He’s Just Not That Into You starts out with some promise, but, as romcoms are prone to do, falls prey to contrivance and the inevitable happy ending which is cuter than a basket of newborn kittens. Adapted from a self-help book the film does take a (at least occasionally) funny look at how women regard […]
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Taken is the film for you if you simply love Steven Seagal and Jean-Claude Van Damme flicks and are constantly bemoaning the fact that they have been relegated to direct-to-DVD and made-for-TV projects. If you, however, want more out of a film than pace, so-so action, and a high body count, you’re going to be […]
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Rather than use a cheesy webcam and give you my single-person video review, I wrote and animated this clip of two cuddly teddy bears talking about Nazis and the Holocaust in Edward Zwick’s latest issue-driven movie, “Defiance,” starring Daniel Craig and Liev Schrieber. Enjoy!
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Eric and J.D. are reunited in a moment so big it could only be eclipsed by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet’s first pairing since the record-breaking run of “Titanic” all those years ago. “Revolutionary Road” was directed by Winslet’s husband Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”) and adapted from the novel by Richard Yates. A depressing study […]
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Clint Eastwood’s “Gran Torino” plays like some sort of R-rated Hallmark made-for-TV movie where the lead character, a horribly racist Korean War veteran named Walt Kowalski, finally learns firsthand that people are people everywhere, no matter what their background, and that racism is bad. For Walt to learn this valuable lesson, it takes his wife’s […]
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Scene-Stealers reader Aaron Hale was nice enough to send in his capsule review of “Let the Right One In” (#4 on my Top 10 Movies of 2008), so let’s we’ll start with his comments before I chime in and we see what you all have to say. Here’s Aaron: This is the year of vampires, […]
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This is part two of an article that starts with a review of “Frost/Nixon.” ‘Tis the season for play adaptations, as the recent releases of “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon” can attest to. Adapted from his own 2005 Tony-winning play, writer/director John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” is one of those movies that you come away from thinking mainly […]
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‘Tis the season for play adaptations, as the recent releases of “Doubt” and “Frost/Nixon” can attest to. Adapted from his own 2005 Tony-winning play, writer/director John Patrick Shanley’s “Doubt” is one of those movies that you come away from thinking mainly about the strength of the performances. For my review of “Doubt,” click here. Peter […]
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The Holocaust took a horrific human toll in both casualties and emotional scars that will last forever. Two movies coming out this Oscar season (and a third—“Defiance”—next month) are haunted by the spectre of this shameful event, although each takes a very different approach. Click here to read a review of “Valkyrie,” Part One of […]
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The Holocaust took a horrific human toll in both casualties and emotional scars that will last forever. Two movies coming out this Oscar season (and a third—“Defiance”—next month) are haunted by the spectre of this shameful event, although each takes a very different approach. “Valkyrie” recounts the true story of two attempts by German officers […]
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Will Eisner’s “The Spirit” comic may have been about a masked crimefighter, but his hugely influential series (that ran originally from 1940-1952) was not a superhero comic. “The Spirit” blended elements of lighthearted adventure, romance, and horror, sometimes with a flair for the comedic. Writer/director Frank Miller seems to be on a mission to cram […]
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Eric and guest critic Trevan McGee from inkkc.com battle it out over “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a big Oscar prestige film starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, adapted from the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story, and directed by David Fincher. Will it be the big contender for Best Picture at the Academy Awards […]
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Nothing I write in this movie review will convince you whether or not you should see the new Jim Carrey comedy “Yes Man.” Let me explain. I’ve seen the film, so let me tell you this much: You already know whether you want to see it because you’ve learned everything you need to know from […]
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Eric Melin and guest co-host Whitney Mathews (www.whitneymathews.com) review Mickey Rourke’s comeback role in Darren Aronofsky’s new movie “The Wrestler.” Co-starring Marisa Tomei as the stripper who wins his heart and Evan Rachel Wood as his estranged daughter, “The Wrestler” is a gripping, realistic walk through some important moments in the life of fictional 1980s […]
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Q: What movie genre best describes Danny Boyle’s newest film, “Slumdog Millionaire,” about an orphaned street kid from Mumbai who never gives up hope of finding his lost love? Romance C. Social problem drama Action/Adventure D. Comedy The answer is all of the above because this electrifying movie combines so many different genres […]
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