The Best Picture of 2016 is....."Moonlight," a coming of age story of an African-American teenager from director-screenwriter Barry Jenkins ("Medicine for Melancholy" 2008). Jenkins put together a sensitive story that won the Oscar for Best Picture of 2016, the first film with an all-black cast to win [..]
La La Land (2016)
It would seem that some of the charm of old Hollywood has returned to the big screen in "La La Land." Director-screenwriter Damien Chazelle ("Whiplash" 2014) has given us a romantic drama musical that is favorably compared to the MGM musicals of the 1930's, 1940's, and 1950's. [..]
10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
"10 Cloverfield Lane" is an engrossing science fiction thriller from producer J. J. Abrams and first time director Dan Trachtenberg. This well done story of three people confined in an underground bunker during a reported alien attack on the earth is a sequel to the 2008 motion [..]
Criminal (2016)
A convoluted plot and a worn-out story line with mediocre performances pretty much describes "Criminal." Director Ariel Vromen ("The Iceman" 2012) and screenwriters Douglas Cook and David Weisberg weave a tale of a convict who is implanted with the memories of a deceased CIA agent, the objective [..]
The Jungle Book (2016)
Walt Disney Pictures has another winner out this year called "The Jungle Book." This is the third version by Disney, after the initial 1967 animated film and the 1994 live action product. Producer-director Jon Favreau employed the latest technologies in computer-generated imagery, photorealistic rendering, and motion [..]
Jason Bourne (2016)
Matt Damon is back and better than ever as "Jason Bourne." Producer-director Paul Greengrass ("The Bourne Supremacy" 2004 and "The Bourne Ultimatum" 2007), who also wrote the screenplay with Christopher Rouse, has given us an exciting story about an "out in the cold" Bourne trying to uncover [..]
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Disagreement among the superheroes about government oversight of their is the big topic of "Captain America: Civil War." The top-rate screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely has them split into two factions: The limited government group led by Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and the big [..]
Zootopia (2016)
"Zootopia" is the latest colorful and imaginative computer-animated movie to come out of Walt Disney Animation Studios. The screenplay by Jared Bush and Phil Johnston portrays a partnership between a rabbit police office and a fox con artist as they discover a plot involving the disappearances of [..]
Money Monster (2016)
George Clooney and Julia Roberts star in the thrilling crime drama "Money Monster." Clooney plays a financial talk show host, and Roberts is his producer, whose live program is taken hostage by an angry investor who lost his inheritance after investing in stock on advise from Clooney's [..]
Central Intelligence (2016)
Ho-hum formulaic comedy sums up the film "Central Intelligence." Director Rawson Marshall Thurber is responsible for stupid nonsense like this movie and others including "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story" (2004). Thurber also co-wrote the screenplay with Ike Barinholtz and David Stassen. Stars [..]