Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

Sugar

The very definition of success. Just not the success we all think of.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0990413/

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Dexter: Season 8

For purists perhaps that was perfect, but for me it was a paltry sum of its parts.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/

Monday, December 23, 2013

Doctor Who: The Movie

Obviously ridiculous (an amorous Doctor? half-human??), still, I have to side with the Master for the first and only time when he corrects Grace's grammar.

Doctor Who: Season 26

And all we learn (in the end) is that the Doctor has many secrets, not all of them nice.
http://imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

Doctor Who: Season 25

Tom Baker style, it's getting weirder as the Doctor gets meaner.

Wuthering Heights (2011)

If I'd wanted to watch moths fluttering and grass waving in the wind, I would have gone outside instead.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1181614/

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Misfits: Season 5

I'm surprised to discover I will miss this show dearly - bizarre quirky weirdness and all.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1548850/

Friday, December 13, 2013

Broadchurch: Season 1

If it weren't for the accents, the contrived nature of the plot would have been untenable.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2249364/

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 5

Odo's transformation and Kira's pregnancy aside, the treatment of Eddington throughout the season was what transformed it from bland to stellar.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/

Sunday, December 8, 2013

An Adventure in Space and Time

The BBC may have their rose-colored glasses on, but this is a sweet depiction of the First Doctor's contribution to posterity.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2663812/

Saturday, December 7, 2013

The Five(ish) Doctors Reboot

As usual, John Barrowman's section is the best part of this cute li'l for-the-fans short.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3356268/

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Doctor Who: Season 24

Big sigh of relief. This doctor (Sylvester McCoy) is fun, a good actor, and treats his companions with respect.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

Friday, November 29, 2013

Thursday, November 28, 2013

The Gatekeepers

Although international viewers may lack some background, it isn't required to comprehend the resulting situation.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2309788/

Continuum: Season 2

I appreciate both the violence - in context! - and the lack of knowing who the good guy is.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1954347/

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Sunday, November 17, 2013

Iron Man 3

I'd watch this again just to see those security thugs with true comedic timing. And Ben Kingsley, of course.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1300854/

Friday, November 15, 2013

Homeland: Season 2

Why devolve into melodrama and ridiculous plot lines? FBI safe houses made out of glass, major terrorists secretly entering the U.S., etc., etc.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1796960/

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Deep Water

It's not technically a Rosie Ruiz maneuver, but why wouldn't sailing to, say, PEI have worked?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460766/

Monday, November 11, 2013

Sunday, November 10, 2013

How to Survive a Plague

While sometimes dry and alternately melodramatic, I guarantee you'll be engaged by the time the Helms condom shows itself.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2124803/

Thursday, November 7, 2013

56 Up

I loved seeing them (for the most part) move past complacency and into wisdom and satisfaction.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2147134/

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Kon-Tiki (2012)

It's a toss-up which I like more: films about crazy-pants explorers or high-school football dramas.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1613750/

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Saturday, November 2, 2013

Viy

A cross between Bride of Frankenstein, Last Temptation of Christ, and Wizard of Oz.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0062453/

Thursday, October 31, 2013

Amour

Surely there is no other film that makes you feel what it will feel like to get old, tired, slow and ill.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1602620/

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

From Up on Poppy Hill

All of Ghibli's movies do one thing right - they place you in a time that no longer exists but that we all long for. Even on another continent.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798188/ (Original title: Kokuriko-zaka kara)

Thursday, October 24, 2013

The Sessions

Helen Hunt hands-down deserved her nomination for portraying the utterly strange life of a sex therapist.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1866249/

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

The East

Your usual morality suspense plot-- only this time, written by an actress and director who were actually IN an anarchist collective.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869716/

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Humpday

The filmmakers have performed a neat trick: turned a bizarre concept into something both surreal and real at the same time.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1334537/

Carnage

Pretentious in its staged nature, but engaging and intriguing in its view of life.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1692486/

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Epic

But, but... bats are useful! detritus is necessary! mice actually are adorable!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848537/

Thursday, October 10, 2013

Moonrise Kingdom

If the first 10 minutes of Edward Norton as the scoutmaster isn't tickling your funny bone, you won't enjoy this film.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1748122/

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

The Company You Keep

I'm fairly certain Redford and Dobbs could not have more clearly telegraphed the denouement.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1381404/

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

The Bling Ring

How do you excuse the zeitgeist of bling by showing oodles of it (and how fun it is)?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2132285/

Monday, September 30, 2013

Disconnect

New genre: multi-part stories about how our lives suck because of the Internet.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1433811/

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Thursday, September 19, 2013

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 4

I'll admit to being completely disinterested in Quark's little kingdom when I started watching this. Now these are my favorite episodes.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/

Saturday, September 14, 2013

42

The strength of character needed to do what Mr. Robinson did - that's the most important take-away.

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Lark Rise to Candleford: Season 4

Well, that's the end, and a disappointing end, too. At least Queenie remained as marvelous as ever.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077744/

Monday, September 2, 2013

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Friday, August 30, 2013

Oz the Great and Powerful

Of all the ridiculous things in this movie, it's the unthinking laudation of Edison that really gets my goat.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1623205/

Thursday, August 29, 2013

Arrested Development: Season 4

Once you catch on, it's more fun, but I don't remember the previous seasons being so exhausting to watch.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367279/

Monday, August 26, 2013

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 3

Precisely as in ST:TNG, season 3 is when things start to come together. Why oh why does it take so long, though?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/

Monday, August 19, 2013

Doctor Who: Season 22

That rock-n-roll DJ with the fake American accent (in "Revelation of the Daleks") harkens back to "Pirate Planet" and the best of the first Baker.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

Monday, August 12, 2013

Dexter: Season 7

I can't wait for next season. At least we'll be done with all the excuses. (The rest I'll miss.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/

Friday, August 9, 2013

Warehouse 13: Season 4

Watching Alison Scagliotti and Cherie Currie sing "Cherry Bomb" made up for that irritating hiatus.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1132290/

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Savages

Stone can make a B-movie look like a B-movie with cojones. And I sure hope the chosen title is ironic.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1615065/

Saturday, August 3, 2013

Ruby Sparks

This standard love story cum explanation of a love story revealed far more when I realized who the writer was.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839492/

Thursday, August 1, 2013

Damsels in Distress

They think they've made a farce because it's obnoxious and irrational. It also needs to be a lot less bemusing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1667307/

Monday, July 29, 2013

Friday, July 26, 2013

30 Rock: Season 7

Slightly disappointing that Liz had to be MWC at the end, yet I will miss this show and its fast-flying zingers.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0496424/

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine: Season 2

I don't understand why you need a new enemy (The Dominion) when the old Hitler-esque one was working so well (The Cardassians).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0106145/

Monday, July 22, 2013

Sunday, July 21, 2013

Jack the Giant Slayer

If I were Mr. McGregor, I'd be peeved that all the villains have Scottish accents.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1351685/

Thursday, July 18, 2013

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Side Effects

That would be a standard riff on the problems surrounding pharmaceutical companies morphing directly and absurdly into a thriller.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2053463/

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Monsters University

A perfectly adequate, but not eye-opening, Pixar offering. At least it didn't make me fall asleep like Cars 2 did.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1453405/

Saturday, July 6, 2013

Robot & Frank

This is both - a rumination on memory and age, and amusing and entertaining - rolled into one.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1990314/

Snitch

Always a joy to watch a natural actor at work, regardless of the calibre of film.

Friday, July 5, 2013

Much Ado About Nothing

For the first 15 minutes, I was holding my breath. For the remaining 94 minutes, I had no need to.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2094064/

Doctor Who: Season 21

Goodbye Mr. Davison: a little sorrow on that one. Hello Mr. Baker (#2): yes, you're a very good actor, but, ugh.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

The Newsroom: Season 1

While it's clear that Sorkin is trying way too hard here, we'll likely stick around another season to listen to the news.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1870479/

Sunday, June 30, 2013

Cloud Atlas

So intriguing that I now want to read the book. Hubby says different enough that it will be another form of intriguing.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1371111/

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Parker

At times like this, a direct quote is best: "You ain't ever gonna get an Academy Award for doing Crank and you certainly won't for doing all the other movies I've done."
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1904996/

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Friday, June 21, 2013

Lark Rise to Candleford: Season 2

The problem with watching one episode after another after another after... is that you get really sick of the especially weird characters (looking at you, Thomas Brown).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077744/

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Escape from Planet Earth

Run for your lives! We're all programmed to enjoy these moralistic "kid" animations!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0765446/

Monday, June 3, 2013

Doctor Who (new): Season 7, Part 2

Meh, meh and more meh. You better give us something to sink our teeth into next season, Mr. Moffat.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436992/

Star Trek Into Darkness

I applaud the return of the franchise to Star Trek's core values (honor, trust, heart) but why a nearly word-for-word re-do (with one switcheroo) of the all-important scene from Wrath of Khan?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1408101/

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Django Unchained

Only Tarantino could marry The Ring Cycle with black westerns, and add the panache of a liberal dose of humor to it all.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1853728/

Saturday, May 18, 2013

Glee: Season 4

This season simply reinforces that the reason to watch Glee is and always will be solely because of Rachel.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1327801/

Thursday, May 16, 2013

A Separation

A 15th century morality play updated to the 21st and given a setting that we, as Americans, find particularly fascinating.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1832382/ (Original title: Jodaeiye Nader az Simin)

Sunday, May 12, 2013

The Square

The denouement was nigh on incomprehensible, but the finale? Everyone will understand that.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1085507/

Life on Mars: Season 1

Really really obvious plots, but I eventually was intrigued by the peek into 70s Britain.

Thursday, May 9, 2013

Misfits: Season 4

This moved from sci-fi freaky fun to faintly pornographic drama in the course of one season.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1548850/

Sunday, May 5, 2013

The Place Beyond the Pines

Walk into this film knowing nothing about it and the plot device will be even more engaging.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1817273/

Persona

Oh yea, it's gorgeously composed, but I prefer my art-house films to have slightly more story.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Saturday, April 27, 2013

Pitch Perfect

The romance is as usual ridiculous but the comedy, the music and the competition are exceptional.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1981677/

Friday, April 26, 2013

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Trouble with the Curve

First 1/3 of the movie: A for excellent acting, chemistry and script-writing. Rest of the movie: C+ for obviousness.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2083383/

Monday, April 22, 2013

Continuum: Season 1

Despite the obvious ending to this season, a welcome addition to the clever and intelligent sci-fi pantheon.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1954347/

Saturday, April 20, 2013

Torchwood: Season 4

Since when did this become a police drama instead of a sci-fi show?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485301/

A Royal Affair

An excellent example of how freedom of the press can bite you in the butt.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276419/ (Original title: En Kongelig Affære)

Monday, April 15, 2013

Torchwood: Season 3

Those who warned me really meant it. Be very, very careful watching this season.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485301/

Torchwood: Season 2

Talk about getting at the heart of all the important sci-fi themes. Why can't it go on in this vein?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485301/

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Killing Them Softly

Gangsters-with-regular-lives, in the same vein as the-hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1764234/

Life of Pi

That last interaction - "which story do you prefer?" "the tiger one" "that's the way it is with God" - huh?

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Hitchcock

Light entertainment with the added bonus of understanding how integral Alma was to his process.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0975645/

Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Monday, April 1, 2013

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

It's somehow harder to think of Newman as a pretty boy trying to be serious than it is to think of Depp or DiCaprio that way.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0051459/

Thursday, March 28, 2013

House of Cards: Season 1

Perhaps a teeny bit overly dramatic, but I would watch Wright and Spacey every hour of every day.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1856010/

Becoming Human

Yea, but I had to look up Bergerac, which made me feel as stupid as the ghost.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1829850/

Monday, March 25, 2013

Our Nixon

You didn't actually expect confessions from the aides' archival home movies, did you?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2282662/

Suitcase of Love and Shame

How did festival goers feel about that final shot?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2223676/

Water and Power

I think I need to watch this one 40 times.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098624/

Your Day Is My Night

You will not be upset when you learn at the end that it is half performance art.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2510468/

The End of Time

It may be beautiful. It's also damn obvious.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2176504/

Leviathan

No more fitting title to a documentary.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2332522/

People's Park

No, no, don't walk away. Let it roll out till the very end.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2334076/

Saturday, March 16, 2013

The Master

Let it wash over you as a form of hypnosis, because trying to understand more could be grueling.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1560747/

Sunday, March 10, 2013

End of Watch

Unique format, heartfelt acting and all? Still too obvious an ending.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1855199/

Wreck-It Ralph

Now what if Jack McBrayer didn't exist? A movie with Fix-It Felix couldn't exist either then.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1772341/

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Carrier: Series 1

Although I may not agree with military policies, the women and men aboard our carriers receive 100% of my respect.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1224387/

Saturday, March 2, 2013

The Central Park Five

Do you remember the Central Park jogger of 1989 and "wilding" kids? This will bring it all back.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2380247/

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Flight

I hope you didn't watch the Oscars. Because if you did, this movie is ruined for you.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1907668/

Friday, February 22, 2013

Dredd

The only interesting thing about this paltry story of special effects is the guns that are whatever you want them to be on spoken command.

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Homeland: Season 1

I can't decide if this show is a showcase for the tit-for-tat that is the international spying game, or a basic thriller with a bad message for the American people.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1796960/

Monday, February 18, 2013

Downton Abbey: Season 3

Julian Fellowes must have had a mini-heart attack when both actors asked to leave the show.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1606375/

Sunday, February 17, 2013

Pather Panchali

When the critics only tell you something is a classic, but not why it's a classic, beware.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0048473/

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Wallander: Series 3

I think they may be coming to the end of all they want to do. Episode 2, "The Dogs of Riga", was just awful.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178618/

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Argo

In-jokes that work! Politically relevant! Tense and suspenseful! Affleck has hit one out of the park.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1024648/

Les Misérables

Jackman was good, Crowe was meh, but Hathaway was miraculous.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1707386/

Monday, February 4, 2013

Being Human (UK series): Season 4

I thought they'd not be able to create a character more charming than Mitchell, but this season? It's almost better than all the others.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1349938/

Sunday, February 3, 2013

Hotel Transylvania

I just don't remember liking to be scared when I was kid. Times, they have changed.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837562/

Saturday, February 2, 2013

Thursday, January 31, 2013

Dexter: Season 6

Colin Hanks has a cloak of invisibility. He's perfect for the first 3/4 of this season, at least.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0773262/

Sunday, January 27, 2013

Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln: Abolitionist and Cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eater.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443272/

Searching for Sugar Man

The first thing I said to hubby was "You don't have an exciting past like that that I'm going to learn about in 25 years, do you?"
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2125608/

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

The Bourne Legacy

Decent expansion of the trilogy (with plenty of room for more) incorporating all the usual hijinks and unbelievable situations.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1194173/

Monday, January 21, 2013

Silver Linings Playbook

Despite the gloss-over of bi-polar disorder towards the end, this is one of the more refreshing rom-coms in recent memory.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1045658/

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Doctor Who: Season 20

Holy cats, we're in the era of worst companions ever (ie, Adric, Tegan).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056751/

The Lady from Shanghai

It might be one of Welles' lesser works, but he's still clearly a genius (ie, the funhouse, the courtroom vs. chess scenes, the luminosity of Hayworth).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0040525/

Ice Age: Continental Drift

Did anyone else think the sea lion character was just a cheap knock-off of Heimlich from A Bug's Life? 

Ted

Strangely, this is the film that made me go look up Marky Mark's "Good Vibrations" on youtube.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1637725/

The Guild: Season 6

Um, was that it? For like, ever?
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1138475/

Monday, January 7, 2013

Jeff, Who Lives At Home

Honestly? I don't get it. (Signs crap-ola notwithstanding, like, duh.)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1588334/

Killer Joe

The fact that the NC-17 rating was surrendered by the MPAA (leaving it UR or unrated) will tell you something as to whether or not you want to rent this.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1726669/

Tuesday, January 1, 2013