From the DVD Shelf: A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
OK, here’s a quick summary of my thoughts on the Die Hard series. I think the first Die Hard is one of the best action movies ever made, a practically perfect combination of a wonderful cast, a sharp script, and incredible directing (by John McTiernan). I have a fond place i
Peril at Sea Double Feature Part II: Captain Phillips
Last week I decided one intense man-faces-death-at-sea movie just wasn’t enough for me. After watching Robert Redford’s harrowing performance in All is Lost (click here for my review), I went and saw Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips. Tom Hanks plays the titular ca
Peril at Sea Double-Feature Part I: All is Lost
Last week I took in not one, but two intense stories featuring great peril at sea: All is Lost and Captain Phillips. Today I am here to talk about All is Lost. The film is a fascinating exercise in technique, as it depicts only one single human being on camera from start to finish:
Josh Reviews Ender’s Game
I read Orscon Scott Card’s novel Ender’s Game when I was in college, and I loved it. I was intrigued by the character of Ender, and captured by the tough, brutal world Mr. Card had created. I of course kept reading and, though I know I am in the minority on this one, I l
Josh Reviews Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing
After making The Avengers, Joss Whedon got a bunch of his friends and frequent collaborators together and, over 12 days and working in and around his own house, shot a black-and-white adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. I missed this when it was very br
Josh Reviews Thor: The Dark World
The sprawling cinematic epic that Marvel Studios has been crafting, ever since 2008’s Iron Man, rolls on with the very strong installment Thor: The Dark World. One might have been forgiven for thinking that perhaps, after the unprecedented movie super-hero crossover that was T
From the DVD Shelf: The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
I am endlessly fascinated by coming-of-age stories, and I don’t think I’m alone. I adore this sub-genre of movies, and when done right, I find these sorts of movies to be emotionally gripping. I have seen a number of great coming-of-age films recently, as it happens, i
From the DVD Shelf: The Place Beyond the Pines
I didn’t see director Derek Cianfrance’s 2010 film, Blue Valentine, though I certainly read about it when it came out. (The film got a lot of acclaim, and also a lot of ink due to its NC-17 rating.) It’s a film I am interested in seeing one of these days, but for
Josh Reviews Machete Kills
First of all, let me put your mind at ease. I know you were all worried, but even though Machete Kills represents a dramatic expansion of the Machete mythos, I promise that you will be able to understand all of the film’s complexities even if you haven’t seen the first f