By now it has been well established that Woody Allen is the most hit-or-miss filmmaker of our time. When he hits his mark we get sharp, witty, and sometimes magical character studies. But when he shoots wide the results are often dull, plodding, or simply vainglorious exercises in nothingness. At 79 years-old Allen continues his … Continue reading
I guess there’s something to be said for consistency. Unfortunately consistency is a killer when it comes to Nicholas Sparks adaptations. Over the years they have become as routine as day and night. We’ve gotten one each year since 2010 and each has been variable shades of terrible. Again, consistency is a killer. “The Lucky … Continue reading
There is a black heart at the center of Billy Wilder’s searing 1951 noir “Ace in the Hole” (previously titled “The Big Carnival”). Wilder was never one to shy away from taking critical looks at American idealism and “Ace in the Hole” may have been his most cynical film. There is no coddling or repression. … Continue reading
Your Voices is a simple concept created to encourage conversation and opinions between movie lovers. It works like this: I throw out a certain topic or question and I’ll take time to make my case or share my opinions. Then it’s time for Your Voices. Head to the comments section and let fellow readers and … Continue reading
Michael Fassbender may be the busiest man making movies. The guy is always working. To give you an idea, he appeared in three movies last year and has a whopping five movies slated for a 2016 release. But here’s the great thing – whether he is starring in a huge superhero franchise or smaller independent … Continue reading
I was 11 years-old in 1982. During that year the main movie conversation revolved around Steven Spielberg’s intensely popular “E.T.”. A bit surprising, the second biggest movie of 1982 was “Tootsie”. Now this was prior to the advent of the PG-13 rating so my parents took me with them to see “Tootsie”. I don’t remember … Continue reading
