John’s top 10 movies of 2016
These were my 10 favorite movies of 2016: 1. “The Witch” – This horror film set in Colonial America delivers a striking sense of time and place (so much so that you might want to put […]
Divergent Series
‘Allegiant’ moves ‘Divergent’ series into heady sci-fi territory (Movie review)
The third entry of a four-part saga, “Allegiant” — now available on DVD – moves the “Divergent” series into heady (and sometimes head-scratching) science fiction territory. Young future readers of classic sci-fi such as Arthur C. Clarke’s […]
John’s top 10 movies of 2015
These were my 10 favorite movies of 2015: 1. “Spotlight” — This chronicle of the Boston Globe’s 2001-02 probe of rape allegations in the Catholic Church is a thank-you letter to the dying art of investigative journalism. […]
Gorgeous-looking ‘Insurgent’ further explores ‘Divergent’ world (Movie review)
“Insurgent” further clarifies the political structure of the “Divergent” universe, features award-worthy set pieces in a run-down Chicago two centuries in the future and – like the original film – ultimately succeeds because Shailene Woodley is […]
John’s top 10 movies of 2014
These were my 10 favorite movies of 2014: 1. “Dumb and Dumber To” – Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels effortlessly slip back into Lloyd and Harry’s born-of-stupidity mistreatment of animals and their fellow man, but this isn’t […]
Woodley, production design make ‘Divergent’ a fresh dystopian parable (Movie review)
“Divergent” plays with traditional dystopian sci-fi tropes and totalitarian government riffs in rather unsurprising ways, but it holds a viewer’s attention thanks to the immensely watchable Shailene Woodley and a beautifully grim post-apocalyptic Chicago cityscape. Avoiding […]