There are many words that spring to mind when viewing THE ADDAMS FAMILY 2, and few of them are laudatory. The twisted humor of Charles Addams’ original cartoon, or of the cult-classic of the 60s television series, or of the previous incarnation of the franchise are little in evidence in this dreary exercise in, of… Read More »
MANDIBLES (Mandibules)
In MANDIBLES, Quentin Dupieux takes us on a road trip with two lovable innocents and an outsized housefly. Why there is an outsized housefly in the trunk of a dilapidated Mercedes just waiting to be discovered/rescued/exploited by this pair of misfits is never explained, nor does it need to be. This latest excursion by Dupieux… Read More »
TWO LOTTERY TICKETS (Doua lozuri)
In a puckish bit of self-reference, one of the characters in the Romanian comedy, TWO LOTTERY TICKETS, opines that Romania doesn’t make good movies anymore. They’re all doom and gloom, completely missing the essence of Romania. In his second film, Paul Negoescu sets out to change that single-handedly and does a tidy job of it.… Read More »
CRYSTAL FAIRY & THE MAGICAL CACTUS & 2012 — Michael Cera and Sebastian Silva Interview
I’m not quite sure how it happened, but while talking to Michael Cera and Sebastian Silva on June 7, 2013, the seeds of a movie project were born. Specifically, having John Hawkes play Charles Manson in a film produces by Cera and possibly directed by Silva. It started when I told Cera that if he… Read More »
MAGIC MIKE XXL: Flash and Dazzle
Steven Soderbergh is an executive producer of MAGIC MIKE XXL, but that is the only trace of that director to be found in this sequel that is more about joy than angst. Channing Tatum, returning as the eponymous male stripper, has taken the fun and dazzle from the original and eschewed most of the cerebral… Read More »
Vincent Schiavelli is An AMERICAN SAINT
There was just not enough time. That was what came to mind when I heard that the quintessential character actor Vincent Schiavelli had died this week at 57. It was the same thing I thought after interviewing him in 2001 at the San Francisco International Film Festival. He was there with AMERICAN SAINT, a film… Read More »