Stop me if you think you’ve heard this one before: In a rigidly structured, dystopian future, one extraordinary teenage girl will emerge as either its savior or its destroyer. “Divergent,” based on the Veronica Roth novel, definitely follows a familiar, young-adult formula. But the performances — namely from stars Shailene...
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Reviews
What the Flick?! — Divergent
Like Tris standing before all those bowls at the Choosing Ceremony, I’m mixed on “Divergent.” But I’m way more positive on it than Matt and Alonso are. Then again, I made myself read the book — and now I actually want to read the next two....
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Endless Love
My love … there’s only you in my life. And this remake which in no way resembles the 1981 Franco Zeffirelli original. Director and co-writer Shana Feste kept the names the same in adapting this melodramatic story of forbidden teenage love, but she took out all the crazy. My RogerEbert.com...
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Winter’s Tale
Colin Farrell stars in this batshit-crazy, time-travel romance which has an interior mythology that’s complicated and convoluted but never boring. We all enjoyed saying WTF? this week during our What the Flick?! review....
Read moreWhat the Flick?! — Endless Love
The remake of the ’80s forbidden teen romance “Endless Love” creates the sensation of watching two toned, tanned Abercrombie & Fitch models fall in love. Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde have real chemistry during the flirtatious, falling-in-love stage, but director and co-writer Shane Feste unfortunately took out all the crazy...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Labor Day
He’s a hunky convicted killer on the run. She’s a lonely divorcee raising a 13-year-old son. Over one unusually hot holiday weekend, they fall in passionate, doomed love—and they bake a heavily metaphorical pie. Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet do their best with some laughably soapy material in Jason Reitman’s...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Twice Born
“Twice Born” takes the Bosnian conflict and tastelessly uses it as the backdrop for a melodramatic romance and a twisty mystery involving paternity. The ill-suited Penelope Cruz and Emile Hirsch struggle to convince us that they’re desperately in love with each other. My RogerEbert.com review. Read the review here...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Reaching for the Moon
“Reaching for the Moon,” about poet Elizabeth Bishop’s lesbian romance in Rio, has some strong performances and oozes boldly minimalist mid-century modern style. But ultimately it feels like one of those frustratingly superficial biopics that try to cram in too much without providing much insight. My RogerEbert.com review. Read the...
Read moreRogerEbert.com — Adore
Naomi Watts and Robin Wright bring dignity to this cougar-tastic tale of lifelong best friends who have affairs with each others’ sons. It’s exquisitely photographed but ultimately melodramatic. As I say in my review for RogerEbert.com, it’s what my mom would have called “good trash.” Read the review here...
Read moreFive Most — First Love Movies
“The Spectacular Now” is a beautiful, subtle and authentic film about two teenagers who wouldn’t seem to belong together; not only do they fall for each other, they actually make each other better. For the most part. Miles Teller as the senior-class party boy and Shailene Woodley as his studious...
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