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A
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Collective
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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A powerful film about the tragic consequences of widespread political corruption.
Posted Nov 30, 2020
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A
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Uncle Frank
(2020)
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Paul Chambers
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Nobody writes Southern like Alan Ball. And, you can bet those skills are on fine display in the poignant comedy-drama, "Uncle Frank."
Posted Nov 24, 2020
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A
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Working Man
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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Robert Jury hits it out of the park. His film says a lot about the dignity of work and basic human decency.
Posted Nov 20, 2020
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B
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Jungleland
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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The story is cliched, but satisfying nonetheless, thanks to the three central performances.
Posted Nov 18, 2020
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A
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On the Rocks
(2020)
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Paul Chambers
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Memorable characters with spot-on performances by Rashida Jones and Bill Murray. Lovely film.
Posted Nov 12, 2020
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A
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The Human Factor
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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A fresh take on the previous best chance for peace in the Middle East. The title says it all.
Posted Nov 11, 2020
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D
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Come Play
(2020)
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Paul Chambers
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Meet Larry. Larry is a misunderstood monster. He lives in the electronic world of tablets and table lamps. In "Come Play," Larry tries his best to scare people, but he's a bit of wimp. Don't be like Larry.
Posted Oct 30, 2020
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B
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Spell
(2020)
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Paul Chambers
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Director Mark Tonderai...feeds us the plot in short, satisfying bursts and tops it off with an improbable but strangely satisfying conclusion.
Posted Oct 29, 2020
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C+
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Borat Subsequent Moviefilm
(2020)
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Paul Chambers
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In his 2006 film, Baron Cohen had the element of surprise working. He was consistently funny as Borat encountered both celebrities and ordinary people. But the actor's comic machinations are less effective this time with some jaw-dropping exceptions.
Posted Oct 21, 2020
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A
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1917
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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A journey worth taking. Mendes keeps his film brilliantly paced throughout.
Posted Apr 02, 2020
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B
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Spies in Disguise
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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The film depends heavily on the personality of the actor/rapper (Will Smith) and he doesn't let you down.
Posted Mar 30, 2020
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C-
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The Dead Don't Die
(2019)
|
Paul Chambers
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The slow pacing and a lack of wit and pith does in the proceedings.
Posted Sep 12, 2019
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B+
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Brittany Runs a Marathon
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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Brittany's ups and downs are good medicine for anyone suffering from the human condition. It's a story with emotional resonance. And, a very good night at the movies.
Posted Sep 06, 2019
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C
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Ma
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"Ma" is poorly written, but Spencer lifts it up by making her crazy lady character at least a little understandable.
Posted Sep 04, 2019
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C
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Aquarela
(2018)
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Paul Chambers
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The images are attractive, but how about employing a subtle font to tell us where we are from time to time? Find out if Morgan Freeman is available for some quality narration. It worked for the penguins.
Posted Sep 03, 2019
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D
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Angel Has Fallen
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"Angel Has Fallen" and it can't get up.
Posted Aug 26, 2019
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B
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After the Wedding
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"After the Wedding" is an intimate film about life, death and the decisions we make along the way. It's worth a look.
Posted Aug 23, 2019
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B
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Ready or Not
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"Ready or Not" will likely gain a cult following. It's like Monty Python meets "The Most Dangerous Game."
Posted Aug 20, 2019
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C-
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Good Boys
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"Good Boys," a film about three sixth-graders awash in a nonstop stream of questionable and often profane behavior, raises an interesting question. How low should Hollywood go when producing a comedy propelled by sex, profanity and drug use?
Posted Aug 19, 2019
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A-
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One Child Nation
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"One Child Nation" tells a grim story in a mostly unflinching fashion. It literally gave me the chills at several points. And, it's staggering to think how many thousands of lives have been affected.
Posted Aug 17, 2019
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B+
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The Angry Birds Movie 2
(2019)
|
Paul Chambers
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The humor is rapid-fire and the animation is bright, crisp and colorful.
Posted Aug 16, 2019
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C-
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Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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The teen monster fest starts slow and drags throughout, failing to generate any sustained suspense.
Posted Aug 10, 2019
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C
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The Kitchen
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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Yet another film based on a comic book. It's no surprise that the biggest issue with "The Kitchen" is the unevenness of the story and its implausibility. The mission seems to be "let's get graphic" and "forget about making sense."
Posted Aug 09, 2019
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A
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David Crosby: Remember My Name
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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Regrets, he has a few. That's certainly one of the takeaways from "David Crosby: Remember My Name," an excellent, revealing documentary about the prominent rock music legend of the 1970's.
Posted Aug 08, 2019
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B
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Happy Death Day 2U
(2019)
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Paul Chambers
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"Happy Death Day 2U" is a fun little sequel that brings back nearly everyone from the original film, even the characters who died.
Posted May 20, 2019
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B
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Halloween
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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The 2018 "Halloween" is a well-written and well-directed horror film.
Posted Jan 21, 2019
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B+
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Kusama: Infinity
(2018)
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Paul Chambers
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The work of Japanese contemporary artist Yayoi Kusama is frequently mind-blowing and this new film does a nice job of telling her story.
Posted Jan 15, 2019
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F
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The Car: Road to Revenge
(2018)
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Paul Chambers
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What's missing in the direct-to-video sequel is a coherent story. And, a director who even knows what-the-heck is going on at any given time.
Posted Jan 13, 2019
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A
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12 Monkeys
(1995)
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Paul Chambers
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Not only does it bear the mark of the erratic filmmaking genius, Terry Gilliam. It gives fans of the sci-fi genre something to love: An intelligent film on time travel that begs a second viewing.
Posted Oct 26, 2018
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C
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Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
(2018)
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Paul Chambers
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The film undoubtedly was made in workmanlike fashion by the actors, artists and technicians. They gave their best with the material provided. It's just the material was sadly lacking.
Posted Sep 21, 2018
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C+
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The Meg
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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"The Meg" is a fun way to spend 113 minutes, despite its many flaws. I give it a slight recommendation.
Posted Aug 31, 2018
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C-
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On Chesil Beach
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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The film....fails its audience by not adequately demonstrating why the two central characters belonged to each other in the first place.
Posted Aug 15, 2018
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C-
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Breaking In
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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The criminals are such predictable types that we know exactly how they'll interact with the victims and each other.
Posted Aug 07, 2018
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A
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Mission: Impossible - Fallout
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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An elite thriller with amazing action scenes, solid performances and even a dab of humanity.
Posted Aug 02, 2018
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C+
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Death Wish
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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It's a perfectly fine revenge thriller. Nothing special. Just adequate.
Posted Jun 08, 2018
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B
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Solo: A Star Wars Story
(2018)
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Paul Chambers
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Considering its production history and the fact that most "origin" films are inherently blasé, "Solo" acquits itself quite nicely. Maybe it doesn't add a great deal to the mythology, but for fans of the space western genre, it's solid entertainment.
Posted May 25, 2018
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C-
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The 15:17 to Paris
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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Kudos to Eastwood for good intentions, but stories, like trains, need a dependable surface. This train is running on jointed tracks.
Posted May 24, 2018
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D
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Dark Crimes
(2016)
|
Paul Chambers
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The biggest rap on "Dark Crimes" is the pacing. The cadence is mind-numbing.
Posted May 21, 2018
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B+
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Beast
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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There are more than a couple of surprises in this very well written thriller.
Posted May 18, 2018
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A
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Phantom Thread
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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Day-Lewis is no stranger to playing the odd duck, and he dives wholeheartedly into giving us yet another fascinating character. "Phantom Thread" is a blend of excellent writing and satin performances.
Posted Apr 27, 2018
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C-
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Geostorm
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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Corny, wildly misdirected and downright ridiculous. But, kinda of fun, too. Maybe you'll like it, maybe not.
Posted Apr 20, 2018
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B+
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Big Fish & Begonia
(2016)
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Paul Chambers
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"Big Fish & Begonia" is a marvelous piece of animation. Each scene is like a painting come to life. The story will touch your heart and no doubt the characters will delightfully make their temporary home there as well.
Posted Apr 19, 2018
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A
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The Greatest Showman
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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Everything about this film clicks from start to finish. The music, the choreography, the costumes and the performances are top-notch.
Posted Apr 18, 2018
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|
C
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Ready Player One
(2018)
|
Paul Chambers
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RPO is sort of Philip K. Dick-lite.
Posted Mar 29, 2018
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|
B-
|
Justice League
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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As you might imagine, it's the bonding between the super heroes, especially the light banter, that makes this film an upbeat and rather pleasant experience.
Posted Mar 14, 2018
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B+
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Cloverfield
(2008)
|
Paul Chambers
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The special effects are outstanding and the story is a throwback to the days when audiences were given only glimpses of the monster. Sometimes what you can't see or have difficulty seeing is much scarier than something in plain view.
Posted Feb 21, 2018
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C
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Happy Death Day
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
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Knowing "Happy Death Day" is a "Groundhog Day" retread before seeing it is a positive. You might even enjoy this slasher film more than I did. I found it to be annoyingly unoriginal and tedious. Where's Bill Murray when you need him?
Posted Feb 07, 2018
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B
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It
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
|
In my younger days, I read every Stephen King novel and looked forward to the film adaptations. There's one major exception and that was "It." I've always had a thing about clowns. Clowns are evil. Period.
Posted Jan 31, 2018
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|
D
|
The Snowman
(2017)
|
Paul Chambers
|
Dreadfully difficult to sit through and ultra confusing.
Posted Jan 25, 2018
|
|
C+
|
The Cat o' Nine Tails
(1971)
|
Paul Chambers
|
Argento is quoted as saying this wasn't his favorite film creation. Well, never mind that. I like Malden and Franciscus and it's fun watching them fight for justice in an Italian murder mystery.
Posted Jan 24, 2018
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