Movie reviews of Sandy Schaefer

2015, Adventure, Horror, Comedy

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

2015, Adventure, Fantasy

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

2015, Adventure, Drama, Suspense

An entertaining and often thrilling piece of storytelling...

2015, Comedy

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

2015, Drama, Suspense

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

2015, Drama, Suspense, Science fiction

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

2015, Action, Suspense

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

2015, Horror

Lacks the restrained direction and eery mythos of its predecessor.

2015, Drama, Music, Comedy

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

2015, Adventure, Action, Suspense

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

2015, Drama, Action

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

2015, Drama, Mystery, Love

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

2015, Drama, Mystery

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

2015, Adventure, Animation, Comedy

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

2015, Drama, Comedy

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

2015, Adventure, Action, Suspense, Science fiction

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

2015, Action, Comedy, Crime

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

2015, Drama, Comedy, Love

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

2015, Action, Comedy, Crime

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

2015, Fantasy, Drama, Love

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

2015, Action, Comedy

Only just meets its quota for guilty laughs.

2015, Drama, Action, Suspense, Crime

Another solid Fast and the Furious installment – one that (flaws aside) provides a nice farewell to star Paul Walker.

2014, Horror, Suspense

Might not be as deep as it aspires to be, but It Follows is one retro horror movie that’s quite creepy and has style to spare.

2015, Drama

By-the-numbers underdogs sport fare, but good direction and performances make it a respectable addition to the genre.