very end... Pixar (seems to be) phoning in every other movie to work on the ones they really want to do."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
56%
|
Man of Steel (2013)
|
"Forget all of the Supermen of the past. Like it or not, purists, Man of Steel is the kind of theatrical reboot Superman has needed for a while."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
87%
|
Star Trek Into Darkness (2013)
|
"... a summer film that dimly reminds viewers of what it used to be - and could be again - while still being little more than a rollercoaster ride."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
84%
|
This Is the End (2013)
|
"... honesty, loyalty, and comedy will be tested as the world comes to a horrifying and dangling end... and you'll never look at Michael Cera the same way again."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
69%
|
Fast & Furious 6 (2013)
|
"If this film franchise isn't one of your guilty pleasures, why not? Hot guys, cool gals, fast cars, fights, guns, explosions, and none of it taken too seriously."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
62%
|
Evil Dead (2013)
|
"Enjoy but be warned: you might need a tetanus shot and stitches just watching it."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
28%
|
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013)
|
"Folks, we'd all love to see a hard-line G.I. Joe film where everything is realistic, but when was the show ever realistic?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
59%
|
Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
|
"Sam Raimi has managed to recapture the feel and charm of the original 'Wizard of Oz'... and that may be the greatest compliment of all."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
44%
|
The Call (2013)
|
"... the only thing worse than pulling the final punch... would have been showing the script cover to 'The Call 2: Aftercall' after the credits."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
87%
|
Frankenweenie (2012)
|
"... a padded short story that didn't require embellishment... looks very weak directly compared to the sheer brilliance of the similarly themed ParaNorman."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
89%
|
Lincoln (2012)
|
"Pushing this film as merely 'Lincoln' is something of an injustice to the man himself, as if audiences wouldn't have any interest in the actual story of the film."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
15%
|
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013)
|
"... a guilty pleasure film... pokes (fun) at pop culture and other similar fantasy action films. Purists and "flim buffs" will want to steer clear... to avoid its taint..."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
78%
|
Flight (2012)
|
"Denzel Washington's one-note character is a prisoner of a one-thought plot."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
88%
|
Django Unchained (2012)
|
"... it's a Tarantino Western... people will be screaming, the blood will flow freely and be splattered about, and the explosions are unnecessarily bigger than they have to be."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
65%
|
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)
|
"... there's nothing to hate or fear here (unless you buy the super-chubby size soda). Welcome back, Middle Earth."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
45%
|
Hotel Transylvania (2012)
|
"... feels more like a good Cartoon Network series pilot than a great feature film... no one thought to do a parody of The Eagle's 'Hotel California' for this?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
93%
|
Looper (2012)
|
"... re-establishes the (time travel) genre in a new and fresh way. And seriously, how cool is it to have an actual blunderbus for an assassin's weapon?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
78%
|
Dredd (2012)
|
"A straight-forward dystopian police actioneer with violent tendencies (but without Sylvester Stallone). In two words, it's good."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
68%
|
Ted (2012)
|
"If you've ever put a Twisted Sister cassette into a Teddy Ruxpin or wished you could have, this movie is for you."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
87%
|
ParaNorman (2012)
|
"A smart, contemporary monster movie that doesn't talk down to its young or adult audience."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
30%
|
Total Recall (2012)
|
"... the machines from I, Robot hitch a ride on the magma train from The Core to invade the world of Blade Runner for the benefit of the citizens living in The Fifth Element?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
88%
|
The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
|
"... Nolan thinks small in a big way... providing an imperfect yet satisfying conclusion, and that in itself is quite an accomplishment."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
74%
|
Prometheus (2012)
|
"(The) parent/child and creator/creation themes (are) pretty deep for a film this pretty. What else did you expect from Ridley Scott?"
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
47%
|
Snow White and the Huntsman (2012)
|
"An effective retelling of Snow White that puts the Grimm all back in."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
70%
|
Men in Black III (2012)
|
"Third time's the charm; director Barry Sonnenfeld finally nails a story cool enough for the Men in Black."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
34%
|
Battleship (2012)
|
"... finally exercises its self-awareness bone and has a little fun before the credits roll... worth sneaking into the ending after you see The Avengers again."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
57%
|
The Dictator (2012)
|
"Where most of Cohen's films exploit non-actors falling for his ruse, this dictator has been banished to one of those (regrettable and forgettable) SNL movies..."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
38%
|
Dark Shadows (2012)
|
"... it shouldn't surprise anyone that all the funny bits are in the trailers and what's left is a beautiful production design in need of a worthy plot."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
92%
|
Marvel's The Avengers (2012)
|
"If you only see one movie this year over and over again, it'll probably be this one."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
92%
|
The Cabin in the Woods (2012)
|
"What do you do when a genre has completely played itself out? You reinvent it one last time and let all hell break loose."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
88%
|
Titanic (2012)
|
"Forget that we know how it all ends; it's the drama of dealing with eventuality that tells the real story here."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
51%
|
John Carter (2012)
|
"John Carter is an instant classic... Disney should be ashamed of themselves for treating Mars like a red-headed step planet."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
84%
|
The Hunger Games (2012)
|
"While the ending is a bit of a mess, the rest isn't terrible (and nobody sparkles in the sunlight)."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
33%
|
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
|
"... continues not only the tale of (the Sparrow and Barbossa) rivalry but also why (and how well) they ever worked together to begin with."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
84%
|
Tucker & Dale vs Evil (2011)
|
"... a far-fetched but bloody fun film that doesn't talk down to its target audience so much as it celebrates fans of the genre."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
82%
|
Trollhunter (2011)
|
"... this one is well worth the troll hunt to find."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
98%
|
The Artist (2011)
|
"A story that's so sweet and innocent, it's practically forgivable for being the awards bait it's being offered up as."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
72%
|
Hanna (2011)
|
"Sometimes a gritty, unpolished, and decidedly European-style thriller is exactly what you're looking for."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
76%
|
We Need to Talk About Kevin (2012)
|
"You know those television shows where... it says 'three days earlier' with an explanation of how they got there? It's like that (but in no way satisfying here)."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
84%
|
The Tree of Life (2011)
|
"If I can prevent just one person from watching this, it'll have been worth suffering through it."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
93%
|
Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (2011)
|
"...everything that worked in the third film amped up to eleven. It's about the team, it's about the mission, and it's about time."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
|
58%
|
Red State (2011)
|
"Full of controversial subjects and interesting characters, it's the story that ultimately fails."
|
Kevin A. Ranson
|
