Monthly Archives: August 2015

Movie Review: “Finding Vivian Maier”

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Roger Moore

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream,” Harlan Ellison titled one of his science fiction short stories. That’s as perfect an expression of an artist’s experience of “quiet desperation” as has ever been put on the page. Vivian Maier … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Comments Off on Movie Review: “Finding Vivian Maier”

Owen Wilson’s “Go to” lines — summarized

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Roger Moore

Here it is, every arrow in the Butterscotch Stallion’s quiver. With “No Escape” dumped in the No Hit Zone of the end of August (Aug. 26), Wilson is in the latter stages of his film stardom. But here’s a video … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Owen Wilson’s “Go to” lines — summarized

Movie Review: “Marshland”

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Roger Moore

The novel place and time are the only distinguishing characteristics of “Marshland,” a Spanish serial killer thriller set in the years just after the death of the dictactor Francisco Franco. Those were wild, unbridled times in the cities of Spain, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Comments Off on Movie Review: “Marshland”

Movie Review: “The Keeping Room”

Posted on August 17, 2015 by Roger Moore

“The Keeping Room” is a self-consciously gritty and minimalist female empowerment thriller that could have just been three pretty actresses getting down and Scarlett O’Hara dirty in the waning days of the Civil War. But those three players transcend this … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Movie Review: “The Keeping Room”

Movie Review: “Guidance”

Posted on August 16, 2015 by Roger Moore

“Write about what you know,” teachers, novelists and script doctors tell us. So Pat Mills, a one-time child actor, cooked up a screenplay about a one-time child actor. Let’s hope that’s where the autobiography ends in “Guidance,” a rude and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | Comments Off on Movie Review: “Guidance”

Box Office: “Compton” goes straight to the top — $55 million — “U.N.C.L.E.” bombs

Posted on August 15, 2015 by Roger Moore

That headline says it all. F. Gary Gray’s bio film of the seminal gangsta rap group N.W.A. is exceeding expectations and blowing up August. It did over $22 late night Thursday and all day Friday, and could clear $55 million … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Box Office: “Compton” goes straight to the top — $55 million — “U.N.C.L.E.” bombs

Weekend movies: “Compton” and “Mistress America” endorsed, Brit critics tilt “U.N.C.L.E.” reviews positive

Posted on August 14, 2015 by Roger Moore

Let’s parse these Tomatometer numbers on “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.,” an August thriller (as in, not good enough to land an audience in the more competitive May-July window) if ever there was one. I mean, it’s blandly amusing, here and … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Weekend movies: “Compton” and “Mistress America” endorsed, Brit critics tilt “U.N.C.L.E.” reviews positive

Movie Review: “People Places Things”

Posted on August 13, 2015 by Roger Moore

The deadpan charms of Kiwi comic Jemaine Clements are the chief recommendation of “People Places Things,” a droll New York romantic comedy that feels like 240 indie rom-coms that preceded it. Not that it doesn’t have its novelties. OK, novelty. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Movie Review: “People Places Things”

Movie Review: “Mistress America”

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Roger Moore

Greta Gerwig has the title role in the manic and maniacally funny “Mistress America,” a chatty, shrewdly observant comedy about a New York/social media “type” anybody with a cell phone will recognize. Tracy (Lola Kirke of “Gone Girl”) certainly has. … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news | Comments Off on Movie Review: “Mistress America”

Movie Review: “Straight Outta Compton”

Posted on August 12, 2015 by Roger Moore

Years in the making, fortuitous in its casting, engrossing and thorough, “Straight Outta Compton” is pretty much all you could hope for in a biopic of the seminal L.A. rap group N.W.A. Director F. Gary Gray delivers his best work, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews | 3 Comments