Haiku Review: Seven Psychopaths (2012)

Starring: Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, Christopher Walken, Abbie Cornish, Harry Dean Stanton & Olga Kurylenko
Written and directed by Martin McDonagh

A struggling screenwriter finds himself in danger when his unstable best friend kidnaps the dog of a vicious gangster.


If Adaptation
were written by the coked-out
hitman from In Bruges

Grade: B-


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Seven Psychopaths is available on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1931533/?ref_=sr_1

(Blu) Haiku Review: The Words (2012)

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Olivia Wilde & Zoë Saldana
Written and directed by Brian Klugman & Lee Sternthal

A struggling writer discovers a lost manuscript and publishes it as his own, only to have the true author confront him.


Words fail me at how
The Words fails me. Just try to
give a flying f@#$.

Grade: D+


c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Words is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1840417/

Haiku Review: The Sessions (2012)

Starring: John Hawkes, Helen Hunt & William H. Macy
Written and directed by Ben Lewin

The true story of journalist and poet Mark O’Brien, who spent most of his life in an iron lung after contracting polio at an early age, and who, at age 38, sought to lose his virginity with the help of a sex surrogate.


Hawkes earns Oscar nod
lying still while Helen Hunt
gets naked. Tough job.

Grade: B+


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Sessions is playing now in select cities.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1866249/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Ruby Sparks (2012)

Starring: Paul Dano, Zoe Kazan, Antonio Banderas, Annette Bening, Steve Coogan, Elliott Gould & Chris Messina
Written by Zoe Kazan
Directed by Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris

A lonely, struggling author is stunned when the beautiful ficticious woman he has been writing comes to life.


Kazan’s sparks ignite
burning this star-making turn
right into your heart.

Grade: A-


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Ruby Sparks is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1839492/

(Blu) Haiku Review: Being Flynn (2012)

Starring: Robert De Niro, Paul Dano, Olivia Thirlby, Lili Taylor & Julianne Moore
Written and directed by Paul Weitz

Based on Nick Flynn’s memior Another Bullshit Night in Suck City about the struggle to find his voice as an author and his troubled relationship with his homeless father.


A bland bio, but
if it keeps De Niro from
doing comedies…

Grade: C+


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Being Flynn is available now on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455323/

DVD Haiku Review: Exporting Raymond (2011)

Featuring: Phil Rosenthal
Written and directed by Phil Rosenthal

When Everybody Loves Raymond creator Phil Rosenthal travels to Russia to help adapt his show for Russian audiences, he encounters a great number of setbacks involving unique characters and unbelievable situations.


Phil, if their paying,
who cares if Russkies crap all
over your baby?

Grade: B-


c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Exporting Raymond is available now on DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1356763/

Haiku Review: Young Adult (2011)

Starring: Charlize Theron, Patton Oswalt & Patrick Wilson
Written by Diablo Cody
Directed by Jason Reitman

A young adult novelist returns to her hometown to win back her high school ex-boyfriend, who is now married with a new baby.


Theron makes being
hard to love easy to love.
Antiheroic!

Grade: B+


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Young Adult is now playing in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1625346/

Haiku Review: Midnight in Paris (2011)

Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Marion Cotillard, Kathy Bates & Adrian Brody
Written & directed by Woody Allen

A writer on vacation in Paris finds himself transported every midnight to the 1920s and finds inspirtation among the likes of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Cole Porter and Gertrude Stein.


Nostalgic Woody,
every bit the artistic
genius himself, charms.

Grade: A-


c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Midnight in Paris is now playing in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1605783/