Runtime: 2 hours, 8 minutes Rating: PG-13 Director: Ava DuVernay Quick (or not so Quick) Impressions: The American Civil Rights Movement has fascinated me ever since I first taught a course on the Rhetoric of Civil Disobedience as a graduate student at UT. I chose that topic because I’ve always …
Runtime: 2 hours, 12 minutes Rating: R Director: Clint Eastwood Quick Impressions: Okay, so it only took me forty years to get back to the theater, but I finally managed to catch a screening of American Sniper, and now I’m the last person in the continental United States to see it. …
Steve Carell Age: 52 Film: Foxcatcher Role: John du Pont, mentally disturbed multimillionaire who hopes to win his mother’s approval and the nation’s admiration by turning his property, Foxcatcher Farm, into the premiere training facility for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. While trying to make his dream a reality, du Pont becomes …
Robert Duvall Age: 84 Film: The Judge Role: Judge Joseph Palmer, a big man in a small town who finds himself accused of murder after a hit-and-run accident that he claims he can’t recall. Fortunately, Palmer’s son Hank is a successful big city defense attorney. Unfortunately, Hank hasn’t been home in years. …
Patricia Arquette Age: 46 Film: Boyhood Role: Olivia, divorced mother of young protagonist Mason and his sister Samantha. Perpetually frustrated by her inability to form a stable, satisfying, lasting romantic relationship, Olivia devotes all her energy to improving her situation so that she’s able to provide a comfortable life for herself …
Runtime: 2 hours, 14 minutes Rating: R Director: Bennett Miller Quick Impressions: I didn’t realize it until yesterday (I’m slow), but I remember when this happened. I didn’t know anything about wrestlers Mark and Dave Schultz, but John du Pont’s big standoff with the police was actually on the news …
Runtime: 1 hour, 54 minutes Rating: PG-13 Director: Morten Tyldum Quick Impressions: This is a much better movie than The Theory of Everything. At least, it’s more to my taste. I suppose I’m comparing the two projects because they’re both British films about true life academics who make great discoveries. I’m …
Runtime: 2 hours, 24 minutes Rating: PG-13 Director: Peter Jackson Quick Impressions: This movie was way better than I expected. Of course, I went in with low expectations. I’ve liked all of Peter Jackson’s Middle Earth movies so far, but I can’t deny that overall The Lord of the Rings is a …
Runtime: 2 hours, 5 minutes Rating: PG Director: Rob Marshall Quick Impressions: My younger sister played Little Red Riding Hood in her high school production of Into the Woods, so when I heard that Disney was adapting the musical for the screen and had cast an actual child in that role, …
Runtime: 1 hour, 55 minutes Rating: R Director: Jean-Marc Vallée Quick Impressions: Reese Witherspoon is having a pretty good year. Her new production company seems to be working out. Both fall movies that she’s produced—Gone Girl and Wild—are overwhelming favorites for Best Actress Oscar nominations. Some people think Witherspoon could even win …
