I was reticent to watch World War Z when it was first released. Not because it was Brad Pitt, but because I knew there was no way to faithfully adapt and honor Max Brooks novel on which the film is based. So now, ten years later, I was finally ready for it. And while it…
Tag: 2013
Escape Plan (2013) – Mikael Hafstrom
Escape Plan feels like a bit of an action throwback and leans into the escapist (pun intended) entertainment of the 80s and early 90s. And what better way to do that than with two of the biggest stars of the 80s Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger? Stallone plays Ray Breslin, a professional escape artist. He…
Mama (2013) – Andy Muschietti
Guillermo del Toro served as executive producer on Andy Muschietti’s Mama an interesting take on a ghost story that also explores the roles of parents, specifically mothers, while fostering some interesting and enjoyable scares with some pretty solid special effects. Sisters Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lilly (Isabelle Nelisse) were thought lost when their father took…
Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox (2013) – Jay Oliva
Flash (Justin Chambers) has his hands full after the timeline is changed around him in Justice League: The Flashpoint Paradox. Based on the graphic novel, Flashpoint by Geoff Johns and Andy Kubert, this animated feature, though featuring great voice work by its all-star cast suffers from the same thing most of the other adaptations suffer…
About Time (2013) – Richard Curtis
Writer/director Richard Curtis brings together an all-star cast to deliver a time-travel tale that is frequently funny, emotionally poignant and a reminder that life is pretty beautiful and amazing if we remember to take the time to appreciate it, and all the little things it shows us. Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy star…
Joyland (2013) – Stephen King
I should just listen to my gut. Just because my brain isn’t initially sure I’ll enjoy a Stephen King book that doesn’t fall into what I think is my ‘usual fare’ doesn’t mean I won’t enjoy it. In fact, my gut constantly reminds me of titles that have surprised me, and we can add Joyland…
Batman: The Dark Knight Returns, Part 2 (2013) – Jay Oliva
The second installment of The Dark Knight Returns continues the adaptation of the iconic 80s graphic novel. Redefining Batman for a whole new generation, and putting the dark in Dark Knight, the story continues its exploration of an older (now no longer retired) Batman/Bruce Wayne (Peter Weller – who still can’t separate his Batman and…
Fringe (2013) – The Boy Must Live, Liberty, and An Enemy of Fate
This is it, the last trio of episodes of Fringe. How will things turn out? Will timelines be restored? Will the Observers be wiped out? Let’s find out. The Boy Must Live was written by Graham Roland and first aired on 11 January, 2013. It puts a reveal on a line often heard from the…
Red 2 (2013) – Dean Parisot
Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Helen Mirren, Brian Cox, and John Malkovich are back in Red 2, a sequel that came hot on the heels of the previous film, and added some more star power to its roster with Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Lee Byung-Hun, Steven Berkoff, and David Thewlis. Frank (Willis) gets the band back…
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) – James Wan
Director/writer James Wan and writer/actor Leigh Whannell return for the second Insidious film which picks up shortly after the first film ended continuing off the troubling reveal that Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) is no longer Josh but some malignant spirit that has come back from The Further with him, and killed Elise (Lin Shaye). While…
The Mind Reels 