Archive | December 2012
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The Cronenberg Chronicle-Phase Nine: Naked Lunch (1991)
It was of the immediate opinion before this film went into production, twenty plus years ago, that William S. Burroughs novel of the same name was “unfilmable”. Many were baffled as to why David Cronenberg would attempt to do it. It was thought that he was setting himself up for an epic failure. PLUS, he […]
Magic Mike
How many women that traveled to it in packs this past summer realized “Magic Mike” was helmed by an Academy-award winning director? How many even cared? Did director Steven Soderbergh bother to distress? I doubt it. His 3rd film in roughly 9 months(rest much, Steve?), following the star-studded worldwide plague movie “Contagion” from September 2011 and […]
Silver Linings Playbook
It blows it in the final shot and sometimes that’s enough. Don’t worry, I wouldn’t dream of spoiling it for you, but that last image really sticks in my craw. Before that, it’s a curious beast, either gleefully unaware of its offensive qualities—or it just plain doesn’t give a shit. And it all comes down […]
Brave
It’s got the plucky, fire-haired young girl—Merida, as voiced by the adorable and marvelous Kelly Macdonald—and the stunning animated representation of the Scottish Highlands. I mean it’s gorgeous. There is a King(boisterous Billy Connolly)and Queen(awesome Emma Thompson)as Merida’s parents. And you even get a creepy witch(Julie Walters)to keep things hopping. It’s light and fun and […]
Promised Land
There was a time in the late 80’s to early 90’s when Gus Van Sant was the new guy on the scene, churning out exciting indies like “Drugstore Cowboy” and “My Own Private Idaho”. He went Hollywood soon after, turning out commercial dreck like “Good Will Hunting”(there, I’ve said it!)and an ill-conceived remake of Hitchcock’s […]
Lincoln
In the end, I just can’t forgive the flourishes. It’s the damned Spielbergian grandiosity that always manages to shoot him down. I can’t say that a film he’s directed in the last dozen years is out-and-out bad(okay, maybe 2004’s “The Terminal”). And he’s helmed at least one(2005’s “Munich”)that, at the very least, is near-great. But […]
This Is 40 & Friends with Kids
Well, that was a surprise. Who would’ve thunk it? Two strikingly similar films—one yet to open and certainly expected to be a big moneymaker, the other a lower budget feature that barely made a box office dent. But they share a plot line that’s just about in the same wheelhouse—as well as a couple of […]
A Civil War Christmas off-Broadway
Making its New York City debut in a limited run(that is scheduled to wrap up before the end of the year), “A Civil War Christmas” has the stuff to become an annual Christmas tradition on the Manhattan theatre scene. It’s an 1864 set pageant of a show(it’s not officially a musical, although it’s being described […]
The Sessions
Is John Hawkes the greatest American actor? Yes, I am paraphrasing one of the most recognizable quotes from the great Pauline Kael on the occasion of her reviewing Morgan Freeman in 1987’s “Street Smart”. I am purposefully being hyperbolic—but I’m not entirely joking. Some seem to think that Daniel Day-Lewis is running away with the […]
Dark Horse & Dark Shadows
Two different directors that made their respective debuts in the 1980’s. They are roughly the same age(“Dark Horse” helmer Todd Solondz is 53, Tim Burton is 54 and “Dark Shadows” is his 15th feature film). One of them(Burton), directed a film(2010’s “Alice in Wonderland”)that grossed over a billion dollars worldwide. The other(Mr. Solondz)has overseen seven […]
Reviewed by Mark Leonard 