The only thing one needs to know about this cinematic remake of the 1980s television favorite 21 Jump Street is that it’s funny.
I respected Casa de mi Padre far more than I enjoyed it, director and “SNL” veteran Matt Piedmont never striking the right balance between playing things straight while still wink-winking at the audience as if everyone knows just how absurd all of this is.
The last moments speak to the concepts of family, brotherhood and marriage in a way that touched my heart and also tickled my funny bone, and while Jeff, Who Lives at Home isn’t perfect these precious final minutes were, and for my money that’s all that matters.
The Kid with a Bike won’t be for everyone, and it certainly left me with lingering questions I’m mildly irritated weren’t even partially answered. But overall this drama is an emotionally exhilarating ride I’m still mulling over, and even more importantly it’s a film I’m certain to not soon forget.
If only Seeking Justice was even moderately worthwhile. It has a rudimentary made-for-Cable feel that, while certainly not off-putting, is still rather laughable.
If not for a final scene that left me vacillating between perplexed, bewildered, enchanted and annoyed (not necessarily in the that order), I’d probably be calling Jennifer Westfeldt’s directorial debut Friends with Kids an early contender for one of 2012’s best films.
John Carter is a treat, and here’s one vote hoping that box office receipts are high enough Disney decides a second trip to Barsoom ends up being a worthwhile investment.
But Salmon Fishing in the Yemen never swims against the current, doesn’t head upstream in an unconventional way, and as such the goodwill spawned during the initial migration frustratingly vanishes by the time this absurd romantic journey comes to its end.
No matter what one thinks of Silent House itself, the actress’ magnificence is never in doubt, and to call this the first great performance of 2012 would be a massive understatement.