Haiku Review: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill, Margot Robbie, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, Rob Reiner, Jon Bernthal, Jon Favreau & Jean Dujardin
Written by Terence Winter
Directed by Martin Scorsese

Based on the true rise and fall of Jordan Belfort, a corrupt, drug-fueled Wall Street executive who lived a life of extravagance by swindling his investors.


In the real world, Big
Bad Wolf eats Little Red and
gets away with it.

Grade: B+


c2014
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Wolf of Wall Street is playing now in theaters nationwide.
IMDb

Haiku Review: August: Osage County (2013)

Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Chris Cooper, Ewan McGregor, Margo Martindale, Sam Shepard, Dermot Mulroney, Julianne Nicholson, Juliette Lewis, Abigail Breslin & Benedict Cumberbatch
Written by Tracy Letts
Directed by John Wells

After their patriarch goes missing, a dysfunctional family reunites and finds themselves once again at odds with each other and their cancer-stricken, pill-addled mother.


A family so
messed up that incest is the
least of its problems.

Grade: B-


c2014
By Daniel J. Hoag
August: Osage County is playing now in theaters nationwide.
IMDb

 

Haiku Review: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)

Starring: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, Justin Timberlake, Adam Driver & John Goodman
Written and directed by Joel & Ethan Coen

A struggling musician tries to make end meet in the dwindling folk scene of 1961 Greenwich Village.


Hang in there, Llewyn:
folk will be cool again in
just 50 short years.

Grade: A


c2014
By Daniel J. Hoag
Inside Llewyn Davis is playing now in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2042568/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Haiku Review: Her (2013)

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Scarlett Johansson, Amy Adams, Rooney Mara & Chris Pratt
Written & directed by Spike Jonze

In the not-so-distant future, a lonely man develops a romantic relationship with his artificially intelligent operating system.


Admit it, after
watching this you tried to have
phone sex with Siri.

Grade: A


c2014
By Daniel J. Hoag
Her is playing now in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1798709/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Haiku Review: Frozen (2013)

Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, Josh Gad & Alan Tudyk
Screenplay by Jennifer Lee
Directed by Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee

When her sister’s magical powers trap their kingdom in an endless winter, young Anna sets out on a quest to find her sibling and bring back warm weather.


Buried under the
polar vortex of Disney’s
princess formula.

Grade: C+


c2014
By Daniel J. Hoag
Frozen is playing now in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294629/?ref_=ttfc_fc_tt

Haiku Review: Nebraska (2013)

Starring: Bruce Dern, Will Forte, June Squibb, Bob Odenkirk & Stacy Keach
Written by Bob Nelson
Directed by Alexander Payne

A man reluctantly escorts his aging, alcoholic father to Nebraska when the old man becomes convinced that he’s won a million dollars in a sweepstakes.


ATTENTION! YOU MAY
(leave feeling like you) HAVE WON
A MILLION DOLLARS!

Grade: A-


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Nebraska is playing now in select cities.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1821549/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Haiku Review: American Hustle (2013)

Starring: Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Jennifer Lawrence, Louis C.K. & Robert De Niro
Written by Eric Warren Singer & David O. Russell
Directed by David O. Russell

Two swindlers are forced to help an overly ambitious FBI agent, and they soon find themselves neck-deep in political corruption and organized crime.


A comb-over and
bell bottoms would convince me
to do anything.

Grade: A-


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
American Hustle is now playing in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1800241/?ref_=hm_cht_t4

Haiku Review: Philomena (2013)

Starring: Judi Dench & Steve Coogan
Written by Steve Coogan & Jeff Pope
Directed by Stephen Frears

Based on the true story of Philomena Lee, an older Irish woman who went in search of the son whom she was forced to give up for adoption nearly 50 years prior.


Judi Dench battles
evil nuns – what more could you
want from a movie?

Grade: B


C2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Philomena is playing now in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2431286/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Haiku Review: In a World… (2013)

Starring: Lake Bell, Rob Corddry, Ken Marino, Demetri Martin, Fred Melamed, Nick Offerman, Michaela Watkins & Geena Davis
Written & directed by Lake Bell

A female vocal coach attempts to break into the male-dominated voice-over industry.


As long as it’s a
world where more women get to
direct films, I’m in.

Grade: B+


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
In a World… is playing now in select cities.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2294677/?ref_=nv_sr_1

Haiku Review: The Way Way Back (2013)

Starring: Liam James, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Allison Janney, Maya Rudolph, AnnaSophia Robb, Rob Corddry, Amanda Peet, Nat Faxon & Jim Rash
Written & directed by Nat Faxon & Jim Rash

On vacation with his mother and her emotionally abusive boyfriend, a shy teenager begins to come out of his shell after he befriends the employees of a local water park.


Although, most older
guys who friend kids at water
parks are pedophiles.

Grade: B+


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Way Way Back is playing now in select cities.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1727388/?ref_=sr_1