Brash, complicated, and somewhat of a gorgeous mess, Vice, Adam McKay’s pointed critique and chronicle of the career of American politician Dick Cheney moves like an eighteen wheeler barrelling down a hillside with no breaks.
Christian Bale
A daring, but dazzlingly realized reworking of Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book, Mowgli: Legend of the Jungle is a successful risk that might not be suitable for the youngest of children, but is certainly one of the better and more soulful effects driven blockbusters of the year.
Writer and director Scott Cooper’s Hostiles isn’t one of the worst films ever made, but it’s one of the worst kinds of films: a self-important, plodding, and basic diatribe about the negative impact of Colonialism that’s too wrapped up in its own sense of personal accomplishment and air of ennui that it doesn’t realize how it’s conforming to negative stereotypes instead of subverting them.
Christopher Nolan has built the Batman franchise on one concept that few other superhero films have embraced, and it has made the difference between the relatively airy heroes found in other blockbusters this year, and Nolan’s grim Dark Knight.
New releases on DVD and Blu-ray this week include: Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, starring Matt Damon and Cécile De France; The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Academy Award winners Christian Bale and Melissa Leo; and The Switch, with Jennifer Aniston and Jason Bateman.
Hollywood rolled out the limousines, champagne, and all of their A-listers as the 83rd Academy Awards took over the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood for the annual cinematic schmooze-fest.
New this week on DVD and Blu-ray, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince debuts just in time to make onto your holiday shopping lists; Johnny Depp stars as bank robber John Dillinger in Public Enemies; plus a look at Julie & Julia, The Cove, and the fifth season of Lost.
Out this week in theatres, following their Canada Day debut, Michael Mann‘s Public Enemies looks back at the infamous criminal John Dillinger and his run from the FBI. Plus, we take a look at the third Ice Age film, Dawn of the Dinosaurs, and the brainy sci-fi drama, Moon.
Public Enemies was probably the only movie I was actually waiting for this summer with any sense of excitement or anticipation. Johnny Depp is on a real tear right now, so is Christian Bale, and director Michael Mann, for my money, has never made a bad movie. Some of his movies are better than others but they are all extremely well made and usually very interesting.
Opening this week, Christian Bale stops ranting long enough to star in McG‘s franchise reboot, Terminator Salvation, while Ben Stiller goes back to the museum for Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Also opening, the Wayans family gets their spoof on for the comedy Dance Flick.