You are here:  Ronen Recommends

Ronen's Rating System:

***** A must watch
**** Worth seeing
*** If you must watch a movie and there is nothing else out there
** Don’t bother
* It’s so bad its almost good... not... These are films I walked out on, or just fell asleep
(K: stars) Rating by my children. As they are easy to please, would typically be higher than mine...

Entries

From monthly archives: January 2014

We are pleased to present below all posts archived in 'January 2014'. If you still can't find what you are looking for, try using the search box.

Birdman (2014) ****

Birdman (2014) ****

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) is a semi-surreal drama-comedy, produced and directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu. The story follows Riggan Thomson (masterfully played by Keaton,) a movie actor made famous for staring as a superhero in a series of films called Birdman. Years later, with his glory all but faded, Riggan attempts a comeback via a Broadway adaptation of a Raymond Carver story.
Birdman, with its complex layers, surreal atmosphere and anxious pace, is not a film for everyone. Yet those who will take to the story will enjoy the film long after the end credits roll by.
Currently rated 0.0 by 0 people
The Imitation Game (2014) ****

The Imitation Game (2014) ****

A bio-historical war film, The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turin, a British mathematician, logician, cryptanalyst and, as considered by many, the father of modern computers. Turin became famous on two accounts: being a key figure during WWII in cracking Enigma, the Nazi Germany encryption code, and, later, after the war, being criminally prosecuted for his homosexuality; a crime at the UK.
Currently rated 0.0 by 0 people
Into the Woods (2014) ***

Into the Woods (2014) ***

Inspired by the Grimm Brothers' fairy tales of "Little Red Riding Hood", "Cinderella", "Jack and the Beanstalk", and "Rapunzel", Into the Woods is a fantasy film directed by Rob Marshall, adapted to the screen by James Lapine from his and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award–winning Broadway musical of the same title. The story is focused on a childless couple who finds themselves cursed by a vengeful witch. In their attempt to break the evil spell, the couple gets mixed up with various characters of other fairy tales.
Whether Into the Woods suffers from a poor adaptation or issues existed already in the original stage version, the film lacks the charm of a fairy tale and the simplistic wits of the original Grimm Brothers.
Currently rated 0.0 by 0 people
Unbroken (2014) ***

Unbroken (2014) ***

Unbroken is a noble attempt by Angelina Jolie, who produced and directed the film, to bring to the big screen the 2010 biography by Laura Hillenbrand ‘Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption.’ Not without merit, the film, whose screenplay was written by Joel and Ethan Coen, Richard LaGravenese and William Nicholson, misses the mark.
Unbroken is not a bad movie. Many film critics wrote it off as "conventional," and conventional it is, which is not what one expects from such an unconventional life-story.
Currently rated 4.0 by 1 people
The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) ****

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014) ****

The third and final installment in the film trilogy The Hobbit is directed, as its previous parts, by Peter Jackson to a screenplay by Jackson, Fran Walsh, Philippa Boyens, and Guillermo del Toro. Here is the gist of it: if you are a J. R. R. Tolkien fan and feel that Jackson’s depiction of Middle-Earth and the various characters it inhibits are true to the source, this film is for you. It is lively, full of action, and expands in details well beyond the book, as Jackson interjected into the material appendices that Tolkien wrote as add-ons to the original story (published in the back of The Return of the King).
Currently rated 0.0 by 0 people
Top Five (2014) ***

Top Five (2014) ***

Top Five is a comedy-drama written and directed by Chris Rock, who also stars in the leading role. Additional cast members include Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, J.B Smoove, and a whole lot of comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld, Adam Sandler and Whoopi Goldberg, to mention only a few.
Top Five tells the story of a famous NYC comedian turned film star, who tries to abandon comedy in favor of more serious roles, only to find out that his past character, friends and deeds will not easily let that happen.
Currently rated 0.0 by 0 people

Search

Archive

Bookmark and Share

Subscription

Get the latest film recommendations by email! (we NEVER share or sell emails to marketers)

Featured Entries

Game Night (2018) ****

Directed by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein, to a screenplay by Mark Perez, Game Night is a comedy-action thriller, that delivers jokes while...

The Last Jedi (2017) ****

If I had to sum-up the experience of watching this film in one word, it would be: impressive. Although, not without hiccups. The Last Jedi counts as ...

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (2017) ***

A bio-drama, Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tells the story of psychologist William Moulton Marston, and the two women in his life. Martson, a...

American Made (2017) ****

Life is stranger than fiction; this paraphrase of a Mark Twain’s famous quote may come in mind, when watching American Made. It is a film based on true...

Far Western (2016, Japan, USA) ****

Who would have guessed that in Japan, especially post-WWII, American country music, including Bluegrass, will have not just fans, but actual talented ...

Blade Runner 2049 (2017) ****

Blade Runner 2049, or BR 2049 for short,  is a 2017 neo-noir sci-fi film, directed by Denis Villeneuve to a screenplay by Hampton Fancher and Michael ...

Maudie (2016) ****

An indie bio-drama, Maudie follows the life of Nova Scotia painter Maud Lewis. The film, a Canadian-Irish production, shot to a small budget of $5.6mm...

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) ****

The Guardians Vol. 2's storyline is as thin and infantile as a young twig, yet it serves one purpose – delivering perfect punchlines. And yes, the special...

Frantz (2016, France-Germany) ****

Franz tells the story of a German woman named Anna, beautifully portrayed by Paula Beer, who, in post-WWI Germany of 1919, while grieving Franz, her fianc...

Logan (2017) ***

Directed by James Mangold, who co-wrote the screenplay with Scott Frank and Michael Green, Logan is based on a story by Mangold. Logan introduces us to...

Authors

Latest Comments

    Re: Logan (2017) ***

    I agree about the relationship with Logan and Charles - added a lot of depth, especially with the next...

    -- ed

    Re: Eye in the Sky (2015, UK) *****

    Great Review Ronen!

    -- Scott

    Re: Top Five (2014) ***

    wonderfully expressed review and very accurately describing the movie...

    -- Zoes mom

    Re: Begin Again (2014) ***

    such great performers - would have expected more of.... very disappointing to hear....

    -- mother of four

    Re: Waltz with Bashir (2008) *****

    Stunned. Speechless. This is a powerful movie. Its objectivity and lack of judgment IS its power, and...

    -- Monroe Movie Lover

    Re: Inception (2010) ***

    Special effects are more than ever present even in drama movies, its almost normal that an action thriller...

    -- Alvaro

    Re: The Real Dirt On Farmer John (2005) ***

    Interesting though i was expecting more of the film.

    -- rondnor

    Re: Midnight Run (1988) *****

    great movie indeed

    -- rondnor

    Re: The Bounty Hunter (2010) *

    wont bother then

    -- superair

    Re: Stardust (2007) *****

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this movie :-)watching Robert De Niro in a dress what could be better.Enjoy

    -- YRD

© 2024 RonenRecommends.com, All Rights Reserved. Site Developed and Maintained by Progressive Element, Inc.