I, Frankenstein

I, Frankenstein

Directed by: Stuart Beattie Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Yvonne Straohvski, Miranda Otto, Bill Nighy, Jai Courtney Rated: PG-13 for sequences of intense fantasy action and violence throughout Some movies, you can tell whether you want to see them or not by the previews alone. “I, Frankenstein” is most assuredly one of those films. It has a ludicrous plot that can literally be summed up in a single sentence, heaps of action, and loads of gorgeous cinematography. It’s based on a graphic novel (by Kevin Grevioux, who worked as a writer on the “Underworld” movies), and it shows. If you are looking for an hour and a half of brainless entertainment, you could do a lot worse than “I, Frankenstein.” The gist of the story is this: Frankenstein’s monster (Aaron Eckhart) is drawn into the ongoing war between the legions of hell and the Gargoyle Order (yes, gargoyles, like the carvings on old churches. They’re sort of

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Grudge Match

Grudge Match

Directed by: Peter Segal Starring: Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Kim Bassinger, Kevin Hart, Jon Bernthal, LL Cool J, Alan Arkin Rated: PG-13 for sports action violence, sexual content and language As the baby boomers age, both indie movies and Hollywood studios have started paying attention, creating out more projects about older characters, often with plots directly about aging. We’ve gotten “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,’ “It’s Complicated,” “Last Vegas,” and many more over the last few years, and “Grudge Match” follows the same trend. Its chief difference is that its two main characters are both boxers in their seventies, with a very old conflict between them. Sylvester Stallone has been refusing to age for some years now – witness his action appearances in the “Expendables” movies, for example — but it’s hard to ignore that the man is over seventy. All the Hollywood tricks in the makeup box and plastic surgeon’s domain can only

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47 Ronin

47 Ronin

Directed by: Carl Rinsch Starring: Keanu Reeves, Hiroyuki Sanada, Ko Shibasaki, Tadanobu Asano, Jin Akanishi, Rinko Kikuchi, Min Tanaka Rated: PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, some disturbing images, and thematic elements If you saw the trailers for “47 Ronin,” the Keanu Reeves vehicle helmed by Carl Rinsch (doing his first feature-length film!), you could be forgiven for assuming the flick was another white-savior movie, where all the non-whites need is an American to save them. The trailers make this film look awful. It is not only not awful, it’s actually a fun ride! So, take your preconceptions and toss ’em out the window. This is not the film the trailers make it out to be. The tale of the 47 Ronin is essentially the national legend of Japan, a story about honor, loyalty, and the code of the samurai. The protagonist is Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), head of the titular warriors, who seek

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Peter Jackson continues his epic prequel trilogy with the new film “The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.” As in the previous installment, “An Unexpected Journey,” the story found in the book “The Hobbit” is used as a framework, and events alluded to but not described there are filled in using the author’s other works. Unfortunately, as he did in his “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, Jackson has given us a second installment with a number of things he and his partners made up rather than sticking to the source material. There’s still a lot to love, but Tolkien purists may well be better off staying home.

Oldboy

Oldboy

Directed by: Spike Lee Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli Rated: R for strong brutal violence, disturbing images, some graphic sexuality and nudity, and language “Oldboy” is Spike Lee’s first major film in some time, and it’s an interesting choice. It’s a remake of a Korean thriller (“Oldboy,” starring Min-sik Choi), which was loosely based upon a Japanese comic book. It’s full of graphic violence but contains no guns. The story was already convoluted, and the changes Lee has made result is a film that which displays consummate craft and skill, but whose underpinnings are so inconsistent and surreal that it’s hard to say whether it’s good or bad. The story follows an ordinary fellow, Joe Doucette (Josh Brolin), who is kidnapped, held in a hotel room for twenty years, and then mysteriously released. The man who orchestrated the ordeal demands that Joe discover his captor’s identity and the

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Thor: The Dark World

Thor: The Dark World

The Marvel Cinematic Universe (which is distinct from but resonates with the comics) finished its first phase with “The Avengers,” and phase two is on its way with “Iron Man 3” and now “Thor: The Dark World.” Marvel is crafting this franchise of films so that they all interlock with each other in various ways, and it works. You don’t have to have seen every single other Marvel film to enjoy them individually, but they are much richer when seen as a whole.

Last Vegas

Last Vegas

Movies about older people are becoming more and more common as a certain population segment finds themselves aging. “Last Vegas” is the latest of this genre, a blend of jokes about aging and mild introspection about how older people should live. Like others before it, it has a fabulous cast and some good dialog, and succeeds at what it sets out to do. It’s not “Citizen Kane,” but it’s not trying to be. This is a movie to see if you want some laughs and don’t mind if the comedy is a bit broad at times.

The Counselor

The Counselor

There is a very small group of films which I think are brilliant but never particularly want to see again. “The Counselor” is in that group. It’s not a flawless film, but the performances and dialog are incredible, and while it’s a cautionary tale at heart, it’s never preachy. It’s also one of the best portrayals of someone completely and utterly ruining his own and several other people’s lives I have ever seen.

Carrie

Carrie

The 1976 adaptation of Stephen King’s novel “Carrie” is well known enough that a remake seems unnecessary. Director Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”) proves that wrong, modernizing the setting, highlighting the modern tropes in the story, and drawing fantastic performances out of her cast. She also drenches it with a bleak, heartbreaking horror. With the focus on bullying in recent years, “Carrie” is a very timely film, but also one not for the faint of heart.

Riddick

Riddick

The “Chronicles of Riddick” franchise (which began with the fabulous B-movie scifi/horror flick “Pitch Black” in 2000) has grown to include two movies, a direct-to-DVD animated feature, and two video games. Now, another installment on film has come out, this time titled simply “Riddick.” Rather than following the previous film (“The Chronicles of Riddick”) and focusing on interstellar politics and opulence, series creator David Twohy has wisely returned to the formula that made the first film so good: a bunch of people who don’t necessarily get along forced to work together to survive a mass assault by freaky-looking monsters. In the vein of all great sequels, “Riddick” is more of the same, but different.