Is there a day that goes by anymore where we don’t hear about a suicide bombing somewhere in the world? It seems as though this has become a rejuvenated, popular practice, particularly in the Middle East. We read the headlines and shake our heads, moving on to the next depressing… Continue reading
And now for something different. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang is a marriage of old film noir elements with more modern black comedy techniques, and the result is an occasionally funny and entertaining film that ultimately tries too hard and cannot maintain the breakneck pace that the first act antes up.… Continue reading
Go ahead and gasp. I have never read a page of any Harry Potter book, nor have I seen any of the movies up to this point. How have I managed to accomplish this feat? I have no clue. J.K. Rowling’s novels are a worldwide sensation and sell at such… Continue reading
Zathura will undoubtedly be compared to 1995’s Jumanji, and for good reason, at least topically. Both stories concern a board game with magical powers and an undeniable gift for dropping unsuspecting youths in a land of very good special effects. But what Zathura has, and what ultimately makes it a… Continue reading
Shopgirl is gentle, heartfelt, and thought-provoking – a real rarity in today’s romance market that consists mainly of sitcom caricatures making bets as to whether or not they will fall in love. Based upon Steve Martin’s novella of the same name, there is undoubtedly some truth behind the events depicted.… Continue reading
Chicken Little is Disney’s first in-house computer animated release since their split with Pixar (and the demise of their 2-D department), and if this is what we are to expect in the future I will set my expectations appropriately lower next time around. It’s not that Chicken Little is bad,… Continue reading
It’s been seven years since The Mask of Zorro was released, thus making The Legend of Zorro an immediate violator of my sequel rule. Just to refresh, the rule says that any sequel that is made more than five years after its original (or previous sequel) is destined for disaster.… Continue reading
2004’s Saw is one of the most polarizing films of the past few years, and going into Saw II you’ll find yourself in one of three groups: 1) Saw is a well-done, low budget shocker that gets the job done until the ludicrous “twist”; 2) Saw is not any good… Continue reading
The running gag in The Weather Man is that quite often Chicago weatherman Dave Spritz (Cage) gets pelted with some type of food product, whether it is a burrito or a Frosty or a Slurpee. Spritz theorizes that it’s because the public views him as a clown, but I theorize… Continue reading
Julian Fellowes’ Separate Lies is a drama for adults, and that is a rarity in today’s film marketplace. Most films today try and offer something for both the young and old, but Separate Lies dishes up a winding mirage of double-crosses, all wrapped around a tale of infidelity. Fellowes, who… Continue reading