Adapted from Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette’s obscure 1982 graphic novel Le Transperceneige by South Korean writer-director Joon-ho Bong, the politically charged Snowpiercer is a heady mix of art house and megaplex mainstream, beauty and brutality, that rates as one of the best dystopian allegories since George Orwell’s 1984. Or, to put it in less pretentious terms, it’s like Metropolis on a train, … Continue reading
Returning as director to the franchise he put on the movie map after an absence of more than a decade, Bryan Singer has turned out what feels like the first true X-Men movie since, well, the last one he directed. Ambitious and epic in scale and intimate in execution, X-Men: Days of Future Past seal the … Continue reading
Fledgling director Marc Webb displayed promise when the bumpy but enjoyable Amazing Spider-Man hit the big screen in 2012. It was rough around the edges — the tone was all over the place and the plot was not always a smooth ride — but the enthusiasm and creativity were there, and talent and chemistry of Andrew Garfield … Continue reading
A little darker and more serious than Marvel Studios’ other movies to date, Captain America: The Winter Soldier is an impressive action-drama that proves that superhero sequels can be worthwhile. Bigger and bolder yet tightly focused in terms of story and character, it shakes up the Marvel Cinematic Universe and pushes the boundaries of what … Continue reading
With Phase Two of its master plan for pop culture domination now well under way, Marvel has put itself in a precarious position: The novelty value of seeing these characters on the big screen for the first time is spent, the afterglow of The Avengers has worn off, and loft fan expectation means coasting is … Continue reading
Three years ago, Kick-Ass lit up a small number of screens like a cinematic firebomb tossed into unsuspecting megaplexes; audiences were caught off guard by the sight of a then-unknown Chloë Moretz swearing like a sailor with Tourette’s Syndrome while slicing and dicing street thugs at the encouragement of a demented Adam West-esque vigilante father … Continue reading
Let’s face it: Old man Logan took a serious cinematic beating in his first solo outing, X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), most of it from the writer and director rather than the villains. It was a hard enough flop to strike down a planned series of Origins films (which thankfully resulted in X-Men: First Class and … Continue reading
Much like its 2010 predecessor, based on Warren Ellis and Cully Hammer’s comic book about elderly secret agents forced out of retirement after they’re targeted for elimination, Red 2 is free from lofty expectations. Red was a surprise sleeper hit that earned points from a smart script, fantastic casting, and the novelty of watching Helen … Continue reading
Aside from the Batman franchise, Warner Bros. has been behind the curve in developing a cinematic universe for their own superheroes; the owners of scores of fan-favorite characters, they’ve developed little else recent years beyond the misfire Green Lantern and a rejected pilot for a Wonder Woman TV series. Although Man of Steel falters in the final reel, it raises … Continue reading
Cinemark Theaters and Paramount Studios’ Reel Classics series continues its Steven Spielberg month with Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981), 2 and 7pm June 9 and 2pm June 12, at select Cinemark theaters. Details The Shops at Park Lane’s Movies Under the Moon film series returns with a screening of the animated feature The Lorax (2012), 8:30pm, June 9, at the corner … Continue reading