Reviews of films
This year, Miracle Mile, the most romantic apocalyptic film ever made, turns 30 years old. A phone rings. A phone rings and you answer it, expecting a call. A wrong number. The person on the other line, you think, is pulling … Continue reading Miracle Mile: Review and Interview with Director Steve De Jarnatt.
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. The title comes from a quote from Walt, “I never called my work an ‘art’ It’s part of show business, the business … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. The Black Cauldron
The Night Visitor (1971) Max Von Sydow plays Salem, an innocent man framed for a murder he didn’t commit. He was a man with demons–he drank too much–but he was a patsy for a murder when someone saw too much, … Continue reading TCM Underground: The Night Visitor (1971) and Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977)
Directed by Gordon Flemyng Written by Milton Subotsky Following up Dr. Who and the Daleks, Amicus released its second and final color film based on Doctor Who with Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.. While the first film was based … Continue reading Doctor Who (Classic): Daleks – Invasion Earth: 2150 A.D.
There have been two solo movies about the Incredible Hulk made in the post-X-Men landscape: 2003’s Hulk and 2008’s The Incredible Hulk. Reactions to both were mixed, and neither set the box office on fire.[footnote]Although Hulk ’03 is regarded as … Continue reading Before Capes Were Cool #8: Nick Fury, Agent of SHIELD (1998)
Any article or interview about Paul Verhoeven invariably refers to him first as a provocateur, a man whose work is characterized by explicit violence and sexual content, and while larger themes are usually explored, the low hanging fruit never … Continue reading Double Features: Soldier of Orange (1977) and Flesh + Blood (1985)
Steel yourself for the worst comic book movie of 1997 as we watch DC Comics’ credibility endure a Shaq attack! Continue reading The Discount Spinner Rack: STEEL (1997)
It’s Liam Neeson on a train. Punching ensues. Continue reading Movie Review: The Commuter
If there were a movie to watch featuring beautiful people in pretty clothes, it’s House of Flying Daggers. Does this sound shallow? In most cases, perhaps, but understandable when the director is Zhang Yimou. Yimou loves bold, striking colors. His … Continue reading Made Overseas: House of Flying Daggers (2004)
In celebration of my new-found freedom as Oscar season draws to a close, I chose to see a movie just for me. Then, looking at selection of movies was faced with the choice of a bunch of mediocre to poor looking … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
Of the leading Best Picture contenders, I can now safely say I’ve seen all the films likely to get nominations unless Phantom Thread or something else pulls a surprise and sneaks in. It also means that Oscar watching season is finally … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Call Me by Your Name (2017)
Welcome to my weekly discussion of the animated films of the Walt Disney Studio. I’m proceeding mostly chronologically. The title comes from a quote from Walt, “I never called my work an ‘art’ It’s part of show business, the business … Continue reading Building Entertainment: The Animated Films of the Walt Disney Studio. The Fox and the Hound
Directed by Gordon Flemyng Written by Milton Subotsky I’ve talked plenty in the past about just how big the Daleks were for a period in Britain (not from first-hand experience obviously as my dad was actually born during the period … Continue reading Doctor Who (Classic): Dr. Who and the Daleks
Dumped into the February wastes in 2017 to a largely apathetic public, A Cure for Wellness came and went with nary a trace. Those who saw it seemed to find it baffling, or disgusting, or over-long, or all three. For … Continue reading Movie Review: A Cure for Wellness (2017)
I’ve mentioned before that I’m not exactly a family movie kind of person and with that out of the way, here’s a review of a family movie watched in a theater packed with families. The first Paddington film overcame a lackluster trailer … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Paddington 2 (2017)
The Mack (1973) Beginning in the middle of a shootout with the cops, Goldie (Max Julien) crashes his car and is apprehended–but not immediately, the crooked detectives bitch about how much paperwork is involved when they have to call an … Continue reading TCM Underground: The Mack (1973) and Super Fly (1972)
I’ve talked before about how, just within my lifetime, I’ve gone from starved for choice to spoiled for choice when it comes to superhero movies. Late last year, DC/WB released its big-screen Justice League movie, and I couldn’t work up … Continue reading Before Capes Were Cool #7: Justice League of America (1997)
Henri-Georges Clouzot, the director of The Wages of Fear (1953), specialized in suspense thrillers and was even considered a rival of Alfred Hitchcock for a time, securing the rights to the source material for his most celebrated film, Diabolique (1955), just … Continue reading Double Features: The Wages of Fear (1953) and Sorcerer (1977)
How big was The Mermaid? According to Box Office Mojo, the movie was China’s box office champion of 2016. Earning $527 Million, the movie grossed more than the #2 and #3 movies combined: Zootopia and (the surprise hit for China … Continue reading Made Overseas: The Mermaid (2016)
A look at the cheapie direct-to-video Captain America film from 1990! Continue reading The Discount Spinner Rack: CAPTAIN AMERICA (1990)
Life Dir. Daniel Espinosa Premiered at SXSW March 18, 2017 It was March 2017 and my girlfriend at the time was a senior at USC. Although not a film major, she had decided to take Leonard Maltin’s class in which … Continue reading Movie Reviews: Life (2017)
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