REVIEW: “Mortdecai”

REVIEW: “Mortdecai”

Life is full of important questions. Does Donald Trump really think his hair looks good? Will Tom Cruise ever age? Do people actually watch “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”? But perhaps the most perplexing question is this – what has happened to Johnny Depp? And to go a bit further, what is driving him to … Continue reading →

REVIEW: “Z for Zachariah”

REVIEW: “Z for Zachariah”

The post-apocalypse has become one of the favorite settings for modern day filmmakers. Think about it. We’ve witnessed the aftermath of an earth ravaged by everything from nuclear war to energy depletion to zombie outbreaks. And while some may argue it has been done ad nauseam, I have to say I love it. It’s a … Continue reading →

REVIEW: “No Escape” (2015)

REVIEW: “No Escape” (2015)

No this isn’t Martin Campbell’s grungy 1994 sci-fi survival flick starring Ray Liotta. You remember, the one with the prison island and the two warring prisoner factions? Okay you probably don’t and it’s completely irrelevant anyway. This is the serious and stunningly intense “No Escape” starring (of all people) Owen Wilson and Lake Bell. I … Continue reading →

REVIEW: “Stalingrad”

REVIEW: “Stalingrad”

  Sifting through the various layers of  “Stalingrad” can be difficult. The Russian war drama from director Fedor Bondarchuk is one of the most visually stunning war pictures you will ever see and there are several interesting and compelling narrative choices. At the same time it struggles with a bit of an identity crisis. It … Continue reading →

2015 Blind Spot Series – “Paris, Texas”

2015 Blind Spot Series – “Paris, Texas”

From the film’s first scene we know that “Paris, Texas” is something unique. A sprawling overhead camera combs a sparse desert landscape to the ominous twanging of an acoustic guitar. The camera settles on a thin, disheveled man with a straggly beard, dusty suit, tattered shoes, and a red ball cap. He drinks the last … Continue reading →