Bruce Willis
Movie Review: Death Wish
Death Wish gets a lot of things wrong, but its biggest offense is being incredibly tone-deaf. The film was pushed back from its originally scheduled November 2017 release date to March 2018 (rumors were that MGM wanted some space from the Las Vegas shooting). That was the right thing to do, but the studio should have pushed it back again after the recent events in Parkland, Florida. This movie sim...[Read More]
The Preview Reel: Red Sparrow and Death Wish
Welcome to the “Preview Reel” column, where we look at the week’s upcoming wide-release movies. Black Panther was once again the king of the box office as the latest Marvel flick enjoyed the second biggest second weekend ever, scoring an amazing $108 million. There is no stopping the Wakanda king, but two new releases will try with Jennifer Lawrence’s Red Sparrow and the Bruce Willis revenge thril...[Read More]
Movie Review: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is the long awaited sequel to Sin City (2005), a film which grossed over $158 million worldwide and became a fan favorite in no small part due to a visual style that bleeds neo-noir like Frank Miller’s artwork itself. Some have said that it is among the most faithful comic book adaptations ever made. Having the original author and the artist of the comic aboard as the ...[Read More]
Movie Review: Red 2
The action-comedy RED (2010), inspired by the limited comic book series of the same name from DC’s Homage Comics imprint, was an unexpected and pleasant surprise for moviegoers when it came out a few years ago. It successfully took what could have been a one-note joke of a concept – elderly spies having to come out of retirement – and turned it into a fun, entertaining movie. And thanks to t...[Read More]
Movie Review: G.I. Joe: Retaliation
As one of the seemingly few people who unabashedly enjoyed G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009) and thought it should have been more successful than it was, I doubted that a sequel would ever happen. So it was a pleasant surprise when I heard that a sequel was actually on the way. When the first trailer for G.I. Joe: Retaliation came out, it was way more impressive-looking than I had expected, and I...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: Everyone Old Is Cool Again in Red 2
We’re definitely in the early-year doldrums now, with guilty pleasures being the most we can usually expect from our new movies. On the plus side, there are still some good trailers coming out. This week’s Trailer Trashin’ takes a look at the teaser for the action-comedy sequel RED 2. Premise: Retired CIA officer Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) and his motley crew of friends use their...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: John McClane Returns in A Good Day to Die Hard
In recent years, the January/February action movie has become something of a tradition in Hollywood. In a time of year usually full of Oscar contenders, an entertaining bit of action fluff can clean up at the box office. And this year, Valentine’s Day weekend sees the release of a new entry in one of Hollywood’s most beloved action franchises. Let’s take a look at the third trail...[Read More]
Movie Review: Looper
Don’t go into Looper expecting to see a thinking person’s time travel movie. If so, you’ll be disappointed. But if you like your science fiction packed with suspense and action, then you’ll love Looper. Featuring excellent performances by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Pierce Gagnon, and especially Bruce Willis and Emily Blunt. Writer/director Rian Johnson delivers an intelligent, m...[Read More]
Movie Review: The Expendables 2
The Expendables 2 is one of those critic-proof movies. No matter what any of us say, people will go see this movie if they’re fans of the genre or looking for another nostalgic trip down memory lane. To put it bluntly, this movie isn’t for everyone and I get that. Fortunately for all of you, I’m part of the population that enjoys a good trip down memory lane with all of my favorite action stars fr...[Read More]
Movie Review: Moonrise Kingdom
“Summer’s End” inlet is the poetically apt destination for a pair of adolescent teens in the first flush of young love following a year of pen-pal correspondences and being hunted by comically anxious parents, scoutmasters, and lawmen in Wes Anderson’s deeply charming and lovable Moonrise Kingdom. Set in a world of innocence and privilege in 1965 New England, Anderson has crafted a perfect fantasy...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: G.I. Joe: Retaliation Brings the High Explosive Fun
With the release of The Avengers this Friday, the 2012 summer movie season officially begins. As an appropriate tie-in, this week’s Trailer Trashin’ features another summer movie about a team of larger-than-life heroes: G.I. Joe: Retaliation. Premise: The war between the elite fighting force G.I. Joe and the terrorist organization Cobra is reignited when Cobra agents within the U.S. go...[Read More]
Trailer Trashin’: Looper Sports a Confusing Premise in a Terrific Teaser
Another week, another column-sized dose of trashing a trailer. On the docket this time is the first teaser for writer/director Rian Johnson’s upcoming sci-fi action film Looper. Premise: In the future, time travel will be invented, but it will be illegal and only available on the black market. When mobsters in 2072 want to get rid of someone, they send the victim back to 2042, where hired gu...[Read More]