Because of embargoes (those happy little restrictions on when critics can post reviews, good or bad), a lot of our critics aren’t able to share links with you until release day. Here are some last-minute reviews for this weekend’s upcoming films. We’ve kept in all the reviews posted yesterday as well so you can have more help in deciding what to see (if you haven’t already).
Our critics have been hard at work reviewing the latest films. Here is a look at what’s coming out this weekend (in select cities, check your local listings) and what else may be in theaters right now.
Opening: Apr. 18-20, 2014
Wide (United States)
Bears
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Heaven Is for Real
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Transcendence
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Limited (United States)
13 Sins
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: As a dark and twisted, occasionally tense and cringe-worthy morality-cum-conspiracy ride, “13 Sins” holds one’s interest throughout. Alas, writer-director Stamm and co-writer David Birke push their gimmick so far, while softening the blow in their resolution, that the film jumps the rails.
Fading Gigolo
[New Today] Laura Clifford @ Reeling Reviews
- Excerpt: Fading Gigolo’s dialogue, situations and jazz soundtrack all scream Woody Allen, but it’s essential sweet sexiness is all Turturro.
Candice Frederick @ Reel Talk
Kenji Fujishima @ Slant Magazine
2014 Films In Theaters Now In Select Areas
Afflicted
- Excerpt: Found footage and vampires are two of the most tired trends in film, so what could possibly go wrong by combining them?
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Calvary
- Excerpt: Calvary is an interesting mood piece and a fascinating examination of the state of the Church and of faith in Ireland today, but it really needs some of its own ideas.
Cuban Fury
Donald Levit @ ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Frank Swietek @ One Guys Opinion
- Excerpt: Too mild for its own good, a formulaic ‘worm turns’ story that doesn’t take full advantage of its dance milieu.
Devil’s Knot
Jerry Roberts @ Armchair Cinema
- Excerpt: Truth is indeed stranger than fiction, even in the hands of a master filmmaker like Atom Egoyan.
Divergent
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Dom Hemingway
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Draft Day
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Enemy
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Finding Vivian Maier
[New Today] Josh Spiegel @ Sound on Sight
Hateship Loveship
Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat @ SpiritualityandPractice.com
- Excerpt: A touching drama based on a short story by Alice Munro about a housekeeper who takes a leap of faith.
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: A successful post-“Bridesmaids” vehicle for Kristen Wiig and a sensitive, moving delayed-coming-of-age story about the longing to be loved and losing sight of one’s own happiness to take care of others.
Island of Lemurs: Madagascar
Susan Granger @ www.susangranger.com
- Excerpt: Enchanting and educational, delivering its ecological mesage about conservation in a most delightful way.
Joe
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
The Last of the Unjust
Ron Wilkinson @ ItsJustMovies.com
- Excerpt: A glimpse into the horrific life of an unlikely statesman chosen to destroy his people.
Locke
[New Today] MaryAnn Johanson @ FlickFilosopher.com
- Excerpt: We say things like, “Oh, I’d watch that guy read the phone book,” and this is almost that. Except it really is absolutely riveting, and that’s no joke.
The Machine
- Excerpt: While imperfect on several levels, “The Machine” is an ambitious project that has a slick production design and solid special effects. In some respects, it actually goes farther than a typical production would that came out of the large studio system.
Manakamana
Donald Levit @ ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Nymphomaniac: Volumes 1 & 2
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Oculus
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Only Lovers Left Alive
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Particle Fever
Ron Wilkinson @ ItsJustMovies.com
- Excerpt: Trouble in Boson City but the spunky brainiacs of the Hadron Collider right the ship and identify the illusive link to the beginning of the universe.
The Raid 2: Berandal
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
The Railway Man
[New Today] Tony Dayoub @ Cinema Viewfinder
- Excerpt: It’s a war movie where the battlefield is one of the mind, and I’m not sure that any effort to film it would ever fully capture the horror Lomax went through.
MaryAnn Johanson @ FlickFilosopher.com
- Excerpt: Almost entirely ignores the amazing aspect of this true story that makes it worth telling, and even the very good performances point us in another direction than the intended one.
The Rocket
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Rio 2
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Stage Fright
Betty Jo Tucker @ ReelTalk Movie Reviews
Under the Skin
[New Reviews Today] For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Le Week-End
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Wolf Creek 2
Marina Antunes @ Quiet Earth
Jeremy Kibler @ The Artful Critic
- Excerpt: Discerning horror fans with trepidation about a sequel coming nine years after its predecessor should fear not, as “Wolf Creek 2,” once again, aims for the jugular, the gut, and the spine. We learned what a real knife looked like, and now, this is a knife that’s almost nearly as sharp.
2013 Films In Theaters Now In Select Areas
Blue Is the Warmest Color
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
Ernest & Celestine
For member reviews of this film, follow this link
2014 Films (Coming Soon)
Afternoon of a Faun
Ron Wilkinson @ ItsJustMovies.com
- Excerpt: A fascinating story of American ballet and one of the greatest ballerinas in the world.
Here Be Dragons
- Excerpt: For everything that doesn’t work, there will be a moment, an insight, an idea that will be beautiful, powerful or will change the way you look at and think about life, art and the world.
Meetings with a Young Poet
[New Today] Pat Mullen @ Cinemablographer
- Excerpt: Strong performances by Stephen McHattie and Maria de Medeiros can’t save this ode to Samuel Beckett.
Trailer Park Boys: Don’t Legalize It
[New Today] Pat Mullen @ Cinemablographer
- Excerpt: The Trailer Park Boys keep on truckin’!
