Life Itself (2014)

A retrospective on the life and career of Roger Ebert from his college days to his death. Mostly lovely, but I was unhappy at how much time they spent on his post-power of speech life. I know it’s terrible to complain about how hard it was to see him that way... but the fact is that I’m most interested in his vibrancy. His words literally made him who he was. When the film focused on his work, I was rapt. When they focused on his illness, I wasn’t.

B-

The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)

Probably the best Wes Anderson movie since Royal Tenenbaums. It’s still unmistakably in his universe, but the formula felt just different enough for me to enjoy him again. Not a great movie, but it is a lovely diversion.

B

Tommy Boy (1995)

First movie in our new house & town! Probably the fourth or fifth time I've seen it -- I wanted something to be familiar tonight!

Bo Derek and Julie Warner duke it out for worst performance by someone who no one under the current age of 30 can name. Not as hilarious as it used to be, but there are still a good 10 or so laugh-out-loud moments. It's just starting to feel dated.

B

Snowpiercer (2014)

WHAT a disappointment. It was neither visually stunning nor involving as a story. You could see twists coming a traincar away and all of the characters were disposable types -- I never felt any of the many deaths. I actually laughed aloud during Curtis’s big confession (embedded for your pleasure).



What a friggin’ mess.

D+

Short Term 12 (2013)

Despite the worst internet connection in hotel history resulting in stuttering playback and many stops for 5-minute buffers, this film shone. It was both inspired and heartbreaking -- I cried more than a couple of times. Terrific performances. Beautiful film.

A