Flying silver spheres that punch a hole in your head and suck out your brains. Severed fingers that turn into carnivorous flying creatures. A tall, scary dude who can lift a coffin and its contents with ease and haunts your dreams. Read the rest of this entry »
A major hypocrisy exists when it comes to morality and movies. The moral majority screams at the top of their lungs when it comes to violence in films, yet rally behind “The Passion of the Christ,” one of the most violent and disturbing films of recent memory. I believe director/co- writer Mel Gibson when he says he was attempting to achieve the unimaginable horror of the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus Christ. Read the rest of this entry »
As light and breezy as Calista Flockhart caught in a Santa Ana wind, the latest incarnation of Charles Dickens’ “Nicholas Nickleby” is a joy to behold. Featuring an extremely likeable cast and a streamlined, engaging screenplay by director Douglas McGrath, “Nicholas Nickleby” is just the ticket for audiences who hate stuffy British drama. Read the rest of this entry »
Before I begin, I must admit that I believe Drew Barrymore is a national treasure. Her last three films, “The Wedding Singer,” “Ever After” and “Home Fries,” proved that the former child star is as talented as she is adorable. Read the rest of this entry »
BOA (PG-13)
An alien race of transvestites invades Earth, using their man-eating boas to suck the life force out of humans to use as fuel for their planet. Actually, it’s another snake-in-the-grass thriller about prisoners in a high security facility in the Antarctic being preyed on by a long-dormant, 80 foot-long Boa. Read the rest of this entry »
If movies were just in the moment, then the remake of The Longest Yard would feel fresh and exciting. Movies are not just in the moment, they’re eternal, and have a long shelf life. Which means anyone who cares can check out the 1974 Burt Reynolds original. Read the rest of this entry »
Date doctor Alex “Hitch” Hitchens (Will Smith) is the personification of the old adage: Those who can’t, teach; and those who can’t teach, teach gym. Hitch doesn’t teach gym, but he gets quite a workout paving the road to romance for his clients. When it comes to his own happiness, Hitch takes the road less traveled, one filled with hilarious potholes and the occasional speed bump. Read the rest of this entry »
If ever a movie was in need of a transfusion, it’s the new Clint Eastwood thriller “Blood Work.” Based on the best-selling novel by Michael Connelly, “Blood Work” suffers from an iron poor screenplay and anemic direction. The movie feels as bored and tired as Eastwood looks. Read the rest of this entry »
“High Fidelity” begins with John Cusack’s character, Rob Gordon, asking which came first,”the music or the misery?” It’s rare for a film to speak with such a distinctive voice. “High Fidelity” is that rarity, a film so honest and real you feel like you’ve accidentally stumbled into someone’s life. Read the rest of this entry »
