Northbrook Star

New on DVD, Blu-ray

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:17:24 -0500

Ashley Bell bends over backwards for scares in “The Last Exorcism Part II,” major stars get rude and crude in “Movie 43” and Dustin Hoffman has a senior moment in “Quartet.”

‘Man of Steel’ super yet self-important

Fri, 14 Jun 2013 08:46:01 -0500

Though its self-mythologizing smacks of pomposity at times and its super-spectacular action sequences are so mind-boggling it’s sometimes hard to follow what’s going on, you have to give “Man of Steel” credit for one thing — it’s not dull.

Contrived drama almost spoils ‘Summer’ fun

Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:38:01 -0500

Living in a makeshift dwelling might not be much fun for grown-ups, but it’s pure paradise for the three teenage boys in this generally light and agreeable coming-of-age comedy.

‘Fast & Furious 6’ shifts into outrageous overdrive

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:46:01 -0500

he sixth installment in the $1.5-billion grossing “Fast & Furious” franchise shows no signs of slowing down or mellowing out. Or confining its speed-crazed car stunts to the limits of reason and physics.

Movies opening, still in theaters

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:34:01 -0500

Will Smith and son team up for sci-fi action in “After Earth,” Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy return for another romantic installment in “Before Midnight” and Jesse Eisenberg and company get prestidigi-tastic in “Now You See Me,” all in area theaters.

New releases on DVD, Blu-ray

Thu, 06 Jun 2013 04:04:07 -0500

Sci-fi adventure gets silly in the animated “Escape from Planet Earth,” Bruce Willis yet again flirts with mortality in “A Good Day to Die Hard,” Jason Bateman credits Melissa McCarthy for his fiscal woes in “Identity Thief” and young love gets zombified in “Warm Bodies.”

‘Now You See Me’ tries one trick too many

Thu, 30 May 2013 13:18:01 -0500

“The closer you look, the less you see.” We hear variations on that rather smug warning several times during this not-quite-as-cool-as-it-thinks-it-is, hocus-pocus heist movie, informing us that we’re about to be tricked and there’s really nothing we can do about it.

Movies opening, still in theaters

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 10:18:26 -0500

New releases on DVD, Blu-ray

Thu, 30 May 2013 03:01:30 -0500

Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton are tormented by other-worldly creatures in “Dark Skies” and Mike Leigh’s “Life is Sweet” makes its Blu-ray debut.

‘Epic’ makes room for melancholy

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:16:02 -0500

It’s not surprising that the latest animated adventure from Blue Sky Studios would look great and serve up plenty of slam-bang action and comedy.

Movies opening, still in theaters

Fri, 24 May 2013 17:20:01 -0500

Miniature forces of good and evil battle big-time in “Epic,” Vin Diesel revs up yet again for “Fast & Furious 6,” Greta Gerwig’s gotta dance in “Frances Ha” and the Wolfpack boys return for more headaches in “The Hangover III,” all in area theaters.