High-Def Digest: The Bonus ViewJ.K. Simmons Archives - High-Def Digest: The Bonus View

‘Counterpart’ Pilot Recap: “Do You Have Any Idea the World That’s Just Opened Up to You?”

Josh Zyber — Wed, 03 Jan 2018 13:00:53 +0000

The new Starz sci-fi drama ‘Counterpart’ officially debuts on January 21st, but the network offered an advance preview of the pilot episode last month. It should still be available via On-Demand if you missed it. From this one little taste, the show appears to be one of the more promising offerings for the new year....

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‘Justice League’ Review: A Superhero Mashup/Mess Up

Philip Brown — Wed, 15 Nov 2017 18:00:32 +0000

Warner Bros.’ big, bloated ‘Justice League’ has been the subject of so many sneering editorials and clickbait news stories about reshoots that it’s almost a shock to see the movie even make it to theaters. Unsurprisingly, the flick suffers from a serious identity crisis. Whatever it was that Zack Snyder initially planned for this ‘Batman...

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‘The Snowman’ Review: He’s No Jolly Happy Soul

Philip Brown — Thu, 19 Oct 2017 19:00:27 +0000

‘The Snowman’ is filled with promise that it never delivers. Based on the obscenely popular novels by Joe Nesbø, directed by Tomas Alfredson (‘Let the Right One In’), and starring Michael Fassbender, the film has a pedigree for something special. Unfortunately, what we get is a beautifully shot and confusingly constructed crime thriller that frustrates...

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‘Patriots Day’ Review: Docu-phony

Philip Brown — Thu, 12 Jan 2017 20:00:31 +0000

Peter Berg’s latest feature, ‘Patriots Day’, does enough right that its flaws are easy enough to ignore, if not excuse. It’s likely as good a mainstream film about the Boston Marathon bombing as was likely to be made. The subject matter was tricky and Berg at least manages to end on the right side of...

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‘The Accountant’ Review: Machine Guns and Mathematics

Philip Brown — Thu, 13 Oct 2016 19:00:53 +0000

For a movie that has without a doubt the least tantalizing title for an action/thriller in recent memory, ‘The Accountant’ is far more entertaining than you’d expect. Unfortunately, it’s also the type of movie that promises more than it can deliver. For a while, ‘The Accountant’ seems like a clever bit of pulp with some...

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‘The Meddler’ Review: Whining Made Charming

Philip Brown — Fri, 06 May 2016 13:00:29 +0000

‘The Meddler’ gives that special cheesy genre about overbearing mothers a good name. You know the type – those movies where a well-meaning but impossibly pushy mother gradually learns to give her children control of their lives, while also learning that she can have a rich and full life outside of them. Generally these are...

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‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Review: Third Time’s Fine

Philip Brown — Wed, 27 Jan 2016 20:00:10 +0000

The ‘Kung Fu Panda’ series has always been far better than it had any right to be. Hinged on a simple cartoon premise (cute animal who has no business learning martial arts becomes master, d’awww…), it’s filled with such wit, heart and visual invention that each chapter managed to easily surpass expectations. The third entry,...

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Weekend Roundtable: Worst Movies Starring 2015 Oscar Nominees

Josh Zyber — Fri, 20 Feb 2015 20:00:23 +0000

Oh sure, they may be basking in the acclaim of their latest hits now, but this year’s Oscar nominees haven’t always starred in such award-worthy movies. In fact, many of them have made a lot of crap. As we prepare to watch the Academy Awards ceremony this weekend, let’s remember how far some of these...

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Statuesque: Redmayne Now a Best Actor Frontrunner

Shannon Nutt — Wed, 28 Jan 2015 20:00:47 +0000

While there were no huge surprises in the movie categories at the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards this past Sunday night, one thing became clear as the evening came to a close: Eddie Redmayne is now the clear frontrunner for a Best Actor Oscar. Redmayne and Michael Keaton each took home Best Actor trophies...

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‘Whiplash’ Review: Musical Torture

Philip Brown — Thu, 23 Oct 2014 17:00:28 +0000

Generally speaking, movies about teacher/student relationships in the world of jazz music aren’t typically described by words like “incendiary,” “vicious” or “masterpiece.” ‘Whiplash’ is an exception and easily one of the best movies of the year. The film opens in a prestigious New York music school where Andrew (Miles Teller) has recently enrolled with the...

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TIFF Journal: ‘Whiplash’

Philip Brown — Thu, 04 Sep 2014 16:00:47 +0000

[Editor’s Note: New theatrical releases for the next couple of weeks look like pretty slim pickings. Fortunately, Phil is currently attending the Toronto International Film Festival to scope out some potentially interesting movies that may (or may not) eventually make their way to your local theater screens sometime in the future. -JZ] Inspirational teaching dramas...

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Videogame Releases: Week of April 16th, 2011

Dick Ward — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:00:33 +0000

Some weeks, it seems like we get nothing at all for new videogame releases. Other weeks… well, other weeks we get ‘Portal 2’, a new ‘Mortal Kombat’, and a release of the ‘Final Fantasy IV’ collection all at once. Portal 2 (360, PC, PS3) If you didn’t play ‘Portal’, go play it now. Buy it,...

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