Print John P. Hanlon Follow Read Full Bio 'Peeples' Review: Cheap Laughs Trip Up 'Office' Standout's New Comedy "Peeples" is a rare Tyler Perry treat. It’s a film that the successful director worked on that was actually screened for critics in advance of its release date. 10 May 2013 'At Any Price' Review: Dennis Quaid Sparks Familiar Tale of Generational Divide Zac Efron could probably headline any film he wanted. The star has a built-in fan base from his High School Musical days that would likely follow him from one empty romantic comedy to the next. That’s why it’s so exciting that he often chooses smaller roles in thought-provoking dramas like "At Any Price" rather than larger ones in flashy but un-fulfilling movies. 10 May 2013 'Pain & Gain' Review: 'Roid-Fueled Farce Fails to Live Up to True Story Pain and Gain is an oddly disconcerting film. At the same time that it mocks the dimness of its leads (and admittedly, they are quite dumb), it also unabashedly embraces the violence and relentless energy of a Michael Bay blockbuster. By the time the story ends, audiences could be left wondering if they just witnessed a train-wreck or a satisfying comedy. My feelings are mixed but I can’t help but wonder if this story could’ve--in the right hands--been the subject of a truly great film. 26 Apr 2013 'The Angels' Share' Review: Film Honors Transformative Power of Fatherhood "The Angels’ Share" is a movie about drinking that never touches on alcoholism. Instead, the story focuses on a group of spirits-loving criminals who were given second chances when they received community service sentences instead of prison time. 26 Apr 2013 'Disconnect' Review: Cautionary Tales of Internet Abuse Alarm, Enlighten If you’ve ever been at a dining room table with a friend or family member who won’t get off their phone, you know the importance of the word “disconnect.” It seems that more and more often, we are sadly seeing people having conversations physically with one person while electronically communicating with another. The new drama "Disconnect" seems firmly aware of that concept and delves deeply and painfully into the world of electronic communication. 19 Apr 2013 'Trance' Review ' Hypnotic Drama Worthy of Discussion, Debate The new psychological thriller "Trance" stars James McAvoy as a man who understands the value of self-preservation and security when it comes to both artwork and his own life. Multi-layered and beautifully-filmed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle, the film lets viewers into the world of art and hypnosis in a tale that deserves to be talked about long after the credits roll. 12 Apr 2013 'The Place Beyond the Pines' Review: Fatherhood and Fate Collide in Engaging, Thorny Drama In the first scene of the new drama "The Place Beyond the Pines," the camera follows the character portrayed by Ryan Gosling along a route to his day job. The film isn't judging the character's actions but embracing them and seeing the world as he sees it, if only for a moment. For approximately the next two hours and twenty minutes, viewers will watch fates unfold--in much the same way--over a series of several decades as we follow several characters down their chosen paths. 5 Apr 2013 The Sapphires' Review: True Tale of Aussie Quartet Singing for Soldiers in Vietnam Many—if not most of the movies about Vietnam—focus on the war itself, seeing the conflict from the perspective of the soldiers in combat. The new inspiring film The Sapphires takes a new and distinct look at the bloody conflict. It sees the war through the prism of four young women and their manager, who are hired to entertain the weary soldiers. 29 Mar 2013 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' Review: Lame Sequel as Forgettable as its Predecessor The new "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" promises to be a better action movie than its predecessor given the presence of Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis. Instead, fans of the famous toy franchise are left with soulless action and a dearth of memorable characters. 28 Mar 2013 'Spring Breakers' Review: Bikinis, Beaches and Bullets Enliven Shallow Cautionary Tale There are two ways to judge "Spring Breakers"--by what's on and off-screen. To judge what’s onscreen is to view the film as a ridiculous, repetitive and shallow drama that leaves little to the imagination. To judge what’s offscreen is to likely look at what—one could argue—the filmmaker was trying to do. 22 Mar 2013 Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next
'Peeples' Review: Cheap Laughs Trip Up 'Office' Standout's New Comedy "Peeples" is a rare Tyler Perry treat. It’s a film that the successful director worked on that was actually screened for critics in advance of its release date. 10 May 2013
'At Any Price' Review: Dennis Quaid Sparks Familiar Tale of Generational Divide Zac Efron could probably headline any film he wanted. The star has a built-in fan base from his High School Musical days that would likely follow him from one empty romantic comedy to the next. That’s why it’s so exciting that he often chooses smaller roles in thought-provoking dramas like "At Any Price" rather than larger ones in flashy but un-fulfilling movies. 10 May 2013
'Pain & Gain' Review: 'Roid-Fueled Farce Fails to Live Up to True Story Pain and Gain is an oddly disconcerting film. At the same time that it mocks the dimness of its leads (and admittedly, they are quite dumb), it also unabashedly embraces the violence and relentless energy of a Michael Bay blockbuster. By the time the story ends, audiences could be left wondering if they just witnessed a train-wreck or a satisfying comedy. My feelings are mixed but I can’t help but wonder if this story could’ve--in the right hands--been the subject of a truly great film. 26 Apr 2013
'The Angels' Share' Review: Film Honors Transformative Power of Fatherhood "The Angels’ Share" is a movie about drinking that never touches on alcoholism. Instead, the story focuses on a group of spirits-loving criminals who were given second chances when they received community service sentences instead of prison time. 26 Apr 2013
'Disconnect' Review: Cautionary Tales of Internet Abuse Alarm, Enlighten If you’ve ever been at a dining room table with a friend or family member who won’t get off their phone, you know the importance of the word “disconnect.” It seems that more and more often, we are sadly seeing people having conversations physically with one person while electronically communicating with another. The new drama "Disconnect" seems firmly aware of that concept and delves deeply and painfully into the world of electronic communication. 19 Apr 2013
'Trance' Review ' Hypnotic Drama Worthy of Discussion, Debate The new psychological thriller "Trance" stars James McAvoy as a man who understands the value of self-preservation and security when it comes to both artwork and his own life. Multi-layered and beautifully-filmed by Oscar winner Danny Boyle, the film lets viewers into the world of art and hypnosis in a tale that deserves to be talked about long after the credits roll. 12 Apr 2013
'The Place Beyond the Pines' Review: Fatherhood and Fate Collide in Engaging, Thorny Drama In the first scene of the new drama "The Place Beyond the Pines," the camera follows the character portrayed by Ryan Gosling along a route to his day job. The film isn't judging the character's actions but embracing them and seeing the world as he sees it, if only for a moment. For approximately the next two hours and twenty minutes, viewers will watch fates unfold--in much the same way--over a series of several decades as we follow several characters down their chosen paths. 5 Apr 2013
The Sapphires' Review: True Tale of Aussie Quartet Singing for Soldiers in Vietnam Many—if not most of the movies about Vietnam—focus on the war itself, seeing the conflict from the perspective of the soldiers in combat. The new inspiring film The Sapphires takes a new and distinct look at the bloody conflict. It sees the war through the prism of four young women and their manager, who are hired to entertain the weary soldiers. 29 Mar 2013
'G.I. Joe: Retaliation' Review: Lame Sequel as Forgettable as its Predecessor The new "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" promises to be a better action movie than its predecessor given the presence of Dwayne Johnson and Bruce Willis. Instead, fans of the famous toy franchise are left with soulless action and a dearth of memorable characters. 28 Mar 2013
'Spring Breakers' Review: Bikinis, Beaches and Bullets Enliven Shallow Cautionary Tale There are two ways to judge "Spring Breakers"--by what's on and off-screen. To judge what’s onscreen is to view the film as a ridiculous, repetitive and shallow drama that leaves little to the imagination. To judge what’s offscreen is to likely look at what—one could argue—the filmmaker was trying to do. 22 Mar 2013
President Obama's speech on counterterrorism policy at National Defense University23 May 2013, 2:14 PM PDT
President Obama's speech on counterterrorism policy at National Defense University23 May 2013, 2:14 PM PDT
Saints new defensive coordinator Ryan bringing back some of what Saints did well from 2009-1123 May 2013, 3:30 PM PDT
Prosecutors seek to revoke bond of Cowboys DT Josh Brent in deadly wreck that killed teammate23 May 2013, 3:22 PM PDT