Winter's Tale

Director: Akiva Goldsman
Year Released: 2014
Rating: 0.0

Atrocious directorial debut for screenwriter-turned-filmmaker Goldsman (Batman & Robin, Lost in Space) that has an orphaned child (played, as an adult, by Colin Farrell) chased after by a demonic father figure (Russell Crowe) who appears irate about his criminal protégé falling in love with a redhead (Jessica Brown Findlay). Somehow, a magical white horse, Will Smith as Lucifer and Farrell's character being immortal with the power to save a dying child all factor into the "plot." Incoherently presented - whether this is due to novelist Mark Helprin or Goldsman is besides the point - it comes across as too New Age-y and fraudulently philosophical to be even semi-involving, though Farrell tries his damnedest to add weight to his own character. I spent the first half wondering what Crowe's character's motivation and anger are a result of ... then I realized the movie is just maddeningly stupid.