Reviews

The Gentleman is a truly entertaining piece of film with an enthralling plot and unique storytelling. Some corny yet well-done callouts appear on screen from time to time and add a slice of humor to an otherwise mostly serious story. The non-linear presentation of the events that unfold adds a healthy dose of mystery, and Hugh Grant is excellent as a sometimes-unreliable narrator. Every character is interesting in their own right, but Colin Farrell and McConnaughey are absolute standouts.

Bad Boys for Life is a thoroughly enjoyable addition to the Bad Boys franchise. The chemistry between Will Smith and Martin Lawrence is infallible, and the addition of Vanessa Hudgens and the rest of the AMMO team serve as a believable foil to the original duo's off-the-cuff antics. Though some minor retconning appeared to be in order, the villains are the multi-faceted and the most interesting of the series thus far. Judging by the finale, a sequel appears to be in order, and the film earned it.

Michael Bay truly has expensive habits. The sequel has just as much indulgent carnage and destruction as the first. However, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence again lead the way with tremendous chemistry, and Gabrielle Union adds depth. Despite the constant killing, Bad Boys II is a feel-good film with nearly nonstop action and plenty of comic relief.

Bad Boys is a solid buddy cop movie with just the right amount of corny dialogue and even cornier, yet still endearing, editing and screenplay. Martin Lawrence and Will Smith have palpable chemistry and are a delight to watch. On the negative side, Michael Bay's affinity for gaudy explosions is back and as egregious as ever - though one can question whether that's truly a negative given the genre off the film. Tea Leoni's character Julie, despite being a main protagonist, is an absolute pain to watch and is very easy to root against.

Dolittle is a passable film with a concrete plot and vast, colorful settings. While the film may not have the same appeal for adults, the animals are well done and the comedy is simple which should make the movie a good time for younger audiences. Robert Downey Jr. as the titular Dolittle felt underutilized as a whole, and no other performances really stuck out.

The best of a bad bunch, The Grudge 3 demonstrates the most competent plot of the franchise thus far. The series' history of poor acting and horrific character decision-making rears its ugly head once again in this film, even causing one to occasionally root against the protagonists - the weakest that the Grudge series has seen to this point.

Amber Tamblyn is the lone bright spot in another forgettable entry to this franchise. The two main plot threads followed throughout the length of the film are almost entirely disconnected. The film is marred by nearly-universal poor acting and a story that starts at point A and ends at point A. The ever-creepy ghost of Kayako has a high ceiling, but this film again wastes the spirit's potential.

Jarring leaps through time and nonsensical character behavior and motivations don't assist a film that's plot could likely have been contained in a 30 minute short film. A truly unsettling backstory and gruesome, disturbing imagery are highlights of an otherwise lackluster, run-of-the-mill horror film.