RED 2

Significant? Hell no. Enjoyable? Hell yes, especially given that it’s a sequel, and not necessarily one that follows an original that really cried out for a continuation. As it turns out, this crew made the best of what they had, and for a fun, breezy, somewhat dopey time, the result is certifiably good enough. I wouldn’t say, in the end, that this is a flick of any real consequence, and you might not remember much about it after the credits have finished their roll, but you won’t feel bad about having spent these two hours watching this movie. Sometimes, that’s about all you can ask, and all you really need.

RED

An enjoyable romp through mayhem with old people. The film is hardly perfect—a-few of the confrontations feature notably absurd actions on the part of the characters involved, which supplements an amount of general, all-purpose absurdity throughout--but the action is well done and makes a certain amount of warped sense in its own context. It is also worth noting that the story deftly plays both sides of the matter of "black ops," celebrating the concept and its enactors while holding a rather jaundiced view of the thing at the same time. If you’re fairly indulgent of flaws, and are OK with not thinking too much, this flick is worth a couple of your idle, mindless entertainment hours.

Motherless Brooklyn

This outing poses an obvious question: who made the mistake in making the lead character a Tourette's-afflicted gumshoe? Was it Edward Norton the writer, or Norton the director, or Norton the actor? Amazingly enough, the auteur gets off the hook, as the condition comes from the source book, and was simply carried over into the movie. I suppose it would have been impossible not to do so, as the character's affliction is a signature mark of the work, but the device probably works better in print--where the reader has a certain amount of control over distraction--rather than on screen, where it becomes a one more layer of opacity in a complex story. Some of the story gets away from the viewer, which adds a demerit to an otherwise solid effort. So too with Norton's penchant (typical in an unproven director) to try to be a bit too gimmicky in the presentation; sometimes it works, other times keeping it simple would have served better. Those flaws are mostly outweighed by the overall skill, which is well employed in creating a solid, neo-noir environment that is one of the real joys of the film experience. It's hardly perfect, but this piece is perfectly watchable, and promise even better works to come.

Glass

I don't believe for a minute that Shyamalan intended Unbreakable to be the first picture in a trilogy. Nothing in that movie indicated that he had anything more for the story in mind. That actually makes it all the more impressive that he was able to tie it together with Split and develop this movie as a third installment in what appears to be an ad hoc series. This entry deftly unifies the second story with the first, and then gives the current narrative a life of its own, informed by but not restricted by the earliest work. With all that put together, the ultimate result here--and it does seem "ultimate" given how things go--is a strong entry into the mix, one that serves as a real showcase for McAvoy's ability to inhabit multiple characters in one role (without having to bother with introductory trappings, which make his transitions all the more seamless and impressive). The story also contains interesting meditations on the nature off comic book characters, what they are and what they represent, and this flick arguably gets right what so many of the other superhero films--particularly the biggest fish in the ocean--get dead wrong. I know that other boy from Philadelphia gets kicked around a lot, but I give credit where it's due: Shyamalan has lifted himself back up and made himself, again, a filmmaker to watch. That too is the act of a special person.

Moonrise Kingdom

More cinematic mischief from the Quirkmaster General. Like other Wes Anderson movies, this film should be too precious and self-aware to be impressive, yet once again the final product is not just offbeat, but funny, charming, and highly entertaining. And if that’s not enough, this flick would be a delight based on its brevity alone--the end comes long before you’re ready for it. Most definitely worth a look.

Looper

The cleverness here comes from a conscious decision not to be clever. Writer and director Rian Johnson declares early on (through the Bruce Willis character) that he’s not interested in getting bogged down in time travel paradox puzzles (although the film’s denouement arguably does rely on just such a puzzle). The key decision allows both the filmmakers and the audience to focus on the business at hand: a well-made, stylish thriller that keeps you entertained all the way to its mobius knot ending. The only sour note: Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s distractingly bad makeup job; suspension of disbelief could have been achieved without the odd look. Otherwise, this flick’s a good one, and worth a look.

Last Man Standing

A ham-handed remake of A Fistful of Dollars and/or Yojimbo. It's a bad sign from the start when the movie relies on a lot of voice over narration to clue you in to what's going on--especially when neither of its progenitors needed that device. Bruce Willis is all right, but most of the rest of the cast really go over the top and chew the scenery. However, it does deliver a fair amount of entertaining violence, so it's not entirely irredeemable. If you're home some night with nothing better to do and this one comes on the TV, you could do worse.

Fast Food Nation

I agree with this movie's principles, but I think there are some big mistakes here. Throughout the running time, I kept feeling that a fictionalized treatment of the muckracking bestseller was the wrong approach; a documentary would have worked a lot better (though telling that much truth probably would have led to substantial lawsuits). Plus, the storyline here takes the problems with the fast food industry and externalizes them too much; most people watching this film aren't interested in what happens to poor Mexicans--their question is, "How does this affect me?" Again, I applaud the politics, but I think the heart of this matter, as shown here, will be too distant for most viewers.

Bandits

It works. It's not something that will change the world, but you can find worse ways to pass the time. The story holds the attention, Billy Bob Thornton is typically excellent, Bruce Willis is in his best mode (when he doesn't try to do too much), and Cate Blanchett is funnier than you'd think.

Unbreakable

Something of a stealth movie--its quality sneaks up on you, and you realize how good it is when thinking about it later, after you've finished watching it. And I really dig director Shyamalan's willingness to hold a shot; it's a refreshing change from today's dominant 'quick-edit' style.

The Sixth Sense

I see a very lively film career for writer/director M. Night Shyamalan. Not just clever, moody and emotionally true, but it stands out like a sore thumb for its deliberate, assured pace compared with the rest of today's frenetic films.

12 Monkeys

The future of the world rests in Bruce Willis's hands. Oh, well…it wasn't worth all that much anyway. Nevertheless, this is an interesting and inventive movie--exactly the sort of work you'd expect from director Terry Gilliam. Worth a look.