Movie Reviews, Digital HD Reviews, and Television Reviews

Reviews By Chris Rebholz

Here at FlickDirect, our goal is to provide up-to-date reviews on theatrical, home entertainment, and television series. Check out the scoop on upcoming films or programming, and even our take on the classsics from our critics and Rotten Tomatoes Approved, Allison Rose.

Cloud Atlas

(Chris Rebholz) 5/6/2013 9:36 AM EDT
Ambitious doesn't even begin to describe "Cloud Atlas," which marks the first collaboration between Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer. Powerhouse screen visionaries, the trio find an unusual harmony for their mighty endeavor, providing a smooth melt of specialized sensibilities as they tackle an adaptation of an "unfilmable"... Read More

Jack Reacher

(Chris Rebholz) 4/29/2013 9:50 AM EDT
"Jack Reacher" is a different film than you would expect. It's a different film than many will be expecting, with the possible exception of those already engrossed in the Jack Reacher books by author Lee Child, but even the fanatics might be puzzled by a few of the new details required to turn a page-turner into a Tom Cruise starring vehi... Read More

Gangster Squad

(Chris Rebholz) 4/18/2013 7:25 PM EDT
Gangster Squad hinges on violence and little more, and with it comes an odd, slack-jawed silliness. The film aspires for Untouchables greatness but bumbles all the elements that make Brian De Palma and David Mamet's 1987 crime drama great. It longs to be L.A. Confidential but falls closer to The Black Dahlia. It desperately paws at the classics... Read More

Parental Guidance

(Chris Rebholz) 4/4/2013 8:29 AM EDT
Billy Crystal hasn't starred in a major motion picture since 2002, where he burned off considerable audience goodwill with the abysmal sequel, "Analyze That." There was a bit part in the "Tooth Fairy" with Dwayne Johnson, but let's not dogpile on the guy. Considering he's been away from screen comedy for an eternity in Hollywood... Read More

The Sweeney

(Chris Rebholz) 4/3/2013 1:10 PM EDT
"The Sweeney" is based on a British television series that began in 1975, making its American theatrical run a little on the baffling side, though one should never doubt the drawing power of Ray Winstone. The beefy, growling actor makes a fine if familiar impression in this hard-charging actioner, giving depressingly conventional material... Read More

Lincoln

(Chris Rebholz) 3/26/2013 4:13 PM EDT
Whenever Steven Spielberg has stood trial for a crime against cinema, it's been a crime of passion. With the exception of Jaws and Raiders of the Lost Ark -- each a perfect movie, if such a thing exists -- Spielberg's vice has long been his love of the tale, the art and the craft. He plucks heartstrings once too often. He extends an otherwi... Read More

The Hunchback Of Notre Dame

(Chris Rebholz) 3/22/2013 4:11 PM EDT
"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is another one of Disney's underrated films. This was released in the mid 90′s right when Pixar made their mark with their computer generated animated films like "Toy Story". "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" didn't make the cut with its "boring" 2D animation and was not given ... Read More

Mulan

(Chris Rebholz) 3/22/2013 3:15 PM EDT
"Mulan" was at the tail end of Disney's hand-drawn animation success and it seems as though it was one Disney's more underrated successes. The music and songs are memorable and it has fun characters like Mushu (Eddie Murphy). The film also creates another classic Disney princess, who is not only pretty but also very strong... Read More

Brother Bear

(Chris Rebholz) 3/22/2013 2:36 PM EDT
When "Brother Bear" first hit theaters, it seemed that Disney was slipping quite a bit with their animated films but looking at it again with a little more age and wisdom adds a little something different this time around. "Brother Bear" is not a perfect film and in fact it's one of the last classically animated films from D... Read More

Willow

(Chris Rebholz) 3/22/2013 1:50 PM EDT
Before Peter Jackson's take on the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the closest J.R.R. Tolkien fans ever got to a live-action film adaptation of Middle Earth was 1988's Willow, which borrows heavily from the writer's alternate medieval universe. Besides dueling sorcerers, castle sieges, and trolls, both works feature diminutive heroes who hee... Read More