I snickered often but laughed rarely. It’s a Rule 63 version of a middling Chris Farley road comedy, lighter on the body humor and heavier on the empathy.

A bubblegum band gets a bubblegum bio. Eastwood’s clean direction isn’t able to wholly tie up the divergent threads of this formulaic plot,

Children’s cinema prospers and flops on the basis of the film’s ability to engage the child’s imagination within an enjoyable fantasy. The How to Train Your Dragon franchise offers the fantasy of having a pet dog who’s humongous enough to ride and who can fly you anywhere.

As for McConaughey’s Killer Joe, he’s a potent mix of authority and psychosis, a worst case corrupt cop who is clearly in the job only for the pleasure he gets from intimidating and dominating other people. He starts with an avian stare that covers every corner of the room, speaking softly but firmly. But there’s…

There isn’t an action set piece in this film that feels new or breath-taking. Indeed, the repetition of the protagonist seeps a dullness into the film- every step is choreographed, rehearsed, committed with the passion of a puppet.

Chef was a feel good, but predictable comedy written by, directed by, and starred in by Jon Favreau, of Iron Man fame.  (He also did Cowboys and Aliens and Swingers)  This was the sort of movie that is difficult to review in that the movie could be described as overdone, sizzling, milquetoast, luscious, soggy, zesty, bland…