November 2, 2017 “A Bad Moms Christmas” (**1/2 out of four) was an occasionally funny comedy sequel to the 2016 original about the same three under-appreciated and overworked moms (Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn) who band together to rebel against all their chores for Christmas especially when their derisive families come to visit. Enough laughs for fans of the original but feels overstretched, and tacked-on happy ending rings false. Kunis’ usual engaging performance helps a lot. Christine Baranski is well-cast as (what else) a bitch and Kenny G. has an amusing cameo towards the end. Continue reading →
November 2, 2017 “Only The Brave” (**1/2 out of four) was a sincere but hollow drama based on the true story of the Granite Mountain Hotshots (Josh Brolin, Miles Teller, and others) who were a group of elite firefighters who risked everything to protect their North Carolina town from deadly wildfires. Both respectful and respectable but film is less about the risks and dangers the men took on their jobs than their personal camaraderie and problems at home which are predictable and overly familiar. Final half-hour is harrowing and nail-biting but rest of film could have used some significant editing and paring down at almost two-and-a-half hours. Continue reading →
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