TheReviewMonk
Ervell Menezes

Ervell Menezes

The W14

13Reviews
6.1Avg from 12 scored
1Publication

Most Divergent Takes

How to Train Your Dragon 2

How to Train Your Dragon 2

2014 · The W14 · Jun 2014

...the animation is of a high quality and grows more appealing in the second half but this surfeit of action tends to drag on endlessly, with the result its 102-minute duration seems much, much longer than one would like. There are other sub-plots that only seem to prolong the agony.

Fading Gigolo

Fading Gigolo

2014 · TheW14 · May 2014

John Turturo and Woody Allen are their usual suave selves but Vanessa Paradis and Sofia Vergera are not far behind. Sharon Stone of the "crossing and uncrossing legs" of "Basic Instinct" fame is far more circumspect but hasn't lost any of her oomph. "Fading Gigolo" is surely worth watching.

6.0
TRM 5.9
Full review ↗
Non-Stop

Non-Stop

2014 · The W14 · Mar 2014

A taut screenplay is adeptly handled by director Serra who is supported by good performances by Neeson who is accustomed to playing such parts and Julianne Moore as the enigmatic window passenger. Little Quinn McColgan provides a human touch and all's hunky-dory till the climax —- notwithstanding a few blanks..

6.0
TRM 5.7
Full review ↗
Dallas Buyers Club

Dallas Buyers Club

2014 · The W14 · Mar 2014

Shedding so much weight as to be barely recognizable , Matthew McConoughy is just brilliant in the lead role and goes through a full gamut of emotions that could well win him the Best Actor Oscar this weekend. He is ably supported by Jenifer Garner who grows on the viewer but it is Jarred Leto who also takes the cake and her role reminds one of Pedro Almadovar's All About My Mother as far as gender determination is concerned. The other cameos are minimal in this not-to-be-missed real life experience.

8.0
TRM 6.9
Full review ↗
Nebraska

Nebraska

2014 · The W14 · Mar 2014

Nebraska is sure to touch the soul of man. It's just unmissable and I mean it.

10.0
TRM 7.4
Full review ↗
Mr. Peabody & Sherman

Mr. Peabody & Sherman

2014 · The W14 · Mar 2014

Mr Peabody & Sherman is a delightful animated film of a talking dog/man Mr Peabody who is the smartest thing in the world and his dog/son Sherman, making the film eventually a sumptuous romp through history taking pot-shots at historical figures with utter disdain.

6.0
TRM 6.3
Full review ↗
Pompeii

Pompeii

2014 · The W14 · Feb 2014

...the dormant volcano Vesuvius has the last say and Pompeii (remember The Last Days Of Ponpeii, starring Steve Reeves?) and history is well captured. Maybe the revival of those 1950s classics like Quo Vadis and Ben Hur give it an edge over the more weighty Monuments Men. Well, that's where Einstein's theory of relativity comes in!

6.0
TRM 5.1
Full review ↗
Grudge Match

Grudge Match

2014 · TheW14 · Jan 2014

With a plethora of talent, the performances are good with De Niro and Stallone sharing the honours and Alan Arkin whose deaf-mute role in The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter is still fresh in memory while Kim Bassinger, after a long break, still has enough oomph to remind one of Jane Fonda in her heyday. All in all Grudge Match is well worth going to.

6.0
TRM 5.0
Full review ↗
Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis

2014 · TheW14 · Jan 2014

Oscar Isaac virtually lives the part of Llewyn and he is ably supported by Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake with the burly John Goodman notching yet another good cameo in this delightful soul-searching music drama. This is a must for music aficionados, specially folk music lovers.

6.0
TRM 6.7
Full review ↗
47 Ronin

47 Ronin

2014 · TheW14 · Jan 2014

There are 20 minutes of action but the remaining 90-odd ones are lackluster with director Carl Eric Rinsch struggling with the legend.

4.0
TRM 4.7
Full review ↗
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

2014 · TheW14 · Jan 2014

To begin with this reviewer is no great admirer of Ben Stiller. But in The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, which incidentally is also directed by him, he does an excellent job putting to shame his earlier directors for not using him correctly. He's not only a comedian.

7.0
TRM 5.6
Full review ↗
The Wolf of Wall Street

The Wolf of Wall Street

2014 · TheW14 · Jan 2014

...sitting through 179 minutes of predictable, blasé and brash anecdotes becomes tedious. Yet, when the end comes, it is abrupt. Can you believe that? Di Caprio is as usual good, though he has to scream his lungs out and stoop to gross deeds...when all is said and done Horace Walpole's "in small proportions we just beauty see, in short measures life may perfect be" stands out loud and clear.

5.0
TRM 6.7
Full review ↗
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

2013 · Dec 2013

We're on a long, long journey with Lord and Miller stumbling with weak establishing shots. The visuals too are at best average and going through a dull middle is another handicap. Though the climax is a saving grace, one isn't likely to brave it out until then.

3.0
TRM 5.0
Full review ↗