For an R-rated movie that glorifies the devil, bong rips and cock pushups, “Tenacious D in Pick of Destiny” is actually a pretty harmless concoction. No matter that the duo that bears half of the film’s title throws the “f” word around more casually than a Scorsese gangster—Jack Black and Kyle Gass are pure as […]
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“The Fountain” is a polarizing movie that will frustrate the more practical moviegoer with the least amount of forward dramatic movement of any Hollywood film in recent memory. That said, it bravely flaunts its artistic qualities by showcasing the power of poetic imagery and daring to wear its sentimental heart on its sleeve. Dramatic conflict […]
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In the wake of the viciously satirical comedy “Borat,” Christopher Guest’s low-key Hollywood send-up “For Your Consideration” seems downright quaint. The writer/actor/director may be lampooning the late-year movie awards season, but he refuses to condemn the actions of his self-absorbed targets outright. Instead, he regards his oddball characters with the same warmth and affection that […]
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Nervous and reserved IRS agent Harold Crick (Will Ferrell) sits near the middle of an articulated double-bus. As it collapses in and expands out like an accordion, Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal) is alternately pulled close to him and then pushed away. This inventive scene from “Stranger Than Fiction,” where the camera vacillates with the flow […]
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Fresh from a screening of “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” Eric and J.D. discuss the difference between offensive and subversive and try to figure out why this movie is so damn funny. Click on the photo for the Windows Media version of this on-camera review.
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Every now and then, a movie comes along that changes the rules. “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan” is one of those movies. We should have seen it coming. Reality-based humor just keeps getting more and more extreme. The simple pranks of TV’s long-running “Candid Camera” have finally morphed […]
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“Running with Scissors” is a preposterously over-the-top and funny satire of the 1970s. Written and directed by “Nip/Tuck” creator Ryan Murphy, it is essentially a tale of the “me” decade run amok, with the open attitudes of the hippie generation exploding in a fractured mess all over the nuclear family unit. When 13-year old Augusten […]
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Clint Eastwood’s new World War II drama “Flags of Our Fathers” has Eric and J.D. discussing the selling of the Iraq War and bad oldie make-up vs. bad old person actors. Booyakasha! Click on the photo for the Windows Media version of this on-camera review.
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“The Prestige” may be the second movie to come out this year featuring magicians at the turn of the century, but it is the only one that offers an in-depth look at what drives the men behind the magic. “The Illusionist” is an undercooked love triangle dressed up in Victorian clothes, while “The Prestige,” with […]
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Three U.S. soldiers struggle to climb a sandy hill in the dark as bombs explode around them. When they make it to the top, the men work together to plant an American flag in the ground. As the camera continues upwards, we see that the “bombs” are fireworks and the men are standing atop a […]
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Why Alec Baldwin? Well, especially as a supporting player, the man has had somewhat of a resurgence lately. With roles in the last two Scorsese films and the new “Running with Scissors,” as well as TV’s “30 Rock,” Baldwin is everywhere. It’s almost as if he’s intent on reclaiming the family surname back from his […]
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Apart from being a technical marvel, ‘The Departed’ is also a bleak and terrifying study of the cyclical violence.
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…featuring lots of clips from the movie! Eric & J.D. try in vain to figure out where dreams end and reality begins in Michel Gondry’s new film, “The Science of Sleep.” Then they realize that’s not the point and just give in to its unique charms. Click on the photo for the Windows Media version […]
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It’s another slow Monday morning, and as I sit at my computer avoiding work, I think of the innocent idealism of Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal), the young artist at the center of Michel Gondry’s fantastical new film, “The Science of Sleep.” If only my job could allow me an unconditional creative outlet. Returning to Paris […]
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