Movie reviews of Sandy Schaefer

Succeeds at giving the Peanuts property a shiny fresh coat of paint, while keeping its heart and humanist spirit intact. Review

Fails as a character study, but thrives when bringing the fast-moving world of professional chefs to cinematic life. Review

What good intentions Jem and the Holograms has are weighed down by its cheap aesthetic and thinly-drawn storyline. Review

A fun, if frantic, scary adventure for kids that even captures the spirit of R.L. Stine’s original books. Review

Falls short at being either an imaginative origin story for Peter Pan and/or a satisfying standalone big-budget fantasy adventure. Review

An entertaining and often thrilling piece of storytelling... Review

An insubstantial Nancy Meyers comedy kept afloat by Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway’s screen chemistry. Review

An engaging and well-made biopic with solid performances, but fails at being an insightful and thematically rich work of cinema. Review

Uses its post-apocalyptic backdrop to craft a compelling and moody character study. Review

A thin story and xenophobic overtones make No Escape an unpleasant movie to watch. Review

Lacks the restrained direction and eery mythos of its predecessor. Review

A half-baked comedy/drama, but the cast (including Meryl Streep’s aging rocker) makes it a charming one. Review

A smart and exciting blockbuster, as well as another strong installment in the Tom Cruise action franchise. Review

A paint by numbers boxing drama kept afloat by good direction and a ferocious Jake Gyllenhaal performance. Review

Not the most poignant or ground-breaking coming of age tale, but it‘s gentle nature and noble intentions make it a respectable one. Review

A solid (if unremarkable) period drama that is anchored by a great Ian McKellen performance as an old Sherlock Holmes. Review

Delivers just enough of what people love about the eponymous Despicable Me characters to please their fanbase – but not much else. Review

May not be an insightful continuation of its predecessor, but it delivers an experience that many wanted the first time around. Review

A big, shiny, and entertaining roller coaster ride, though the ‘World’ is more interesting than the people. Review

A very good showcase for Melissa McCarthy and another successful collaboration between her and director Paul Feig. Review

Has elements of Cameron Crowe’s best work, but poor storytelling results in a film that’s more perplexing than charming. Review

Will provide some moviegoers with a few easy laughs, but others are likely to find it just boring and unfunny. Review

A ludicrous romantic fantasy, but solid craftsmanship and good acting make it an enjoyable one too. Review

Only just meets its quota for guilty laughs. Review