How do you top a classic like “Frankenstein”? That was the problem plaguing director James Whale, whose classic set new standards for horror films. Even though Universal Pictures issued a call for a sequel immediately after “Frankenstein” opened, it took Whale several years to commit. You can’t blame him. Expectations were so high that unless he hit upon the right formula, it might have ended his career. Read the rest of this entry »

In Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” the villagers gave the good doctor a lot of crap about digging up the dead and piecing them back together to create a new life form. The same could be said about the great Polish cinematographer Andrzej Bartkowiak (The Verdict, Prince of the City, Prizzi’s Honor), whose three films as a director feel like the opening lyrics to “The Patty Duke Show”: They look alike, they walk alike, at times they even talk alike. Unfortunately, “Cradle 2 The Grave,” like “Romeo Must Die” and “Exit Wounds,” really doesn’t have much to say. Read the rest of this entry »

AMERICAN BEAUTY (R)

It wasn’t love at first sight. It was lust. When he first saw her, she was more than the nubile 17 year-old best friend of his daughter. She was a goddess, capable of stopping time so that a moment with her would seem like eternity. Read the rest of this entry »

“How do you solve a problem like Maria?” Oops, wrong musical. Still, the question still applies for “West Side Story.” Maria (Natalie Wood) is the demure PR (that’s Puerto Rican in 1950’s slang) who falls for former bad boy from across the tracks Tony (Richard Beymer). Actually, it’s Tony who falls head over heels for Maria, but like Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet, fate will keep them apart. You see, Tony is a member (actually a retired member) of the Jets, the local street gang. Read the rest of this entry »

One of the pleasures of reviewing movies is stumbling across a small film with a big heart like “The Station Agent,” a festival favorite that is slowly but surely finding favor in limited release. It’s doubtful “The Station Agent” will be a breakout hit, but its celebration of the simple things in life will surely affect anyone who sees it. Read the rest of this entry »

Ross Hunter’s “Airport” set the standard. Gather a bunch of stars (or pseudo-stars) and throw them into the middle of a calamity. Since “Airport” was such a big hit (at the time, it was Universal’s highest-grossing film), it was only a matter of time before the rest of Hollywood would take notice. Read the rest of this entry »

The formula for “Anger Management” is so foolproof that the only way the filmmakers could screw it up is to add Madonna to the cast. I knew from watching the audience’s reaction to the coming attraction trailer that it was going to be a big hit.
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FLYPAPER (R)

A millions dollars provides the catalyst for three separate storylines in director Klaus Hoch’s look at one really hot day in Los Angeles. The cast is game, but the director tries too hard to make the film unique, providing for some unintentional laughs. Read the rest of this entry »

BLOWBACK (R)

Tired direct-to-video thriller stars Mario Van Peebles as a police inspector on the trail of a serial killer named Claude Whitman (James Remar). Since Whitman’s handiwork involves religious trappings, it falls on former divinity student-turned-cop Morrell (Peebles) to find Whitman and stop him. Read the rest of this entry »

Forget snowboarding and base jumping. Today’s thrill seeker’s think they invented extreme sports. Far from it. That honor would go to the gladiators of ancient Rome, who were trained with one goal in mind: kill or be killed. As if life in ancient Rome wasn’t harsh and decadent enough, imagine being enslaved and forced into brutal combat for the amusement of the masses. Read the rest of this entry »