Sunday Short Reviews

Every Sunday, Gill delves into his archive of over 800 movie reviews and randomly selects three for your enjoyment! Here are this week’s…

Rock of Ages
This is a jukebox musical, which means the writers took pre-existing songs (in this case a slew of 80s hits) and built a story around them, and as a result the plot of Rock of Ages is totally bland. Thus the only reason to watch Rock of Ages is the soundtrack, but the soundtrack is just as processed and manufactured as the script, draining all the life from the already cheesy songs. This movie is obviously pandering to Glee fans, but even they will probably be disappointed. Tom Cruise is enjoyable as a washed-up rock star, Alex Baldwin and Russell Brand are funny as…themselves. But there’s really nothing remarkable about Rock of Ages. Just put on a “Best of the 80s” album – it will be much more enjoyable, and the songs will actually have some personality to them.
2.5 out of 5

Taken 2
Taken 2 has gotten a bad rap, as it vastly pales in comparison the film that preceded it, but I think the negativity towards this movie is undeserved. Mind you, as Taken 2 is hardly a masterpiece, but did anyone expect it to be? This is a passable action film featuring Liam Neeson’s same kick ass character Bryan Mills, and Neeson proves once again that his intensity lends itself nicely to the action genre. If you can turn your brain off and remember that this is a sequel to Taken, not The Godfather, you’ll probably enjoy yourself for the duration.
3 out of 5

The Tall Man
I’m not entirely sure the tricks that Pascal Laugier is trying to pull in The Tall Man work, but the fact that he’s trying them at all is worth some acclaim. The writer/director of the twisted and twisty movie Martyrs brings that same pull-the-rug-out-from-under-you sensibility to The Tall Man, and there are several points in this movie where you’ll wonder what the hell is going on. Thankfully all the questions that are posed here are also answered – but that’s where The Tall Man might fail for you. The movie starts as a very different film from the one that it ends as, and this could easily put people off. Still, I think the fact that The Tall Man in very unpredictable, and that Laugier is doing new and different things with narrative make it worth watching, especially for people who are tired of knowing where a movie is going right from the opening scene.
3.25 out of 5

See you next Sunday for three more thrilling short reviews!

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