By Laurie Coker Rating: B- “Big things come in small packages.” True of many things and definitely true of Paul Rudd’s titular character Ant-Man. However, although it is highly entertaining, Ant-Man directed by Peyton Reed, is a good deal of what we have already seen in the super-hero genre – eminent world destruction, a reluctant… Continue reading Review: ANT-MAN
Category: MAIN
Review: MINIONS
By Laurie Coker Rating: C An entire film centered around yellow, tater-tot looking characters who speak a little more than gibberish seems a bit of a stretch, especially for adults, and I am afraid it is. Minions, a prequel to the Despicable Me movies, tells the story of how the minions became henchmen for Gru.… Continue reading Review: MINIONS
Review: TED 2
By Laurie Coker Rating: F Seth MacFarlane seems to love foul language and nasty crotch and potty humor. He masters the art of disgusting and try harder and harder in each of his film to shock his audiences. In is latest, the sequel to Ted, a story about a man and his teddy bear that… Continue reading Review: TED 2
Review: INSIDE OUT
By Laurie Coker Rating: A+ Growing up is hard to do – no doubt. Middle school is particularly difficult and if you add to that a big life changes, like a big family move. Pixar takes viewers in to the preteen mind of Riley, an adorable, hockey loving young girl whose life is turned upside… Continue reading Review: INSIDE OUT
Review: JURASSIC WORLD
By Laurie Coker Rating: B It is easy to get cynical and discouraged about sequels and remakes after writing reviews for over 15 years and seeing thousands of movies. Enter Jurassic World – roll eyes. No sequel or remake can capture the same spectacle, awe and surprise of a film like Jurassic Park, any more… Continue reading Review: JURASSIC WORLD
Review: LOVE & MERCY (SXSW)
By Laurie Coker Rating: A At SXSW this year, I had opportunity to meet John Cusack and Brian Wilson, of the Beach Boys, who were in town to promote their movie Love & Mercy, a biopic about the life of Wilson and the doctor who nearly ruined it completely. As a fan of the Beach… Continue reading Review: LOVE & MERCY (SXSW)
Review: SAN ANDREAS
By Laurie Coker Rating: D+ Earthquake, Towering Inferno, Twister and Poseidon Adventure are just a few of a long like of disaster movies. There is little fresh about recent cataclysm showings, expect perhaps for special effects. Time has given directors opportunity to create big as life images of earthquakes, floods and dystopian worlds. Computer imagery put… Continue reading Review: SAN ANDREAS
Review: TOMORROWLAND
By Laurie Coker Rating: C+/B- As a child, I had opportunity to visit Disneyland with my family. I remember standing in awe when we visited Disney’s “Tomorrowland” looking at the people mover mono-rail, moving sidewalks, space travel rides and exhibits, and other astonishing things. In that same vein and with the Walt Disney’s incredible visions… Continue reading Review: TOMORROWLAND
Review: MAD MAX FURY ROAD
By Laurie Coker Rating: B I have watched all the Mad Max films and enjoyed Mel Gibson’s portrayal of the wild-eyed, crazy titular character. I took my friend to see the most recent Mad Max film because of his excitement to see it, not really mine. Still, going in with an open mind, I planned… Continue reading Review: MAD MAX FURY ROAD
Review: EX MACHINA (SXSW)
By Laurie Coker Rating: C+/B- Having spent several blocks having my students demonstrate their analysis of setting, theme and character for a novel using Minecraftedu, and watching a friend of mine take a graduate class in part inside a virtual world called Second Life, I looked forward to seeing Ex Machina at SWSX. I watched… Continue reading Review: EX MACHINA (SXSW)