It would have been more wrong than I can enumerate not to reference 1971’s WILLIE WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY in its prequel, WONKA. Hence the purple cutaway coat, the top hat, and not just the only possible Oompa-Loompa song, but also the signature wistfulness of “Pure Imagination” by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newly. Screenwriters… Read More »
OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE
There is little of the old Guy Ritchie to be found in OPERATION FORTUNE: RUSE DE GUERRE. That Guy Ritchie delivered crackling editing, provocative visual impunity, and dialogue that burned with self-reflexive irony. They were films that all but defied gravity as they rushed headlong through their paces leaving audiences breathless and invigorated. I miss… Read More »
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E.
Having quaffed a drink laced with something that will shortly knock him cold, Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill) does the sensible thing. He gathers some throw-pillows and carefully places first them, and then himself, upon the nearest sofa. Once, he explains to the person responsible for slipping him the mickey, he hit his head during the… Read More »
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS?
DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE MORGANS? is a harmless wisp of a film that trades on Hugh Grant’s charm, Sarah Jessica Parker’s fan base, and the general good will of the audience. At least one of those three has been sorely tested by the time the end credits roll. Possibly two. The Morgans in question… Read More »
LOVE, ACTUALLY
LOVE, ACTUALLY takes upon itself the daunting task of presenting to us love in all its manifestations. Theres the fairy tale, the tragedy, the farce, the friendships and the betrayals all rolled up into a set of interwoven tales that charm but never pander, giving us the bitter with the sweet, the whimsy with the… Read More »
AMERICAN DREAMZ — DVD
Click here to listen to the interview with Paul Weitz (8:04)Click here to listen to the interview with Paul and Chris Weitz for ABOUT A BOY (20:36)AMERICAN DREAMZ did not perform as well as it should have when it was released. Perhaps it cut too close to the bone as it turned reality television inside… Read More »
MUSIC AND LYRICS
There’s nothing wrong with a fluffy film that doesn’t try to be anything more than what it is: a pleasant way to pass the time. Executed well, it can offer a welcome break from the mundane and such is MUSIC AND LYRICS. Delicately spun and deftly acted, it’s a harmless trifle that amuses and sometimes delights. Hugh Grant is Alex,… Read More »
Chris and Paul Weitz Talk ABOUT A BOY
Chris and Paul Weitz were the directors of the wildly successful AMERICAN PIE. I was suitably impressed that they were able to switch successfully from broad farce to an insightful, even sensitive, comedy about a man who refuses to grow up and a boy who had no choice in the matter. Talking with them, it quickly became apparent that… Read More »
THE PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS
PIRATES! BAND OF MISFITS is a gleefully revisionist take on pirates, royalty, and the early 19th-century scientific community. Brought to animated life by the fine folks at Aardman Studio with their distinctive stop-motion brilliance, and a dash of CGI, the film also features 3-D that is used cleverly but without ostentation. Clever is the byword… Read More »