Archive for May, 2004

Road to Perdition DVD

Painted with the brush strokes of a master, “Road to Perdition” emerges as the best film of the year so far, a dark, stormy tale of fathers and sons and how the fine line between loyalty and betrayal can blur at a moments notice. Read the rest of this entry »

Road to Perdition

Painted with the brush strokes of a master, “Road to Perdition” emerges as the best film of the year so far, a dark, stormy tale of fathers and sons and how the fine line between loyalty and betrayal can blur at a moments notice. Read the rest of this entry »

The Perfect Storm DVD

Anyone who lives near the ocean knows and understands its power and seduction. The sea is a mighty mistress, one who demands total respect. Cross her and she can be unrelenting in her ferociousness. Respect her, and she can open up the world to anyone willing to take advantage of her riches. Read the rest of this entry »

Night of the Living Dead

Until 1968, zombies were traditionally portrayed as just the walking dead. More scary than menacing. Director George Romero changed all of that when he released “Night of the Living Dead.” Romero’s zombies did more than drag their dead bodies from point A to point B. They stopped for snacks. Read the rest of this entry »

Narrow Margin

As first dates go, assistant publisher Carol Hunnicutt (Anne Archer) has had better. Carol lets a friend set her up on a blind date, and at first glance, her date Michael Tarlow (J.T. Walsh) doesn’t seem to be a bad guy. While having drinks in the Los Angeles hotel bar, he gets a note and has to go to his suite to make a phone call. Read the rest of this entry »

Life of Brian

Obviously “Monty Python’s Life of Brian” isn’t a particular favorite of the church. Some have called it blasphemous. Others have called it sacrilegious. I believe it’s neither. Read the rest of this entry »

Kinsey

Taken at face value, Kinsey is a funny, touching but occasionally disturbing look at the man whose name became synonymous with sex. Like A Beautiful Mind, Ron Howard’s shiny reflection of mathematician John Nash, Kinsey doesn’t pretend to a definitive portrait. Instead, it opens up avenues of discussion that will continue long after the film ends. Read the rest of this entry »

Man On Fire

I’m not sure if it’s a knee jerk reaction to the current climate of feeling helpless, but Hollywood has once again embraced the vigilante. With local, national and international fears constantly on the front burner of our collective minds, it’s no wonder we look to the movies to take back control of our lives. Sure, it may just be a cinematic fix, but when we are reduced to fear junkies, any fix will do. Read the rest of this entry »

Smokey and the Bandit

“Smokey and the Bandit” didn’t start the non-stop car chase craze that followed in it’s wake. Hal Needham’s 1977 action-comedy came a full year after Roger Corman and American International Pictures delivered “Cannonball,” “Eat My Dust” and “The Gumball Rally,” and two years after “Death Race 2000.”

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4 Days

Decent Canadian thriller about four days in the life of a teenager on the lam. Kevin Zegers stars as Simon, a normal teenager leading a seemingly normal life. His life is turned upside down when he learns that his father is actually a thief. When his father’s last heist goes bad, Simon finds himself on the run with a bag full of loot. Enter Crystal Ball (Lolita Davidovich), a woman on the run from her vindictive husband. When Crystal picks up Simon, she takes him for the ride of his life as the duo try to outrun various bad guys. The cast does a decent job of holding what is basically a road trip together, with Davidovich and Zegers displaying depth and understanding of their situation. (Paramount)
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