Mini Reviews

Every year, I try to watch as many film released within that year as possible, so that at the year's end I have as many films as possible for consideration onto my best and worst lists. So, I've been keeping up with films I missed at the theater or that went straight to DVD through Netflix. Here are some mini reviews for those films.

Being Flynn
Starring: Robert DeNiro, Paul Dano, Olivia Thirlby
Plot: A wannabe writer discovers his deadbeat dad is sort of a loser despite the fact that he claims to be the greatest living American writer.
Thoughts: Solid acting from Dano and DeNiro can't save this cheesy, melodramatic, boring mess of a movie.
Grade: C+

Friends With Kids
Starring: Jennifer Westfeldt, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolf, Kristen Wiig, Jon Hamm, Chris O'Dowd, Ed Burns, Megan Fox
Plot: A woman in her upper 30s and her longtime best friend decide to avoid the pratfalls of their friends who got married and had kids and just stay friends and have a kid.
Thoughts: The first two thirds of this movie are an absolute joy. The cast is fantastic and it's genuinely touching and funny and well-written. However, a cliched third act threatens to ruin everything.
Grade: B-

Hick
Starring: Chloe Grace Moretz, Blake Lively, Eddie Redmayne, Juliette Lewis, Rory Culkin
Plot: A young girl realizes she's had enough of her hick family and decideds to run away to Vegas where she plans on finding a rich man. She meets some shady people along the way.
Thoughts: A super mess of a movie, although Moretz is great. But even Juliette Lewis (who really isn't in enough movies these days) and Rory Culkin (the best Culkin!) can't save this mess.
Grade: D+

Innkeepers
Starring: Sara Paxton
Plot: On the last weekend run for a Bed and Breakfast, two co-workers decide to investigate the fact that the place may haunted.
Thoughts: A fairly effective, yet predictable, ghost story. The moments of boredom and the overall lameness is nearly saved by a really great ending.
Grade: C+

Lockout
Starring: Guy Pearce, Maggie Grace
Plot: In the near future, there is a maximum security prison floating in space. The president's daughter (Grace) happens to be there when a riot breaks out. A conman (Pearce) is sent in to save the day.
Thoughts: Super cliched in just about every way, but also not such a bad way to spend a mindless summer night. Pearce is the saving grace as a smart ass anti-hero.
Grade: C-

Project X
Plot: High schoolers throw the most epic party ever.
Thoughts: It wants to be Superbad or The Hangover, but it's not nearly funny enough to be either. It tries its best to be shocking but that's not enough.
Grade: D+

The Woman in Black
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe
Plot: A young man goes to the English countryside to investigate the death of a woman.
Thoughts: Totally boring and cliched up until about the last 5 minutes when it finally got compelling, but too little too late.
Grade: D