Hacksaw Ridge

Gibson christifies Spielberg formula to deliver a movie that is part saccharin romance, part gritty gore-fest, and 1/3 metal jacket. Garfield revisits familiar territory with wall-scaling, web-slinging prowess and aversion to murder. Meanwhile inVincible Vaughn leaves comedic convictions stateside and sets of to crash Japan with a Band of Aussies.

Cake

Aniston’s performance is the icing on this otherwise bland slice of life.  Upper-crust Crime and Punishment substitutes murder victim for Kendrick, who learns that what goes Up in the Air must come down.  Barazza adds bit of Babel, perhaps because her maid services were left to Jen in the settlement.

Wrath of the Titans

The deities re-team and un-intelligently design an even worse creation.  This clash evokes wrath of fans while failing to create sufficiently epic journey into Hades or into characters.  Even Zeus and Hades can’t maintain pleasant animosity they had in Clash and Schindler’s List.  But at least it had a titan.

The Debt

Maddeningly slow and brooding thriller, as if Munich met Match Point. Highlights of the film are the brilliant casting of Csokas and Wilkinson, and more notably Chastain and Mirren as young and old versions of the same people. A decent idea but it owes the audience a bit more excitement.

Last Night

Keira learns what love actually is and Worthington proves his worth with this dramatic escape from Clash of the Avatar’s Salvation. Slow precise and beautifully edited film, which seems something of a western answer to Wong Kar Wai. In the Mood for Lust perhaps, and an ending to deserve it.

Clash of the Titans (2010)

Perseus ‘3-D’ Jackson rides a digital horse into an ocean of mangled mythology. He fights with force of great typhoon as he struggles to be a man and sort out differences between Voldemort and Aslan, neither of whom are Titans. Decent effects and action sequences clash with titanic story flaws.

Terminator Salvation

McG tries to reboot Terminator franchise with gritty Batman Begins treatment. His attempt is hampered by the absence of (real) Schwarzenegger, a decent plot, or any semblance of loyalty to original films. Bale and Yelchin inhabit their characters well enough, but Worthington’s strong heart can’t make up his weak character.

Avatar

Visually orgasmic reformatting of old story into fantastical new world. If C.S. Lewis can do it to Jesus, why can’t Cameron do it Pocahontas? Pervasive political message tries and fails to detract from special effects extravaganza. Not for people who hate beauty, excitement, or Native Americans. That said, ‘unobtanium,’ really?