American Sniper

Movie Review -- 'Man Down' is a Cliche-Ridden Mess

Man Down

After a two-year stint playing a real life crazy person, wearing paper bags on his head at red carpet events, videotaping himself viewing all his old movies live, riding on elevators with people and hitchhiking across America (plus so much more), I can only imagine Shia LeBeouf woke up one morning and realized he had bills to pay. So, he hopped on the first movie that would take him. It’s ironic, then, that he’s the one redeeming feature of Man Down -- a movie so riddled with cliches and bad writing it’s like seeing a talented LeBeouf put on a powerful performance...

American Hero Movies: 'American Sniper' v. 'Unbroken'

AMERICAN-SNIPER

The 2015 Oscar nominations were released last Thursday, and American Sniper is up for Best Picture. It shouldn’t be. Don’t mistake me: American Sniper is not a bad movie. It’s just not a great movie, either. This was equal parts surprising and disappointing, since the trailer and TV advertisements looked compelling, and Bradley Cooper and Clint Eastwood’s involvement in the film had as me as excited as I’d been in a long time to see any movie. I was expecting something iconic and potentially...