Author: Laurie Coker

Review: LAST VEGAS

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+ Director Jon Turteltaub’s Last Vegas, starring Robert De Niro, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Kline, plays out like a melding of Hangover and The Bucket List, but is not quite as entertaining as the first or as endearing as the latter, but likable nonetheless. While, upon the word of… Continue reading Review: LAST VEGAS

AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 SCREENPLAY & TELEPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND JURY AWARD WINNERS FOR ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY YEAR

  AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 SCREENPLAY & TELEPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND JURY AWARD WINNERS FOR ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY YEAR  Competition Winners Awarded alongside Distinguished Awardees Vince Gilligan, Jonathan Demme, Callie Khouri, Barry Josephson, and Susan Sarandon                     AUSTIN, Texas—Oct. 26, 2013— Austin Film Festival (AFF) is pleased to… Continue reading AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 SCREENPLAY & TELEPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND JURY AWARD WINNERS FOR ITS 20th ANNIVERSARY YEAR

Review: THE COUNSELOR

By Laurie Coker Rating: D+ I’ve grown tired of pointless plots and tired tales. Casting excellent actors in a film doesn’t matter when the stuff of the story flows with flaws, holes and inconsistencies. Ridley Scott’s latest showing, The Counselor, falls into this well-cast, aimless narrative category perfects. Having liked all but the ending of… Continue reading Review: THE COUNSELOR

Review: I AM DIVINE

By Laurie Coker Rating: A SXSW always offers gems in the documentary category, and I try my best to see at least a few, because I too often focus more on the narrative categories. I did, however, find a true tale Divine, on one trip to the screening library. I thoroughly enjoyed I am Divine … Continue reading Review: I AM DIVINE

EXPERIENCE PARANORMAL THRILLS WHEN The Conjuring ARRIVES ONTO BLU-RAYÔ COMBO PACK, DVD and DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON OCTOBER 22 FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Posted by Laurie Coker Rating: A+ (for the Combo Set) Since I typically don’t like films like The Conjuring, I find it all the more important to recommend and get the word out about this remarkably realistic, suspense-filled film.  It’s perfect of Halloween get-togethers. I loved the cast, enjoyed the scares and appreciated the realistic feel… Continue reading EXPERIENCE PARANORMAL THRILLS WHEN The Conjuring ARRIVES ONTO BLU-RAYÔ COMBO PACK, DVD and DIGITAL DOWNLOAD ON OCTOBER 22 FROM WARNER BROS. HOME ENTERTAINMENT

Review: The Fifth Estate

By Laurie Coker Rating: D Benedict Cumberbatch impresses in spite of his one-dimensional character, while The Fifth Estate falls fatally flat. I truly do not know what else to say. Director Bill Condon manages to create a film about government secrets, deadly lies and the power of technology and turn it, not in to a film of… Continue reading Review: The Fifth Estate

Review: The Summit

By Savanah Wood Rating: B K2 is a beautiful, formidable mountain, located in the Himalayas on the border of China and Pakistan, and its summit is one of the most respected and sought after elevations in the climbing community. Everest may be taller and more well-known to the mountaineering layman, but to say K2 is… Continue reading Review: The Summit

Review: THE SUMMIT

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+ As a bit of a daredevil myself, I do understand the desires of some people to dare the seemingly impossible, to bungee jump from bridges, to swim oceans, hike across continents and to climb the world’s highest mountains. K-2, located in a remote region between Pakistan and China, has challenged… Continue reading Review: THE SUMMIT

Review: WE ARE WHAT WE ARE

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+ We Are What We Are – the title of Jim Mickel’s bizarre thriller might, on one hand, seem simply a statement of the obvious, but sometimes “what we are” is downright strange. Fortunately for Mickel, I like weird, and in some cases, such as this, works – for the most… Continue reading Review: WE ARE WHAT WE ARE