Mr. Brooks is that uncommon celluloid specimen that succeeds not only as a thriller, but as a biting black comedy. That this mix stays involving for its full runtime is a true rarity, but the screenplay, by director Bruce A. Evans and Raynold Gideon, manages to stay a step or… Continue reading
It comes as no surprise that the late Adrienne Shelly’s Waitress was a breakout hit at Sundance this year. It’s the kind of sly, witty independent gem that rolls through every few years, lighting up crowds and forcing men to admit they were wrong when they thought they were being… Continue reading
As an unsolved mysteries fanatic, the Zodiac killings are among the most perplexing and frustrating – ever. Nearly everyone is familiar with the Zodiac – a killer who preyed on young couples and taunted the police and media with bizarre letters and ciphers – but few seem to know that… Continue reading
Bill Condon’s Dreamgirls is a stunning cinematic experience. Vibrant, energetic, and exploding with life, Dreamgirls is another one of those increasingly rare examples of why we go to the movies in the first place. The musical genre is one of the hardest sells in Hollywood, despite its occasional comeback over… Continue reading
Thoughts of 2004’s Hotel Rwanda zipped through my head as I watched Blood Diamond. As you may recall, Hotel Rwanda told the story of Paul Rusesabagina, a hotel manager who took in thousands of Tutsi refugees to his establishment during their civil war with the Hutu militia. Blood Diamond is… Continue reading
It is a common assumption that most men want to be James Bond, and why not? He beats up the bad guys, beds the pretty ladies, and is as suave as any man can be. After viewing the “torture sequence,” as the MPAA has chosen to call it, I doubt… Continue reading
An American woman is accidentally shot in the desert of Morocco by two native boys. Her husband must find her immediate care before she bleeds to the death. The couple’s children are home in San Diego under the care of a Mexican nanny, who winds up taking them to Mexico… Continue reading
Borat, subtitled Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, arrives with more buildup and controversy than most comedies these days. Between Entertainment Weekly questioning whether it is the funniest movie ever made to Kazakhstani officials denouncing the entire project, the PR, both good and bad, couldn’t… Continue reading
Never before have I seen so many moviegoers flail their arms as they exit the theater. In fact, an astute patron would liken the reaction to that of a crowd that has just seen an amazing magic trick. I have a feeling that’s exactly how the screen writing team of… Continue reading
“Every jackass thinks he knows what war is, even if he’s never been in one.” So begins Flags of our Fathers, easily one of the year’s finest films. Based upon the book of the same name by James Bradley (son of John Bradley, one of the six men who raised… Continue reading