Archive | May 2015
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Giving “San Andreas” a crack?
Seems the end of the world happens multiple times annually these days. Superhero movies, Seth Rogen and/or Steve Carrell comedies, zombie apocalypse–it’s a pretty frequent occurrence at the local multiplex in the 21st century. Now, I’m going to sound like an old man here (50 hasn’t arrived yet for me), but I can remember a […]
Dumb and Dumber To
Honestly, a huge bummer for me, because I really wanted to enjoy this. But it’s as old and tired as I feared it could be, despite a smattering of inspired gags. However, the timing’s just not there–this worked a lot better when these guys were thirtysomething (the co-stars and the directors). I mean, Jeff Daniels hit 60 before this was […]
Mr. Turner
I’ve long touted Timothy Spall as being one of the finest film actors of his generation, and his work in Mike Leigh’s “Mr. Turner” should put any lingering doubts to rest. Looking for the real crime regarding nomination exclusion from early 2015’s Academy Awards roster? Then names like Aniston and Oyelowo, should not be the ones you […]
“Inside Out” has incredible buzz!
Are there little beings inside each of us, controlling our emotions via a complex operational “headquarters”? That’s the story being told in Pixar Animation Studios latest release, “Inside Out”, coming up soon from Oscar-winning animation maestro, Pete Docter (“Up”). The buzz has been building steadily for a few weeks now, and the film has received […]
“Jurassic World” in June
1993 was the year that Steven Spielberg unleashed his biggest worldwide grossing hit ever. “Jurassic Park” was a game changer. The special effects were ground-breaking. Its success rivaled that of the director’s “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” from 1982, as well as 1975’s “Jaws”. To date, the movie “Jurassic Park” has collected over one billion dollars–which represents […]
Mad Max: Fury Road 3D
It’s been three decades since we last followed the high-octane wanderings of Max Rockatansky, and 23 years since director George Miller helmed a fully live-action feature (1992’s “Lorenzo’s Oil”). Great news, though–37-year-old Tom Hardy capably takes over from original “Mad Max” Mel Gibson, plus Mr. Miller hasn’t even lost half a step at the age of 70. […]
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya
Having seen all five Best Animated Feature Oscar nominees now, I can tell you that the two that no one saw…are easily the best of the bunch. “How to Train Your Dragon 2” was the losing favorite, and as much as I was rooting for it to topple the Big Disney Machine at February’s Academy […]
Cameron Crowe says “Aloha”!
There was a time, not all that long ago, when it appeared that Cameron Crowe was on his way to becoming a great film writer/director. It peaked roughly 15 years back when he grabbed the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for 2000’s “Almost Famous”, and then began a rapid death plunge the following year. Can he […]
Selma
During this honorable, and well-intentioned, motion picture, I kept reminding myself that it was about the historic 1965 march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. So, it was okay, if the extra-marital dalliances of Martin Luther King Jr. were only briefly touched on–because that’s not what the story was about. And I forgave it for downplaying […]
Jennifer Jason Leigh’s Oscar for Tarantino’s “The H8ful Eight”?
It worked for Travolta with “Pulp Fiction” in 1994, and Quentin resurrected Pam Grier with his “Jackie Brown” three years later. He got faded star Robert Forster an Oscar nomination in 1997, and he’s now won two Academy Awards for the once obscure Christoph Waltz–and turned him into a big star. Tarantino has a way […]
Reviewed by Mark Leonard 