Crisp Criticism - "Alice Through the Looking Glass", "The Nice Guys", "The Invitation"

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Julien Faddoul

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Alice returns to the whimsical world of Wonderland and travels back in time to save the Mad Hatter.

A piece of work in which the term “a movie” as a description seems deceitful, as it resembles one in no discernible way. Repellent visuals, atrocious acting and a barren sense of tone and tempo all combine to create that would more believably be called “a violation.” Avoid at all costs.

d – James Bobin

w – Linda Woolverton   (Based on the Novel by Lewis Carroll)

ph – Stuart Dryburgh

pd – Dan Hennah

m – Danny Elfman

ed – Andrew Weisblum

cos – Colleen Atwood

p – Tim Burton, Joe Roth, Suzanne Todd, Jennifer Todd

Cast: Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska, Rhys Ifans, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Alan Rickman, Stephen Fry, Michael Sheen, Timothy Spall

Crisp Criticism - "X-Men: Apocalypse", "Nina", "Criminal", "Hardcore Henry"

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Julien Faddoul

X-Men: Apocalypse

With the emergence of the world's first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan.

Another bland episode in this frustratingly pompous series of films. All the vigor the film offers comes from special effects, rather than character or staging.

d – Bryan Singer

w – Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg, Michael Dougherty, Dan Harris

ph – Newton Thomas Sigel

pd – Grant Major

m – John Ottman

ed – Michael Louis Hill, John Ottman

cos – Louise Mingenbach

p – Lauren Shuler Donner, Bryan Singer, Simon Kinberg

Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Olivia Munn, Lucas Till, Evan Peters, Alexandra Shipp, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Ben Hardy

Crisp Criticism - "Bastille Day", "Florence Foster Jenkins", "The Angry Birds Movie", "Green Room"

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Julien Faddoul

Bastille Day

Two Americans, a CIA agent and a pickpocket have to work together to find the terrorists who killed four people in Paris.

Laughably paranoid thriller that turns into a simple-minded chase movie with a ridiculous resolution.

d – James Watkins

w – Andrew Baldwin, James Watkins

ph – Tim Maurice-Jones

pd – Paul Kirby

m – Alex Heffes

ed – Jon Harris

cos – Guy Speranza

p – Bard Dorros, Fabrice Gianfermi, Steve Golin, David Kanter, Philippe Rousselet

Cast: Idris Elba, Richard Madden, Charlotte Le Bon, Jorge Leon Martinez, Daniel Westwood, Tony Paul West

Crisp Criticism - "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising", "Whiskey Tango Foxtrot", "Midnight Special", "The Man Who Knew Infinity"

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Julien Faddoul

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising

A sorority moves in next door to the home of a couple that have a young child. They enlist their former nemeses from the fraternity to help battle the raucous sisters.

Another mean-spirited comedy that thinks it has something to say on feminism. The fact that mainstream Hollywood comedies have become this nauseatingly sanctimonious says more about our state of current cultural modification than the battle of the sexes ever will.

d – Nicholas Stoller   

w –  Andrew J. Cohen, Brendan O'Brien, Nicholas Stoller, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

ph – Brandon Trost

pd – Theresa Guleserian

m – Michael Andrews

ed – Zene Baker, Peck Prior, Michael A. Webber   

cos – Leesa Evans

p – James Weaver, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

Cast: Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron, Chloë Grace Moretz, Kiersey Clemons, Beanie Feldstein, Dave Franco, Ike Barinholtz, Lisa Kudrow, Carla Gallo, Billy Eichner, Selena Gomez, Jordanne Calvin, Dennise Renae Larson, Taryn Jones, Tara Bowles, Cameron Dallas

Captain America: Civil War (2016/US)

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Julien Faddoul

* (1 star)

d – Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

w – Christopher Markus Stephen McFeely   (Based on the Characters by Joe Simon and Jack Kirby)

ph – Trent Opaloch

pd – Owen Paterson

m – Henry Jackman

ed – Jeffrey Ford, Matthew Schmidt

cos – Judianna Makovsky

p – Kevin Feige

Cast: Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Sebastian Stan, Anthony Mackie, Jeremy Renner, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Don Cheadle, Paul Rudd, Chadwick Boseman, Tom Holland, Daniel Brühl, Frank Grillo, William Hurt, Emily VanCamp, Martin Freeman, Marisa Tomei, John Kani, John Slattery, Alfre Woodard, Stan Lee, Hope Davis, Kerry Condon, Jim Rash, Ray Sahetapy, Gene Farber, Florence Kasumba, Amelia Morck, Julianna Guill

Marvel movies at this point feel like a collection of Christmas tree ornaments. Lamentably, it’s not the feeling when you gaze at a deftly decorated tree but rather when you first open the dusty box after 11 months of storage. A box full of old stuff that you kind of remember from last year and now it’s your job to make something stimulating out of them.