Movie Mom
Reviews by Appropriate Audience
Imagine the basic Texas Chainsaw/Blair Witch formula, where five college kids go out into the woods for a vacation in an old cabin, meeting a few eccentric townies along the way and ending up with ...
In the words of Etta James, at last.
At last, albeit imperfectly, the extraordinary story of the rise and fall of
Chess Records has b...
Camp Ovation does not look like much, but to the high school kids who return there summer after summer, it is close to heaven. Heaven being Broadway, that is.
Camp Ovation is a camp for "t...
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Posted on Thursday August 9, 2012
Some boys are arguing in a park but we are too far away to hear what it is about. One of them whacks another in the face with a stick.
And then we are in a spacious apartment as the parents of...
John Sayles is not going to make it easy for you.
He is much more interested than questions than answers. Sayles is the ultimate "on the other hand" guy, which may make for more thoughtfu...
Mistake number one may be the title. There may be times in history when it is possible to have an appealing lead character whose primary interest in life is women, but this doesn't seem to be it. ...
What happens when everything we hold on to is taken away from us?
This is the story of Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks), trouble-shooter for Federal Express, who travels to Moscow to remind the wayw...
Peter Bogdanovich is still in love with the movies.
He has paid tribute to classic movies sucessfully ("Paper Moon," "The Last Picture Show," "What's Up Doc?") and unsuccessfully ("At Long L...
"Catwoman" is kitty litter.
Awkward and clumsy as a cat in high heels, this version of the comic book character Catwoman does not have enough to sustain one life, much less nine.
Wri...
This movie unfolds as though the scenes were assembled in random order. At least I think that's what it looks like; it is hard to say because it was so dark and murky looking.
It appears t...
Once a brilliant, Julliard-trained musician and composer, Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson) now lives in a cave in the park. He is severely mentally ill. Images of giant moths and fears of an ...
I think the idea here was to cross "Silence of the Lambs" with "The Matrix." It's a story about a serial killer, now in some sort of irreversible catatonia. How can the police find where he has h...
This serviceable little thriller suffers even more than most from the dreaded "none of this would have happened if our hero had even made one logical choice" syndrome. It more than makes up for it ...
The movie has barely begun and Dave (Jason Bateman) already has projectile baby poop all over his face and in his mouth. There is so much excretory material in this film that doctors specializing...
Radiantly beatific, Angelina Jolie glows with mother love in bright red lipstick and a series of divine cloche hats as Christine Collins, a devoted single mother, in this fact-based drama directed ...
Most thrillers have audiences asking themselves what the characters will do next. This one will have them asking themselves what they might do in this situation, because it is a movie about how cl...
Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelc...
It is not easy to take a wealt...
The silly summer explosions and kick-boxing movie of 2003 has arrived.
It's pretty much the same movie as the first one, except more of everything, and this movie has a lot of everything to...
This is an old-fashioned WWII movie, with gallant heroes and vile bad guys, romantic longing and fabulous 1940’s clothes, heartbreaking betrayal and even more heartbreaking loyalty, odious collab...
Like the case put on by the defense in the leading lady’s murder trial, “Chicago” is all razzle-dazzle – and it is only about razzle-dazzle, too.
The story is based on a real-life j...
This movie should come in a white box with a generic label -- it is all concept and explosions, with nothing worthwhile in its plot, character, or dialogue.
The concept is this: a scientist...
This choice little fairy tale even begins with "once upon a time."
It takes place in rural France, in a "quaint little village whose villagers believed in tranquility." They have "learned not...
Plot: While Jerry Renault (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) a freshman at Trinity Prep boy's school, is belittled by the football coach, two boys, Archie (Wally Ward) and Orbie (Dough Hutchison) sit high up in...
Pitch Black was an outer space horror film about a group stranded on a planet with some very scary creatures. One member of the group was Riddick (Vin Diesel), a convict being transported to priso...
Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire) reads David Copperfield aloud to his fellow orphans, letting us know that like Copperfield, he will let us decide for ourselves whether he is the hero of his own life. H...
The people behind A Beautiful Mind have re-teamed on another real-life story, but with less successfui results. It has the ingredients -- evocative portrayal of an earlier time, an inspiring story...
"City by the Sea" is an ambitious drama that never reaches any of its goals but has some watchable moments along the way.
It is based on a true story, but one so improbably agonizing that it...
The German film "Wings of Desire", Wim Wenders' dreamlike meditation on the angels among us, has been Hollywoodized into a dreamlike but glossy romance between an angel named Seth (Nicolas Cage) an...
Brazil’s nomination for Oscar consideration, “Cidade de Deus“ (“City of God”) is a blood-spattered, non-stop ride as much into the life of a ‘favela’ (squatter settlement) as it is in...
Why would such a murky movie be called "The Clearing?"
Robert Redford plays Wayne, a very successful businessman who lives in a beautiful house with Eileen, his loving if somewhat reserved ...
Those who like atmospheric thrillers that feature pentagrams and second sight and mysterious incantations from ancient texts will enjoy guaranteed goosebumps in this story of a doctor who tries to ...
With an anguished wail, Larry (Clive Owen) asks where he can find intimacy. In a private room in a strip club, where the rules say that you can look, but not touch. The stripper's ex-boyfriend is...
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Posted on Thursday October 25, 2012
We all love movies about underdog teams that come from behind because they (1) learn the importance of teamwork, (2) learn the importance of discipline and of respect for themselves and each other,...
The world director Michael Winterbottom creates is much more interesting then the story or the characters.
The story is set in a future when reproductive technology is so advanced and wides...
If it was just that it was dumb, really, I would not be so annoyed with "Cold Creek Manor." After all, most "don't go into the house"-style thrillers have their dumb plot contrivances, like "Anyon...
Inman (Jude Law), a wounded Confederate soldier, walks away from the hospital to return to his home and to Ada (Nicole Kidman), a woman he barely knows.
But then, he barely knows himself or...
As cool as a jazz riff from a tenor sax, this stylish and powerful thriller has it all -- consistently absorbing characters, twisty dialogue and an even twistier story, and action that engages the ...
Arnold Schwarzenegger plays Gordy, a fireman whose wife and son are killed when a bomb goes off in a terrorist attack. As he becomes convinced that the government will not do anything to bring jus...
Joline (Heather Graham) is a woman of her word. Her parents "had a way of moving on from things, including each other." But Joline believes in commitment. When she gets married, she has the ring...
Form follows content in Robert Altman's latest film. As in the lives of the ballet troupe it portrays, it is the dance that takes center stage. The rest of the characters' lives are glimpsed only...
The "con" in "con man" comes from the word "confidence," because a con man doesn't use stealth or force to steal from his victims -- he wins their confidence, and so they give him their money, ofte...
Director Fernando Meirelles (City of God) turns his Brazilian –cinematic—jujitsu on an emotionally gnarled book by England’s spy king, John LeCarré, with an equatorial glare that dares the a...
Take a 1930's movie detective, a guy who shoots straight and talks tough. You know, the kind of guy who may have a soft spot for a dame in a jam but that doesn't necessarily mean he believes what ...
The Contender" isn't authentic. It isn't even credible. It falls just short of preposterous. Now that we have that out of the way, let me say that it is thought-provoking and thoroughly enjoyabl...
Oh, not another one last job movie! This remake of an Icelandic thriller, directed by the actor who played the lead role in the original, is a by-the-numbers heist, chase, and shoot-em-up. It's...
Truth is a mosaic. Facts are the tiles that have to be pieced together, and it is only in standing back and looking at the whole that one can see the patterns.
This documentary by Jehane N...
Sam Rockwell gives one of the best performances of the year as Kenny Waters, a man wrongly convicted of murder for eighteen years until his sister was able to prove that he was innocent and get him...
It's too bad that a fresh, smart, and courageous look at the conflicts African-Americans feel about racist stereotypes that sometimes feel more real to them then they would like to admit gets lost ...
If you have some affection for the 1980's-era buddy cop movies (the "Lethal Weapon" series, "Running Scared," "48 Hours," etc.), rent one of those. Don't try to re-create the genre by seeing Kevin...
This tired attempt at comedy has no imagination or energy. The script is like a smudgy carbon originally rejected by Jerry Lewis as too dumb and then reworked for Gilbert Gottfried. It isn't even ...
I'm guessing that what happened here is that BFFs Jon Favreau (director of
Iron Man but here as an actor), Vince Vaughn, and...
The people behind "Flashdance" have delivered another movie with about the same level of believabilty, but with little less flash and a lot less dance. You won't see much more dance on screen than...
This slapdash mess of an explosion movie wastes the talents of its cast and can't even slow down to let us enjoy the fight scenes. I don't care if the plot doesn't make sense to me, but I like to ...
How do you stay true to ideals when there is pressure to compromise in order to make a living? How can you sell without selling out? These questions are provocatively posed in "mostly true" interse...
Crank -- as in the highly potent and highly agitating street drug, as in cranked up, as in dizzying cuts and swoops with the camera to replicate a disorienting strung-out high followed by an even m...
Everyone is angry. Everyone is scared. They all feel that something that belongs to them has been taken away and they don't know how to get it back.
And in this movie, they say so.
"Crash," t...
Jeff Bridges does not portray Bad Blake, a broken-down, once-successful country singer; he inhabits the role, showing us not just what is happening to the man on screen but everything, every succes...
This painful comedy about the agonies of love has some deftly observed moments and strong performances but its essential tawdriness overwhelms its efforts to be cuddly and life-affirming.
Everyo...
Sensitive but highly responsible and straight-laced guys have been falling for sensitive but high-maintenance and irresponsible girls in movies since before they started selling popcorn from theate...
The con man's greatest asset is not the gullibility of the mark, but the greed. It is much easier to persuade someone that you are dishonest than honest, especially if he is intrigued by the chanc...
A well-intentioned but ham-handed exploration of U.S. immigration policies, this movie's message is undermined by its cardboard characters and clunky script. Like "Babel" and "Crash" it is a multi...
Here is the good news: Britney Spears is a better actress than Mariah Carey. Here is the bad news: the movie is not very good. Here is the worse news: it is not appropriate for the girls who shou...
Three close friends get together every week to share their saddest stories about looking for love. The one with the worst story of the week gets the consolation prize of a box of candy. Then, one...
Do You Believe in Miracles? Take some time this week to help someone else. Surprise someone with ...
10 Exercises to Stay Spiritually Fit Get spiritually fit with our 10 tips!
20 Scriptures That Bring Hope to Any Situation Need a lift? Here are 20 scriptures to make you feel better in any ...
5 Ways to Revive Your Dream! Rekindle your joy! Re-ignite your passion. Achieve your wildest ...
7 Ways to Plant Seeds of Greatness in Your Life Visit ways to plant seeds of greatness into your life. ...
20 Powerful Declarations to Fight Discouragement Speak life into your day with these 20 declarations!
5 Ways to Stay Healthy This Summer Here are five ways to remain healthy and happy during the summer!
5 Tips for Better Sleep Top sleep expert Dr. David Volpi, Founder of Eos Sleep Center has put ...
7 Top Health Issues Facing Today’s Women Here are seven top health-related issues facing today’s women and ...
Celebrities Who Won't Back Down Here are five courageous women who won’t back down when their health ...
Words of Wisdom from Dr Joyce Brothers Dr. Joyce Brothers passed away May 13, 2013 at her Fort Lee, New ...
A Conversation with Minnesota Wild Center Matt Cullen With the NHL Playoffs in full swing, Minnesota Wild center Matt ...
Yes, Gratitude Works! Having an attitude of thankfulness brings incredible, unexpected ...
10 Ways to To Handle Life Changes With Courage Here are 10 tips to help you handle the twists and turns on the road ...
The Fruits of Desire Fruits are the ultimate fast food: sweet, healthy and conveniently ...
Nurturing a Healthy Marriage For many couples, years of marriage can sadly lead them to a negative ...
10 Ways to Get Over a Hurtful Past Has someone hurt you? Use these tips to move forward.
Ten Things Every Dad Should Tell His Son Being a father has never been more difficult. It's is a tough world ...
