Americans have long been ignorant of the comedic prowess of Ricky Gervais. The round- bellied Brit is the force behind “The Office” having played the Michael Scott equivalent, David Brent, on the original UK show and produced the American version. Yet to most of us he’s “the guy from the Night at the Museum movies.” […]
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Weekend Recap: Just $50 M before Avatar sinks Titanic
There’s no newsworthy angle on Avatar being number one at the box office, but there is on how far it is from Titanic. James Cameron’s sci-fi epic is just $4 million away from being the highest grossing film the world has ever seen and less than $50 M away from the highest grossing film in […]
“Knowing” (2009) – 3/5 Stars
The problem with “Knowing” is that it goes too far. It’s a tough act to juggle so many overused story conventions such as decoding numbers, the apocalypse and the supernatural these days. Movies like “Knowing” have become almost a genre of their own thanks to Roland Emmerich and other disaster/end-of-the-world-predicting filmmakers. And with that comes […]
“Trading Places” (1983) – 3.5/5 Stars
“Trading Places” is a modern-day “Pygmalion”: a couple old codgers make a bet on whether or not they can turn a homeless con artist from a petty thief to a proper wealthy businessman and the opposite to a prim and proper wealthy young gentleman. More than an opportunity for comedy, this social experiment premise offers […]
“Changeling” (2008) – 4/5 Stars
“Changeling” reminds me a lot of 1997 thriller “L.A Confidential” in that it deals with police corruption and P.Ds’ frightening level of power. The problem with that is “Changeling” takes place about 25 years earlier — same police department, same problems, different era. It’s unfortunate how incompetent our criminal justice system was and in many […]
Funny Girl Review
The ’60s was the decade of the movie musical with “West Side Story,” “The Sound of Music,” “My Fair Lady,” and “Oliver!” all taking home Best PIcture. It’s fair to say “Funny Girl” might’ve been on that list had it not came out the same year as “Oliver!” But the Academy had it right in […]
Weekend Preview (1.22.10)
Just take a look at the movie posters above. Do any of those even remotely look like they can dethrone Avatar? Not a chance at the rate that it’s been decreasing. Here is the rough number of millions of dollars Avatar has made in its five weekends starting with its opening: $75, $77, $68, $50, […]
Sony spins a Webb: “Summer” director gets Spidey reboot
In an expected move, execs of Sony and Columbia Pictures and Spider-Man franchise producers Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin have contracted (500) Days of Summer director Marc Webb to direct the next three Spider-Man movies. The news comes about a week after original trilogy director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire left the franchise for […]
Review: The Book of Eli
Everybody’s talking about what happens after the apocalypse these days. “The Book of Eli” is sort of the boiling point of this science-fiction concept, a combination of last year’s “The Road” and George Miller’s “The Road Warrior.” America is a post-apocalyptic wasteland and Denzel Washington is the only self-sufficient badass. So originality is not exactly […]
Weekend Recap: Avatar is $95 M away from Titanic
Golden Globe winner Avatar is now the No. 3 film in domestic box office history, and just inches away from No. 2, The Dark Knight after another incredible take this past weekend of $42.8 million, down just 15 percent from the last weekend. And I’m still hearing about people who haven’t seen Avatar. Avatar is […]
Globes go blue: Cameron and Avatar score awards
The Golden Globes were tonight and I’ve got the winners and some of my thoughts for each of the major film awards. As expected after taking the box office by storm, Avatar was the big winner walking away with two of the most prestigious awards. No other film won two significant globes although Up and […]
Moon Review
No matter the premise, a film puts itself at a disadvantage when it calls for a one man show. Sam Rockwell, as talented as he is, cannot generate enough interesting conflict with nothing at his disposal but the skin-tingling monotone voice of Kevin Spacey. In other words, films like “Moon” have to work twice as […]
Weekend Preview (1.15.10)
Though the Avatar high has worn off, don’t expect that to change at the box office. The big-blue 3D movie that did is still the best mainstream film in theaters and don’t expect newcomer The Book of Eli, even being the widest new release of 2010 so far, to take much away from it. The […]
“Cocoon” (1985) – 3/5 Stars
Very few films have been made with seniors as the main characters. It seems that Hollywood producers are convinced we prefer to see younger people on the screen — and they’re probably right. “Cocoon” is a rare elderly-focused take on the fountain of youth concept, an ancient motif that’s enough proof in itself that humans […]
The 10 Most Badass Denzel Washington Roles
There are only a few bona fide ass-kickers working in Hollywood and Denzel Washington is quite possibly atop that list. He’s played every badass role you’ve ever seen in a film: hardened criminal, cop, homicide detective, soldier, athlete – you name it. Truth is, the man is intimidating. If he ever got mad at me […]
