Nick and I did a double feature the Friday night before the Oscars. It was kind of a cramming session to study up for Sunday night’s main event. It just so happened that both films were biographies of artists. First up was “Pollock,” a dreary movie directed by and starring Ed Harris. I really liked […]
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First off, this is where I’m coming from on this one. I’ve read all 3 books in Thomas Harris’ series and loved them all. Yes, even “Hannibal.” And I own the first two film adaptions, “Manhunter” and “The Silence of the Lambs” on DVD. OK, now that that’s out of the way, let’s dispense with […]
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I think Jack Black is just about one of the funniest guys ever. I obsess over his band, Tenacious D, and I thought he stole “High Fidelity,” one of my favorite movies of last year. So why did I hate this so much? I think it’s because the level of humor is so below sea […]
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The first Coen brothers film I didn’t like was “The Big Lebowski.” It didn’t have any of the drama or surreal hilarity of their other modern masterpieces like “Blood Simple,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” or “Fargo.” I may have been to quick to judge “Lebowski” since I loved the Coen’s earlier pictures so much. I […]
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Javier Bardem was nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for this, and I really wanted him to win. Not only was the story tons more interesting and involving than “Pollock,” (the other Best Actor biopic nominee)but it was told in a visually inventive way. Bardem plays Reinaldo Arenas, a gay Cuban poet who is viewed […]
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Interesting backstory: When I watched “Chocolat” get the 5th Best Picture nomination weeks ago live at 7 a.m. (a time I am not up at very often), I actually screamed at the TV. THAT WAS “ALMOST FAMOUS”S NOMINATION!!! And it should have been. Or at least “Almost Famous” was the likely 5th selection, after winning […]
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This is something I made up with my bass player, Mr. Nick Colby, to ease the pain of watching John Travolta’s love letter to L. Ron Hubbard. The “Battlefield Earth” drinking game You must drink every time someone says: 1. “Psychlo” – 2 drinks when Travolta says he is a Psychlo of his word. 2. […]
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This is essentially a pared-down version of Jackie Chan’s much-revered 1994 film “Drunken Master II.” It’s 15 minutes shorter, and for me at least, probably better. I have to be honest. I am not really a martial arts fan and I absolutely HATE watching movies that have been dubbed in English. That said, I enjoyed […]
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Joan Allen, Jeff Bridges and especially Gary Oldman all shine in this modern political morality tale, but it gets a bit preachy towards the end. What a great set-up, though. The first half of this film raises many ethical questions, none of them black and white, and all of them infinintely more interesting than the […]
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Spike Lee’s latest is a seriously challenging movie with such a ridiculous premise and caricatured characters that I didn’t believe a moment of it. That’s not to say I didn’t like it. In “Do the Right Thing,” one of my faves of all time, Spike shows us that race relations are anything but black and […]
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I haven’t seen “Pi,” director Darren Aronofsky’s debut feature film, but after seeing this, his second one, I know I have to. It’s a striking, bold movie with some crazy cinematic moments. It’s essentially a “junkie” movie, but it doesn’t pull ANY punches. Watching the downward spiral of the main characters played by Ellen Burstyn, […]
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Jay Roach, who directed the first and funniest “Austin Powers” movie, directed this comedy. And while credit should be given to him for this hilarious film, Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro really sell their roles. Their timing and dedication to absurdity elevate this from a funny film to a pure comic gem. Don’t believe the […]
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While not as funny as his 1997 movie “Waiting for Guffman,” director-writer-actor Christopher Guest’s newest mockumentary “Best in Show” is still light years ahead of most comedies these days. Rather than going for slapstick and obvious jokes, it finds humor in the offbeat charcters it presents. But unlike “Guffman,” it seems a bit more believable […]
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Lars Von Trier did “Breaking the Waves,” a movie that kicked my ass so completely, I was unsure if I ever wanted to see it again. His newest pic covers more bleak, disturbing material with another horribly tragic protagonist. Except this time she’s played by Bjork AND it’s a damn musical! This is an inspired, […]
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It’s weird to see this many great flicks in a row, but I can’t heap enough praise on Cameron Crowe’s newest movie. It’s a coming-of-age story set in the early seventies around a rock band on tour. Did they get it right? Hell, yes. So many times you see rock bands in movies portrayed with […]
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