Reviews — In Reel Deep

'Lee Daniels' The Butler'

Lee Daniels' strengths and weaknesses are on display in this historical epic.

Drama, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonMarch 2, 2014Alan Rickman, Cuba Gooding Jr-, Danny Strong, David Oyelowo, forest whitaker, James Marsden, Jane Fonda, Lee Daniels, Lenny Kravitz, liev schreiber, Minka Kelly, oprah winfrey, Robin Williams

Oscars 2014: The In Reel Deep Live Blog

Hollywood's big night is here. Join us as the hardware gets handed out!

Awards, BusinessAndrew JohnsonMarch 2, 20142014, academy awards, live blog, Oscar results, Oscars

'Pompeii'

Director Paul W.S. Anderson errs in not hewing closer to his "style."

Action and Adventure, Drama, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonFebruary 28, 2014Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Carrie-Anne Moss, Emily Browning, jared harris, kiefer sutherland, Kit Harrington, paul w-s- anderson

Your 2014 Oscars Predictions

The In Reel Deep staff puts on their prognosticating hats to project the winners at this Sunday's Academy Awards.

Awards, BusinessAndrew JohnsonFebruary 27, 20142014, academy awards, Oscars, predictions

Here's to Harold Ramis, One of the Funniest People Ever

The writer-director-actor leaves behind quite a legacy.

Features, TributesAndrew JohnsonFebruary 25, 2014bill murray, Harold Ramis

'The Counselor'

A screenplay from Cormac McCarthy, a star-laden cast and Ridley Scott don't translate in to greatness.

Action and Adventure, Drama, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonFebruary 22, 2014brad pitt, cameron diaz, Cormac McCarthy, javier bardem, michael fassbender, Penelope Cruz, ridley scott, Rosie Perez

Review: 'The Lego Movie'

Far from a lazy cash-in, The Lego Movie might end up being the most entertaining film of 2014.

Comedy, Kids and Family, ReviewsSteve CiminoFebruary 17, 2014chris pratt, Christopher Miller, elizabeth banks, Phil Lord, The Lego Movie, Will Arnett

'Rush'

At its best moments, Ron Howard's Rush shows the way forward for sports movies.

Action and Adventure, Reviews, SportsAndrew JohnsonFebruary 15, 2014Alexandra Maria Lara, Chris Hemwsorth, Daniel Bruhl, olivia wilde, ron howard

Review: '2014 Oscar Nominated Live Action Shorts'

It's shorts season! Read up on all five nominees for Best Live Action Short Film at the 2014 Academy Awards.

ReviewsSteve CiminoFebruary 13, 2014Aquel No Era Yo, Avant Que De Tout Perdre, Best Live Action Short Film, helium, Pitääkö Mun Kaikki Hoitaa, The Voorman Problem

'The Square'

Netflix's Oscar-nominated documentary feels like a rough draft of history.

Documentary, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonFebruary 11, 2014Ahmed Hassan, Aida Elkashef, Jehane Noujaim, Khalid Abdalla, Magdy Ashour, Ramy Essam

Remembering Philip Seymour Hoffman

A brief look back at the storied career of the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Features, TributesSteve CiminoFebruary 5, 2014philip seymour hoffman

How Many Best Picture Nominees Is Enough?

Are there too many Best Picture nominees? You have to answer another question before you can begin to answer that one.

Awards, Business, Essays and Analysis, FeaturesAndrew JohnsonJanuary 28, 2014best picture nominees, number of best picture nominations, Oscar nominations

'All Is Lost'

Robert Redford stars in J.C. Chandor's captivating chronicle of a lone sailor's efforts to survive on the Indian Ocean.

Action and Adventure, Drama, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonJanuary 25, 2014J-C- Chandor, Robert Redford

Review: 'The Past'

While Asghar Farhadi's The Past is no A Separation, it is a smartly constructed family drama that delves into even larger issues.

DramaSteve CiminoJanuary 24, 2014Ali Mosaffa, Asghar Farhadi, berenice bejo, Tahar Rahim, The Past

Talkin' Oscars: Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress

Our discussion on the Oscars reaches its conclusion with a look at the Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress races (and a bunch of other stuff).

Awards, Business, Essays and Analysis, FeaturesAndrew JohnsonJanuary 22, 2014bradley cooper, Jared Leto, jennifer lawrence, jonah hill, julia roberts, Lupita Nyong'o, michael fassbender, sally hawkins

'Monsters University'

Here lies proof that Pixar is a victim of its own success.

Comedy, Kids and Family, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonJanuary 22, 2014Billy Crystal, charlie day, Dave Foley, Helen Mirren, john goodman, Sean Hayes, steve buscemi

Talkin' Oscars: Best Actor, Best Actress Races

In the second installment of Talkin' Oscars, we look at the Best Actor and Best Actress races.

Awards, Business, Essays and Analysis, FeaturesAndrew JohnsonJanuary 21, 2014amy adams, cate blanchett, chiwetel ejiofor, leonardo dicaprio, Matthew McCounaghey, meryl streep, sandra bullock, tom hanks

Talkin' Oscars: The Best Picture Race

Our writers break down the recently announced Academy Award nominations by starting with a look at the Best Picture race.

Awards, Business, Essays and Analysis, FeaturesAndrew JohnsonJanuary 20, 2014amy adams, bradley cooper, christian bale, david o- russell, jennifer lawrence, joaquin phoenix, judi dench, spike jonze

'Enough Said'

Nicole Holofcener's romantic comedy proves the genre isn't beyond saving.

Comedy, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonJanuary 18, 2014Ben Falcone, Catherine Keener, james gandolfini, julia louis-dreyfus, Nicole Holofcener, Toni Collette

'The Act of Killing'

Joshua Oppenheimer gives viewers unprecedented access to the mind of a mass murderer.

Documentary, ReviewsAndrew JohnsonJanuary 14, 2014Anwar Congo, Joshua Oppenheimer