I was lucky in my formative years to see many vintage films in actual theaters, where they are seen to best advantage. Thanks to Fathom Events, we still have that opportunity. Today I was able to revisit Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest […]
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Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015) ☆ ☆ ☆
Last year I gave the first Maze Runner film a two-and-a-half star review, mainly because it took so long to reveal its true premise. The premise is much clearer in this sequel, also directed by Wes Ball, and this one is much […]
Continue reading »Learning to Drive (2015) ☆ ☆ ☆
I saw this today, right after A Walk in the Woods. Both films are being released by Broad Green Pictures, a newer company with which I have not been familiar. There are many similarities between the two movies, and both are […]
Continue reading »A Walk in the Woods (2015) ☆ ☆ ☆
Movies about older people don’t have to be sad, pedantic or even nostalgic. A Walk in the Woods is a darned funny tale of two men challenging the Appalachian Trail, just because. When those two men are Robert Redford and […]
Continue reading »Size Matters: The Sci-Fi Career of Mr. B.I.G. (Bert I. Gordon)
This article was originally published in Filmbobbery in 2008 (Volume 9, Issue 4, pages 26 – 30). It has been updated for this website. Much of the discussion in this issue has centered on cinematic “Essentials,” those movies universally acknowledged to […]
Continue reading »The Gift (2015) ☆ ☆ ☆
The Gift is a psychological thriller written and directed by one of its stars, Joel Edgerton. It is an engrossing exploration of human nature that turns the tables on its characters and viewers in equal measure. When a couple (Jason […]
Continue reading »Fantastic Four (2015) ☆ ☆ 1/2
Yet another Marvel superhero movie has been made, but this one has received a very poor reception. It has been critically lambasted and not grossed even half of its budget. I expected to hate it, but wouldn’t you know it […]
Continue reading »Phoenix (2014) ☆ ☆ ☆
In the German film Phoenix, a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust (Nina Hoss) attempts to reconnect to her past, which she cannot leave behind. Her efforts are complicated by a couple of factors; she has undergone cosmetic surgery (because of a […]
Continue reading »The Man from U.N.C.L.E. (2015) ☆ ☆
I am not a fan of updating old TV series as big feature films, even when it sometimes works (like The Fugitive). I would rather recall the old shows with fondness (whether they were good or not) and spend my movie […]
Continue reading »Ricki and the Flash (2015) ☆ ☆ 1/2
Meryl Streep can do no wrong. The greatest film actress of all time is right at home portraying a lifetime rock ‘n roller with tattoos, weird hair and serious mommy issues. Streep has proven she can sing before, in several […]
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