Author: Laurie Coker

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, the newest Disney version goes beyond what I imagined. I grew up with the original Disney animated cartoon, shared it with my son and then his children. Directed by Jon Favreau, the latest Jungle Book excites, engages and explores Kipling’s original themes with astonishing… Continue reading Review: THE JUNGLE BOOK

By Laurie Coker Rating: D Actress Melissa McCarthy churns out movies like a machine. Her talent for comedic timing is impeccable, but unfortunately, her choice of scripts, many written and directed by her husband Ben Falcone, leaves little to be desired in many cases. Foul language, filthy gags and silly pratfalls make for dull, dull… Continue reading Review: THE BOSS

By Laurie Coker Rating: Zootopia: A, London Has Fallen: C, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot: C+ and Knight of Cups: F Opening just before spring break week are four extremely different films – an animated adventure, an action film, a drama/comedy and a film that falls in the “what the heck?” genre of filmmaking. Zootopia, London Has… Continue reading Reviews: ZOOTOPIA, LONDON HAS FALLEN, WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT & KNIGHT OF CUPS

By Laurie Coker Rating: C+/B- Historical biopics hit and miss with audiences and sports films almost always lean toward the feel-good underdog narrative, but Jesse Owens’ story, as depicted in Race, plays on a balance of history and agreeable storytelling. More than just a snippet from the life of Owens’ himself, Race offers a tiny… Continue reading Review: RACE

By Laurie Coker Rating: B Countless films have been made about the American armed forces, even the Coast Guard, but rarely to our coastal guardians get the screen time afford the other services. The Finest Hours, starring Chris Pine and Casey Affleck in the most notable performances of their careers, is based on the true… Continue reading Review: THE FINEST HOURS

By Laurie Coker Rating: C- The title of veteran actor Robert De Niro’s latest film, Dirty Grandpa, makes me think of a tasteless Adam Sandler film – not good. Still, I love De Niro, in spite of his terrible choices in some roles like the Focker films and Anger Management. His main body of work speaks… Continue reading Review: DIRTY GRANDPA

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ In director Michael Bay’s latest film, 13 Hours, Chuck Hogan’s screenplay, based on a book by Mitchell Zuckoff, makes for vivid telling of the events that transpired on that critical night, when one American Ambassador and three other Americans were mercilessly killed in an attack on two American facilities on… Continue reading Review: 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi,

By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ From 1977 until now, I have watched the Star Wars saga unfold in theatres, either on an official opening day or at a preopening event. I am a fan, except that is for the weird Jar Jar character and a few other annoyances in Episodes I-III, of everything Star Wars. With… Continue reading Review: STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS