John Leguizamo

American Ultra

American Ultra Review

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American Ultra could have easily fallen into the category of farcical tripe, but this stoner spy spoof is saved by good performances and surprising style.

Chef Review

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After spending some time away from the indie film scene making some high profile Hollywood blockbusters (and some admitted box office duds, none of which were really his fault), actor and director Jon Favreau has come back with a gleefully reinvigorated mojo in the form of Chef, a winning, inspirational, and pitch perfect comedy that feels personal and universal at the same time.

Unsung Anniversaries #3: American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt

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For this week's Unsung Anniversaries, we go with a pretty deep cut to celebrate the 25th anniversary of American Ninja 3: Blood Hunt, and in the process talk a little bit about the history of 1980s movie making powerhouse Cannon Films, what happens when a franchise has to recast its lead, and why the film has two standout performances from cult acting icons that almost make it worth watching.

Ride Along Review

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Forget that Ride Along is so cliched there are no surprises or that buddy cop movies are already too cliched to begin with. Despite the best efforts of Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, Tim Story's sanitized take on the genre is just too genial to be much fun.

Walking With Dinosaurs 3D Review

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Every problem with Walking With Dinosaurs 3D could be solved by simply firing every single person who wasn’t an animator and turning it into a silent film.

The Counselor Review

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It’s hard to think of a film that will be more openly divisive between critics, and yet no one in the general public would see or even necessarily enjoy all that much than Ridley Scott and Cormac McCarthy's The Counselor. I have no idea who this movie is aimed at pleasing or entertaining outside of McCarthy himself, but I’m kind of glad it exists. I think.

Kick Ass 2 Review

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Misguidedly choosing incredibly lame jokes instead of maintaining Mark Millar's (sometimes) misguided edginess, Kick Ass 2 is a dreadful mess of hedged bets that somehow becomes more offensive to watch than if the film had been actively going for the shock value Millar's work often courts in the first place.
One for the Money - Katherine Heigl

One for the Money Review

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Say what you will about the career trajectory of actress Katherine Heigl, there’s a decent story hidden somewhere in One for the Money. An angry, out of work woman becoming a bounty hunter and jumping at the chance to bring in a loathsome ex-lover sounds… exactly like that Gerard Butler and Jennifer Aniston movie The Bounty Hunter with the sexes reversed. That’s pretty much what this movie amounts to, but this is admittedly somewhat better than that debacle. It’s still not very good.

TIFF 2010
Vanishing on 7th Street Review

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Brad Anderson is interested in the end of things. In The Machinist, he examined the end of one man’s ability to deal with reality and its resulting madness. In Transsiberian, he examined one woman’s reaction to the possible end of her marriage and by extension her emotional existence. In Vanishing on 7th Street he looks […]