‘The Martian’ thrills with human ingenuity instead of mindless action
Director Ridley Scott shows amazing restraint as he scales back the pyrotechnics and emphasizes human ingenuity in ‘The Martian.’
Michael Peña
‘Ant-Man’ is late to the party, but still has its quirky charms
It takes 45 wobbly minutes for director Peyton Reed’s film to find its rhythm, but it closes with some ingenious action set pieces that leave you feeling satisfied. ‘Ant-Man’ is a quirky little orphan that will probably need some time and distance from its cinematic brethren to be fully appreciated.
Gracepoint, Ep. 1.09, “Episode Nine” Penultimate ep focus on characters’ past
With just one episode left, Gracepoint has been a powerful examination of grief and paranoia in a small town. While not as consistently effective as its source material, Broadchurch, this adaptation has been clever and aided by exceptional performances from David Tennant, Michael Pena, and Virginia Kull.
Gracepoint, Ep. 1.03, “Episode Three” highlights desperation and paranoia in small town
In just two episodes, Gracepoint has managed to introduce a show that is both a compelling character drama and a fascinating murder mystery. Leads David Tennant and Anna Gunn have slipped easily into their parts and Tennant in particular has been a standout.
‘Fury’ takes us into the belly of the beast
Fury Written & Directed by David Ayer USA, 2014 Brad Pitt’s new tank drama, Fury, is an unrelentingly grim affair that strives for greatness and occasionally reaches it. What could have been reduced to ‘300 in a tank’ has been expanded to a gripping human drama that values the soul just as much as …
Gracepoint, Ep. 1.02, “Episode Two” delves deeper into central mystery
“Episode Two” delves deeper into the emotional pain and uncertainty plaguing Gracepoint in the aftermath of Danny’s murder. It also raises interesting questions about a good number of the characters.
‘Gangster Squad’ Image Gallery
A chronicle of the LAPD’s fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s. Directed by Zombieland‘s Ruben Fleischer, and written by Castle staff writer Will Beall, based on the book by Paul Lieberman
‘End of Watch’ never rises above the call of duty
End of Watch Directed by David Ayer Written by David Ayer USA, 2012 Although End of Watch doesn’t have a theme song per se, one can’t help but apply a familiar tune to underscore its proceedings. Something along the lines of, “Bad boys bad boys, watcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna do when Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña …