When most people look at a Stradivarius, they only see a musical instrument. When someone who has a passion for music sees a Stradivarius, they see more. They see its soul, its history, and most of all, its allure. It’s not just musical instrument, but a connection to a time and place that no longer exists. Read the rest of this entry »

Spielberg Titles:

Always

Close Encounters of Third Kind

E.T.

Empire of the Sun Read the rest of this entry »

DVD TITLES CURRENTLY AVAILABLE

LEGEND: Rating: G/PG/PG-13/R/NC-17/Unrated Pan & Scan (Cropped for full screen) Full Frame (Filmed in 1.33:1 aspect ratio) Letterbox (Widescreen) Screen Ratio: 1.33:1 (Full screen) 1.85:1 (Widescreen) 1.66:1 (Widescreen) 2.35:1 (Widescreen) 16×9: Enhanced for Widescreen Televisions Dolby Surround (2 or more tracks) 5.1 Dolby Digital (Digital Stereo/5 Channels) Read the rest of this entry »

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.
Read the rest of this entry »