So it's that time of year again, and neither the big studios nor the independents are offering us any cinematic scares to speak of, unless you're prepared for the quality mire of direct-to-video digging. For many the big screen will remain dark this Halloween. But if you're not partying or trick or treating (or if … Continue reading List: Six Halloween Alternatives
Ender's Game presents me with something of a problem. This is a film for children. The stars are predominantly children. It's about children. The plot is pretty childish. I am a 30-year-old man. I don't have children. I don't really relate to them. How then do I review this movie? Who is my audience here? … Continue reading Review: Ender’s Game
Captain Phillips tackles the same subject matter as Tobias Lindholm's feature A Hijacking did earlier this year, namely what occurs at sea when Somali pirates commandeer a vessel and its crew for ransom. The differences between the two films are revealing about the different sensibilities of cinema on either side of the Atlantic. Lindholm's film captured the business-like … Continue reading Review: Captain Phillips
In a Hollywood system so obsessively geared toward youth, it may seem like a contradiction that the so-called 'geriactioners' - action movies starring the genre's 80's and 90's stalwarts - continue to pop up and do business. The stars of these movies are unquestionably past their prime, so one might assume that their careers would … Continue reading Review: Escape Plan
Year: 2007 Directors: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen Stars: Josh Brolin (Llewellyn Moss), Tommy Lee Jones (Sheriff Ed Tom Bell), Javier Bardem (Anton Chigurh), Kelly Macdonald (Carla Jean Moss), Woody Harrelson (Carson Wells), Garret Dillahunt (Wendell) Genre: Crime Thriller / Literary Adaptation It's only been six years since the release of No Country For Old Men, … Continue reading Why I Love… #57: No Country For Old Men
Year: 1999 Director: Sofia Coppola Stars: Kirsten Dunst (Lux Lisbon), Kathleen Turner (Mrs Lisbon), James Woods (Ronald Lisbon), Josh Hartnett (Trip Fontaine), Scott Glenn (Father Moody), Hanna Hall (Cecilia Lisbon) Genre: Comedy / Drama / Literary Adaptation Memories. Nostalgia. Growing pains. The Virgin Suicides holds a special place for me for a number of reasons, but … Continue reading Why I Love… #56: The Virgin Suicides
