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: Broken City (2013)

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Jeffrey Wright, Barry Pepper, Alona Tal, Natalie Martinez & Kyle Chandler
Written by Brian Tucker
Directed by Allen Hughes

An ex-cop is hired by a corrupt mayor to discover the identity of his wife’s lover.


It’s not great, but let’s
be grateful that Russell Crowe
doesn’t sing in this.

Grade: C+


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Broken City is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 4/30/13.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1235522/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Premium Rush (2012)

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Shannon & Dania Ramirez
Written by David Koepp & John Kamps
Directed by David Koepp

A bike messenger finds himself chased across Manhattan by a crooked cop who’s looking to steal his valuable delivery.


You’ll have to settle
for a perfectly above
average rush, thanks.

Grade: B-


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Premium Rush is available on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1547234/

Haiku Review: Arbitrage (2012)

Starring: Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth & Brit Marling
Written and directed by Nicholas Jarecki

A corrupt business tycoon finds the sale of his company threatened while trying to cover up both fraudulent bookkeeping and a scandalous accident.


Hey, it’s hard out there
for a corrupt, entitled
corporate sleazebag.

Grade: A-


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Arbitrage is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/21/12.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1764183/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Lawless (2012)

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain, Jason Clarke & Guy Pearce
Screenplay by Nick Cave
Directed by John Hillcoat

Based on the true story of the Bondurant brothers, who operated the most lucrative bootlegging business in Virginia at the height of Prohibition.


Shouldn’t LaBeouf be
ruining some big-budget
franchise about now?

Grade: B


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Lawless is available on Blu-ray and DVD today.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212450/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Haiku Review: The Campaign (2012)

Starring: Will Ferrell, Zach Galifianakis, Jason Sudeikis, Dylan McDermott, John Lithgow, Dan Aykroyd & Brian Cox
Screenplay by Shawn Harwell & Chris Henchy
Directed by Jay Roach

Two corrupt corporate bigwigs attempt to oust a long-term congressman by backing a naive family man to run against him.


Have a good laugh at
these politiclowns; the real
ones will make you weep.

Grade: B+


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Campaign is playing now in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1790886/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Man on a Ledge (2012)

Starring: Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, Edward Burns & Ed Harris
Written by Pablo F. Fenjves
Directed by Asger Leth

An falsely-accused ex-cop escapes from prison and climbs out on the ledge of a tall building to serve as a distraction while his brother attempts to steal a valuable diamond that might help prove his innocence.


It’s fitting that this
plot resembles the splattered
corpse of a jumper.

Grade: C


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Man on a Ledge is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/29/12.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1568338/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Rampart (2011)

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Ned Beatty, Ben Foster, Anne Heche, Ice Cube, Cynthia Nixon, Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright & Steve Buscemi
Written by James Ellroy & Oren Moverman
Directed by Oren Moverman

A corrupt cop’s life begins to spiral out of control after being caught on film brutally beating a suspect.


A raging Woody
makes Training Day‘s Denzel seem
like the Hamburglar.

Grade: B+


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Rampart is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 5/15/12.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1640548/

DVD Haiku Review: Hot Coffee (2011)

Directed by Susan Saladoff

Four riveting cases (including the woman who sued McDonald’s over spilled coffee) expose how corporations spend millions of dollars on propaganda campaigns that distort the public’s view on lawsuits and get Americans give up their Constitutional rights in many ways without knowing it.


More startling than
a cup of scalding decaf
to the naughty bits.

Grade: A


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Hot Coffee is now available on DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1445203/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Fast Five (2011)

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges & Dwayne Johnson
Written by Chris Morgan
Directed by Justin Lin

Fugitives Dom Toretto and Brian O’Conner make their way to Rio de Janeiro for one last heist and find themselves tangled up with a ruthless drug kingpin and pursued by a relentless U.S. strike force.


The Rock fuels this
stalled franchise, the sole reason
Vin Diesel still works.

Grade: B-


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Fast Five is available on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596343/