Here is a recap of the films reviewed on today’s show:
The Last Witch Hunter is clearly an attempt to set up a new fantasy franchise but for that to work it must have a compelling central character and a rich story world. This film has neither.
Jem and the Holograms is intended to be a feel-good bubblegum story. For tweens who think Twilight is great literature and the music of Taylor Swift is life changing, this may have some appeal. But even adolescent audiences ought to recognize how facile and poorly written this movie is.
There is a case to be made for the disintegrating status of investigative journalism but Truth is not it. Very much like the people whose story it tells, the filmmakers attempt to contort a historical event into something it wasn’t.
Clouds of Sils Maria is a quiet but thoughtful film about the impermanence of life and the way art can capture a fleeting moment. It’s a pensive movie but those enjoy pictures like 8½ or Birdman ought to check it out.
You can find full text of every review in the Sounds of Cinema Review Archive.