"Chappie," the latest film from director Neill Blomkamp ("District 9"), is a frustrating, soulless and heavy-handed AI tale.
“Everything I learned I learned from the movies.”
― Audrey Hepburn
All in film reviews
'Fifty Shades of Grey' review: The awkward, unintentional comedy of 2015
Shouldn't a movie whose core subject matter is the racy, brow-raising world of BDSM be more ... exciting ... on any level?
'The Last Five Years' review: Intriguing & bittersweet musical charms
This is a rich tapestry of dreams, love, resentment and all the ups and downs of a doomed relationship.
'The Interview' review: Silly, mildly funny bromance doesn't live up to its hype
Despite its over-the-top premise, "The Interview" is essentially a bromance between two buddies -- packed with a lot of poop and gay jokes.
'The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies' review: Ending on a mediocre note
The unnecessarily bloated "Hobbit" trilogy comes to a merciful - if mildly entertaining - conclusion
'The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1' review: An underwhelming stopgap sequel
The fact this movie exists is pretty confusing -- there simply are not enough plot points in "Mockingjay - Part 1" or compelling set-up for the grand finale to justify this underwhelming penultimate sequel.
'Dumb and Dumber To' review: Retread of a cult comedy - but with fewer jokes
There's virtually no important plot -- at best, it's a slightly warmed-over version of the original "Dumb and Dumber" plot (road trip to find girl, return item to her).
'Interstellar' review: The grandest cinematic spectacle of 2014 to behold
"Interstellar" is a masterfully crafted film rooted in exciting scientific ideas and based in essentially a love story - but it suffers a number of structural weaknesses.
'Laggies' film review: Knightley, Rockwell save this clunky dramedy
The dramatic-comedy swipe at rudderless "gen-xers" has is propped up by a sympathetic director and strong key performances - but dragged down questionable plot points and thin supporting characters.
'Birdman' review: Stunning, surreal take on a very real existential crisis
The latest from director Alejandro González Iñárritu ("21 Grams" and "Amores Perros") is arguably the most complete and complex cinematic experience of 2014, driven by incredible performances, a compelling character study, sharply-written dialogue and beautiful/daring cinematography.
'St. Vincent' review: Murray is brilliant in an enjoyable, if flawed, film
Bill Murray brings to life one of the best film characters of 2014 in an uneven film that starts strong, but disappoints with an underwhelming second half.
'Fury' review: Solid cast leads this strong, grim take on war ethics
This tank-centric action-drama might not go down as the greatest World War II ever made, but "Fury" is an exceptionally well-acted and executed thriller.
'Men, Women & Children' review: A flailing, clichéd rant against the Internet
This unfocused, meandering and condescending bit of melodramatic anti-Internet propaganda is every bit as subtle and nuanced as the "Reefer Madness" stance on marijuana.
'Jimi: All Is by My Side' review: André 3000 shines in otherwise flat biopic
Anyone interested in watching a great lead actor performance will be satisfied -- but anyone looking for any insight into the life of legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix will be sorely disappointed.
'The Two Faces of January' review: Throwback noir thriller lacks tension, energy
Despite a premise on con men and murder, this misnomer of a noir-ish "thriller" sleepwalks its way across Greece from beginning to end.
'The Guest' review: A darkly funny, savagely violent modern cult classic
First and foremost, find a theater where this film is playing and see it immediately. This is not merely a suggestion - seeing "The Guest" is an imperative.
'The Equalizer' review: Fair-to-middling update of a TV show no one remembers
Denzel Washington stars as a charming, if incredibly lethal, man who kills, executes and beats up anyone who stands in his way -- but this time the movie is called "The Equalizer."
'The Skeleton Twins' review: This is how to make a funny movie about suicide
This indie gem should be a case study in the critical importance of casting and sharp writing. "SNL" alum Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader are perfectly cast in this funny, moving and dark tale of depression, discontentment and suicide.
'This Is Where I Leave You' review: Tired dramedy with forced drama, few laughs
Not even this ensemble cast of comedy heavy weights manages to extract many laughs or drama in yet another tired dysfunctional family 'dramedy.'
'If I Stay' review: The worst argument for why anyone should fight for survival
This young adult drama could have made an interesting existential exploration of what makes life worth fighting for -- instead, this shallow flick opts for safe and uninspired story choices that literally determine a character's life or death.