Reviews written by Mary Okeefe
When you hear the title Cocaine Bear, it's easy to think of it as a punchline. A bear on cocaine? Is it a joke or a strange concept thrown together for the sole purpose of shock value? The reality, however, is far more entertaining. Directed by Elizabeth Banks and...
Snag takes viewers on a wild and often unexpected ride through the gritty underworld of organized crime, betrayal, and redemption. Directed by newcomer Stephen Mackey, the film delves into the complexities of loyalty, revenge, and the blurred lines between good and evil, all within a pulse-pounding narrative. The film,...
Goodfellas (1990), directed by Martin Scorsese, is an iconic film in the gangster genre, widely regarded as one of the best films ever made. Based on the non-fiction book Wiseguy by Nicholas Pileggi, it chronicles the life of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), a man who rises through...
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been on a global cinematic journey for over a decade, with some characters evolving into legends and others, unfortunately, fading into the background. Among the latter, Black Widow, portrayed by Scarlett Johansson, was one of the few to remain consistent, powerful, and dependable,...
Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen is a masterclass in slick, stylish storytelling. As a film that simultaneously pays homage to Ritchie’s early works, such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and Snatch (2000), and evolves his signature style into something more mature, it is a breath of fresh...
Ghost Ship (2002), directed by Steve Beck, is a supernatural horror film that aims to blend a haunted ship narrative with elements of suspense and mystery. Set aboard a long-lost vessel rediscovered in the middle of the Bering Sea, the movie begins with a thrilling and grisly prologue before...
I love this movie because it is truly romantic- it shows that love does not just happen in an instant, or at first glance, but is something that you have to commit to and work at. It's not just 'boys meets girl, stuff happens, they get married and live...
The appeal of “A Rainy Day in New York,” to the extent it has any, is nostalgia. It has the familiar Woody Allen graphics at the start and, to some degree, has the atmosphere of other, better Woody Allen movies. But it’s mostly a mess — simply off in...
Down and Out in Beverly Hills tells the story of a rich family that lives in the timeless comfort of a Beverly Hills mansion - in the kind of house where they use Architectural Digest for pornography. One day a bum wanders down the alley and into their backyard...
The idea of the multiverse has been a conundrum for modern physics and a disaster for modern popular culture. I’m aware that some of you here in this universe will disagree, but more often than not a conceit that promises ingenuity and narrative abundance has delivered aggressive brand extension...
The last CGI animated feature I caught was the somewhat disappointing Brave, and my opinion of the genre in general has never been astoundingly high, save for the rare exception of true genius (like Toy Story and Up). But I’m happy to say that Wreck-It Ralph is a fun...
Fight Club is a most frankly and cheerfully fascist big-star movie. A celebration of violence in which the heroes write themselves a license to drink, smoke, screw and beat one another up. Sometimes, for variety, they beat up themselves. It's macho porn -- the sex movie Hollywood has been...
Texas Ranger "John 'JJ" McQuade" (Chuck Norris) is a loner who bucks authority. However, he will work with some people when he knows it's needed. During some down time from work, "McQuade" meets a beautiful widow (Barbara Carrera), who is with the mysterious martial arts expert "Rawley Wilkes" (the...
How to make love to a fish. That would sum up the bizarre story of this sweet and wild comedy featuring fantastic roles by Tom Hanks and Darryl Hannah. However ludicrous the story might be, the movie really entices me with its wit and charm. Lovely and funny. Hilarious...
Gus Van Sant's talent and humility allows Harvey Milk to be a the center of this remarkable story without putting himself in front of the camera. Sean Penn shines with a new and extraordinary light as Harvey Milk. His humanity is overwhelming at times. That permanent smile defining his...
Cybill Shepard stars in “Chances Are” as a Washington, D.C., professional woman whose husband is killed in a traffic accident in the early 1960s. She never quite gets over that loss. Years pass and then decades, and she still treasures her love in her heart. She was pregnant when...
The plot centers around a character named Steven who has just been turned down for marriage by his girlfriend Robin. He moves into a bachelor pad and calls for cable service, and Chip Douglas (Carrey) comes pounding on his door (making sure, of course, to arrive very late and...
I suppose it’s inevitable that there would be a higher proportion of films that I wouldn’t necessarily think to describe as comedies, per se. Light-hearted, fanciful, bizarre, stylish or satirical, maybe, but not funny-ha-ha. 1977’s Slap Shot is a perfect example, a film whose darker and more dramatic elements...
In Oliver Stone's biographical film, “The Doors,” life for Jim Morrison was like being trapped for months at a time in the party from hell. He wanders out of the sun’s glare, a curly haired Southern California beach boy with a cute pout and a notebook full of poetry....
The farmer is standing in the middle of a cornfield when he hears the voice for the first time: “If you build it, he will come.” He looks around and doesn’t see anybody. The voice speaks again, soft and confidential: “If you build it, he will come.” Sometimes you...
I remembered the first time I saw the trailer for this film on TV, I thought to myself, 'this is a really weird idea', but I also smiled at the humorous parts of it too. Today, for a so-called comedy, Twins is actually a light-hearted effort that comes across...
Here are some reasons: "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice" isn't a great movie — but is still a pretty fun time at the theater. Some of the original "Beetlejuice" cast are back for the sequel, and I'm so happy Catherine O'Hara is one of them. I think O'Hara is a...
Mother's Day follows Nina, a former secret agent who lives by herself in an apartment in Poland. She has a son, Maks, who lives with his adoptive parents, unaware of the fact that Nina is his real mother and that his real father was killed in action....
I am not that big of a fan of military films. They can be brutal and harsh as they portray what soldiers go through. I only really enjoy a few, but in general, they pique my interest and keep me focused and entertained. So, with Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant,...
The story begins and ends in the southwestern England country of Devon with Albie Narracott and his remarkable horse Joey. When the family farm goes broke through lack of resources and an unlucky weather spell Albie’s father is forced to sell Joey to the British cavalry to keep his...