Reel-View Ratings: The Bigger The Beard, The Better The Movie

on June 23, 2015 at 10:09 am

CHAPPIE

meh
In this mostly unsuccessful amalgamation of every artificial intelligence movie ever, a man tries to create his own AI (yes, think Ultron, think RoboCop) in a world policed by machines, only for things to go wrong … when it ends up being stolen and raised by gangsters. Naturally, a struggle of good and evil ensues. There’s an all-star cast at play here — including Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver and Dev Patel — and Neill Blomkamp also directed the very great District 9. But somehow, nothing comes together. The dialogue is flat, the story feels derivative, the message is confused, and the acting is inconsistent. But hey, the visuals are great. And the robot is cute.

Plays at noon, 4:15 and 8:30 p.m. June 27 at the Movie Museum

SHE’S BEAUTIFUL WHEN SHE’S ANGRY

kewl
Women’s rights have come so far, and not far at all, as illuminated in Mary Dore’s by-the-books documentary about second-wave feminism in the mid-20th century. Incorporating archival footage, reenactments and interviews with luminaries such as Kate Millett, Ellen Willis, Rita Mae Brown and many more, Dore takes a compelling snapshot of this moment in history, shedding light on how feminism intersected with the anti-war, civil rights and LGBT movements. Her subjects speak with passion and fervor undimmed by the decades. Unfortunately, Dore’s style is a bit staid and stiff, occasionally shoving all those high feelings into a dull box.