Disney gets a lot of grief for these feel-good sports movies that tend to up the schmaltz and oversimplify the story. Say what you want about them, they usually have a helluva lot of heart and are (at least a little) smarter than their critics give them credit for. I’ll freely admit to liking my […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
If you’ve ever thought what was really missing from One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest was a teen’s perspective then It’s Kind of a Funny Story might be what you’re looking for. Although not in the same class with Cuckoo’s Nest, this film adapted from Ned Vizzini’s novel of the same name by writers/directors Anna […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
I love heist flicks and I’m usually willing to cut them an awful lot of slack. On my DVD shelf alongside of “Heist,” “To Catch a Thief“, and “Sneakers,” I own copies of “The Newton Boys,” “How to Beat the High Co$t of Living” and “After the Sunset“. When a new heist flick comes along […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
What is it about space that so captures our imagination? Is it the vastness that seems to beckon, almost tease us, upward and outwards to explore its seemly endless wonders, or is it simply how it allows us another perspective in order to see how small and relatively unimportant one tiny blue dot is in […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
“Awards are like hemorrhoids; eventually every asshole gets some.” Odds are you missed “The Hunting Party” when it hit theaters back in the Fall of 2007. The film came a bit short in earning back its $25,000,000 cost (the movie pulled in less than one million domestically) and disappeared from theaters faster than Keyser Soze […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
There are movies which live in my childhood. Viewing them years later, no matter the length of time which may have passed, I’m instantly transported back in time to that darkened theater, fond memories, and childhood wonderment. Condorman, based on the James Bond spoof by Robert Sheckley, is one of those films. From the Pink […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
In 1984, director John G. Avildsen and writer Robert Mark Kamen presented the world with a coming-of-age story about young high school student named Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) who moved to California and learned karate from kindly handyman Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). The Karate Kid was a hit and cultural touchstone for anyone who grew […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
The Joneses are not your typical American family. Written and directed by Derrick Borte the film of suburban wealth is a social commentary on consumerism, family, greed, social prestige, and the acquisition of over-priced crap you don’t really need. The film opens with the Jones’ move into a plush new neighborhood. The family includes Steve […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is a prick. Everything central to the character, and to the movie, is contained in that sentence. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach (Margot at the Wedding, The Squid and the Whale), based on a story by Jennifer Jason Leigh (who has a small, and completely forgettable, role in the film), […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Aside from the fact that “How to Train Your Dragon” includes Vikings and dragons, it’s very similar to a lot of the teenage comedies Hollywood has put out over the years. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) is your typical Ugly Duckling character. Although the term “nerd” is never uttered, it is fair to say if the Vikings […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
What makes a good erotic thriller? The simplest method I’ve found is what I call “the giggle test.” If either or both the dramatic and sexually-charged scenes of a movie make you giggle (or groan), it fails the test. An erotic thriller that makes you guffaw uncontrollably may become a cult classic (see Showgirls), but […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Seeing how DreamWorks’ new “How to Train Your Dragon” is about ready to swoop into theaters it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take a look back at the history of dragons in feature films. What you will find below is a a list of Top 10 Movie Dragons. Some come from good films, and […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }
Okay, this list began as a list of Olympic movies for obvious timely reasons, but due to the fact that would make for a very lame list, I broadened the topic. Instead, I’m focusing on training moments, montages, competition, pommel horses that appear magically in the middle of a chase, and a double dose of […]
{ Comments on this entry are closed }