In early 18th century England, a frail Queen Anne occupies the throne
and her close friend, Lady Sarah, governs the country in her stead. When
a new servant, Abigail, arrives, her charm endears her to Sarah.
A sumptuously staged historical drama presented as a biting satire with excellent performances by all three lead actresses.
Libby Day was only eight years old when her family was brutally murdered
in their rural Kansas farmhouse. Almost thirty years later, she
reluctantly agrees to revisit the crime and uncovers the wrenching
truths that led up to that tragic night.
This crime mystery adds up too many pieces of the puzzle before putting them together, and the solution is too contrived to satisfy; however, Charlize Theron's performance is worth the watch.
An English professor, one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend,
is unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles.
Intense psychological study, the professor's homsexuality just one
aspect of his person, has a timeless quality to it (you hardly notice
that it is set in the 60s) and offers Colin Firth one of his best roles.
On rewatching: the story appears a bit silly and maybe it's satirical; visually, the movie is a joy to watch.
Maltin***: "Flawlessly detailed visualization of Christopher Isherwood's
landmark novel benefits from a superb performance by Firth, but its
resolute restraint also keeps it a bit aloof at times. Impressive
directorial debut by fashion designer Ford..."
The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change
history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and
mutants.
Visually pleasing and action-ridden installment in the X-Men series is unfortunately over-populated with mutants and stuffed with so many sub-plots that it's difficult to comprehend the individual intentions and rivalries.
Maltin***: "Provocative idea is overcome at times by visual bombast, but the ticking-clock structure works well. New mutants in the future segments don't get much to do;..Not quite a bull's-eye, but still highly watchable for devoted fans, who will also cheer a handful of cameos."
In 1962, the United States government enlists the help of Mutants with
superhuman abilities to stop a malicious dictator who is determined to
start World War III.
Typical modern-day superhero extravaganza: great production value and some good bits, but very slow to get started and the heroes' diverse superpowers seem silly and arbitrary.
Maltin**1/2: "Good story tries to cover too much ground and introduces an abundance of characters...but the appeal of Marvel's X-Men remains intact, especially in the solid perforances of McAvoy and Fassbender. Newcomers Lawrence and Hoult score while Bacon seems miscast. A couple of surprise cameos will please series fans."
An English professor, one year after the sudden death of his boyfriend,
is unable to cope with his typical days in 1960s Los Angeles.
Intense psychological study, the professor's homsexuality just one aspect of his person, has a timeless quality to it (you hardly notice that it is set in the 60s) and offers Colin Firth one of his best roles.
Maltin***: "Flawlessly detailed visualization of Christopher Isherwood's landmark novel benefits from a superb performance by Firth, but its resolute restraint also keeps it a bit aloof at times. Impressive directorial debut by fashion designer Ford..."
The ancient war between humans and a race of giants is reignited when
Jack, a young farmhand fighting for a kingdom and the love of a
princess, opens a gateway between the two worlds.
Not-so-bad take on the classic children's tale, great settings and thrilling action, but the giants might be a bit too gruesome for kids.
Maltin**1/2: "Elaborate telling of the famous fairy tale...Knockout visual effects and a good cast make this fairly enjoyable, though it goes on longer than it should. Parents should also know that this seemingly family-friendly film has a lot of mayhem in it."
A woman rebels against a tyrannical ruler in post apocalyptic Australia
in search for her homeland with the help of a group of female prisoners,
a psychotic worshiper, and a drifter named Max.
An amazing action fantasy, professionally made in all departments, creating a mad apocalyptic world with a cast of interesting characters and showcasing some of the best action sequences ever seen on screen; it not only tops all previous attempts in the series, but probably will be the litmus test for future action movies to come.
