Not since The Break-Up has a film been so mis-marketed. One would assume, after viewing the trailers and TV spots, that Man of the Year is an edgy political satire examining just what would happen if a late night comedian got elected President of the United States. One would be… Continue reading
Welcome back, Marty. After trying to score Oscars for Gangs of New York and The Aviator (both solid films, don’t get me wrong), Martin Scorsese is back to the old stomping grounds with The Departed. You know the good stuff: crooks, double-crosses, mafia, brutal violence, corrupt cops, colorful language, the… Continue reading
The Illusionist feels like a relic from a lost era at the movies. Set in early 1900’s Vienna, Neil Burger’s film truly feels like it belongs in a 1940’s throwback theater with five cent popcorn. It’s a big enough rarity in itself to find a solid crime/drama these days at… Continue reading
At last, a film that lives up to the hype. This summer has been bogged down with overblown, effects-driven messes that, frankly, haven’t been that entertaining. By now many folks are familiar with the story behind Snakes on a Plane: the title change, the ridiculous premise, the fans, the rating… Continue reading
It hasn’t taken long for the events of September 11, 2001 to make it to the silver screen. Universal released United 93 several months back to tremendous critical praise. That film is unseen by me but I will admit to being turned off by a supposedly factual movie being made… Continue reading
Where did all the money go? That’s all I could think about while watching Miami Vice, the summer stinker for this week. Let’s get something out of the way right from the outset: Miami Vice, the TV show, was no great shakes. Sure it’s fun, now, to point and laugh… Continue reading
How does one even begin to approach a film as silly, boring, and self-indulgent as M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water? Considering the current trend is to bash Shyamalan mercilessly (a surprising number of people just can’t seem to get over The Village), I have no shame whatsoever in… Continue reading
The Omen, although a remake, may be a cinematic first – a film whose entire existence can be attributed to a date. The three 6’s for which the series of films (starting with 1976’s original of the same name) are so well-known are given prominent placement not only in this… Continue reading
The X-Men series has been one of a handful of comic book-to-silver screen adaptations that I have truly been able to get into. Perhaps it’s because of the human traits inherent in each “mutant” character, or maybe it’s that the franchise uses the word “mutant” with such seriousness. Regardless, the… Continue reading
Let’s get it out of the way right here at the outset: I am one of four living human beings who has never read The Da Vinci Code, Dan Brown’s novel which has sold so many copies that I think they’ve just stopped counting. Only a book that contains controversy… Continue reading