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McConaughey, Oscar nominee
Matthew McConaughey has been a reliable movie star for years. His films may not be blockbusters, but with his name comes a swagger and brand that has amassed a great deal of followers. Over the past...
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'Hunger Games' gets even better
Ever since the “Twilight” saga exploded at the box office, studios have been desperate to find another potential young adult book series that could rack up big attendance numbers and the box office....
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'Thor' is a bore
Setting up “The Avengers” was no easy task. When it turned out to be so good (and so successful), Marvel managed to do what few could: create a multi-franchise universe ripe for spinoffs and sequels....
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Surviving the awards season for the rural moviegoer
The last month or so has seen a lot of prestige pictures being released. But some releases have yet to even touch Cedar Rapids or the neighboring Iowa City. Some films will wait for awareness and...
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A tale of a mother's love
A study was released recently stating that British cinema rarely turns a profit. Despite turning out many films yearly, few find an audience (even in the Native United Kingdom). Despite the high...
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'The Warmest Color' comes alive
NC-17 has always been a black eye for mainstream films and a badge of honor for violent action and horror movies. In the last few years, filmmakers have worked hard to legitimize the adult-oriented...
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'Anchorman' returns
It’s hard to imagine that Will Ferrell was once an untested comedy lead in Hollywood. Though not all of his films hit their mark, when they do quotes are taken from them constantly. “Anchorman: The...
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A taste of history in being conned
Award season is in full swing, and the heavy hitters are collecting nominations like it’s a given. One of the films popping up all over the place is David O. Russell’s latest. Building off the...
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'The Wolf' bears its claws
Martin Scorsese knows how to make a movie. He’s been making films since the late sixties/early seventies. In that vast expanse of time, he has crafted many absorbing and palpable tales. A few years...
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'47 Ronin' are lost
When mythology is brought to life on the big screen, liberties are usually taken to make the story tighter and more accessible. By condensing the material, it pushes the film closer to a reasonable...
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Enjoy the 'Secret Life'
Many forget that Ben Stiller is more than just an actor. He directed “Reality Bites,” which defined a Generation X mentality. Since then, he’s anchored two franchises (“Night at the Museum” and “Meet...
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Best Films of 2013
2013 has been a wild ride at the box office. Studios invested in multiple non-starters (“R.I.P.D.” and “The Lone Ranger”) and poured billions into sequels. Some films improved on the franchise, while...
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Combat films reborn
War movies are a breed all there own. Some come across as massive spectacles of patriotism while others push the reality of these events on the viewer. Depending on the story, the realism can either...
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The return of Jack Ryan
Jack Ryan has been a piece of pop culture for over two decades. Created by the late Tom Clancy in his series of novels, Ryan became an everyman hero that was at once relatable and still intense. In...
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A melancholy romance
In today’s culture, people are growing not dependent on technology to get through the day. In just the last ten years, smartphones and social media have come from science fiction to reality. But what...
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Not quite awkward enough
With the Super Bowl being the most widely seen element this weekend, the films being released are intended as counterprogramming. In year’s past, a film may find an audience or long legs, while box...
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A tale of culture and war
Many people are familiar with Adolf Hitler’s quest to collect/steal/destroy much of the great art scattered across Europe while in power. Stories abound of book burning and attempting to rid the world...
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LEGOs are awesome
After the success of “Transformers” graduating from toy line to multi-billion dollar movie franchise, Hollywood has been desperate to make lightning strike twice. The results have largely...
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Costner steps up but can't save '3 Days to Kill'
It’s hard not to root for our favorite actors of yesteryear. Some come out of retirement for the occasional job (ala Jack Nicolson), others continue to work and find themselves experiencing a career...
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Anchorman 2 gets rated R and comes back to the multi-plex
When “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” bowed last December, it seemed like a delightful reunion with Will Ferrell’s iconic breakthrough role. As the two-hour laffer unfolded, it seemed a bit...
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