AFTER.LIFE tries to be a thoughtful consideration of what it means to be alive, but instead devolves into an advertisement for red lingerie and mortuary science as a challenging career choice. The lingerie is a short charmuese slip worn through most of the film by co-star Christina Ricci, whose wardrober receives a special credit. The… Read More »
THE BLACK WATERS OF ECHO’S POND
When a film is released without a press screening, it never bodes well. Thus, one cannot approach THE BLACK WATERS OF ECHO’S POND with anything but resignation. Yet even for a flick in which the distributor has no faith, the product is abysmal. As a generic slasher film, it is surprisingly coy about its gore… Read More »
THE PERFECT GAME
Click here for the interview with Cheech Marin (12:55) When going for the heart, there is a tricky line for a film to walk between earnest sweetness and syrupy schmaltz. THE PERFECT GAME pulls off this balancing act with a combination of smart direction and even smarter casting. That’s no small achievement considering the story,… Read More »
THE JONESES
THE JONESES makes its point very early on and with all the savage compassion with which the film is rife. The titular character’s hapless neighbor (Glenne Headly) is repeating self-help mantras that she desperately hopes will make her a superstar salesperson. It’s patently hopeless to everyone but her. She is oblivious to the new age… Read More »
KICK ASS
Forget subtexts about the influence of media violence on young and impressionable minds. Forget the other subtext about effect of family dynamics in forming the characters of those equally young and impressionable minds. Though both are present in KICK ASS, based on the comic book by Mark Millar and John Romita, Jr., and employed as… Read More »
OCEANS
Disneynature’s OCEANS, the follow-up to its earlier EARTH, does a very clever thing by way of getting across its environmentalist message. Instead of hitting the audience over the head with disturbing, heartbreaking images of animals being exterminated in all manner of unpleasant ways by actions of an indifferent humankind, it presents all the equally emotional… Read More »
THE BACK-UP PLAN
In a market with massive amounts of competition, say the film business, there are several strategies to assure box office success. There is the one about appealing to the lowest common denominator, also known as the male aged 13-25 or so bracket, which includes action films where things go boom loudly and with relentless regularity.… Read More »
THE LOSERS
THE LOSERS, based on the DC Vertigo Comic, is not great cinema, it is merely a great time at the movies, and there is no shame in that. Granted, its working with a run-of-the-mill plot involving a group of idealistic but profane misfits out to save the world from a an evil genius with no credit… Read More »
FURRY VENGEANCE
FURRY VENGEANCE is flick that is mostly wholesome and very good-natured, no pun intended. There is a positive message about the environment, and animals that are just as engaging as they need to be. The effects when CGI is called for, will suffice for the toddler crowd. It is not, however, repeat NOT, for anyone… Read More »
IRON MAN 2
In IRON MAN, there was the inestimable delight in discovering the giddy elan and surprising depth that Robert Downy, Jr. brought to the titular role and his alter ego, Tony Stark. In IRON MAN 2, there is an equal delight in discovering that far from a retread, Downey has discovered even more subtle nuances to… Read More »
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