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When we last saw the gang back in 2012, they were hanging out in downtown Culver City, shooting hoops, hitting Happy Hour at Rush Street and wrecking havoc and hilarity at every turn in "Think Like A Man". Employing all the tricks of the dating trade gleaned from Steve Harvey's best-selling book "Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man", director Tim Story and a cast that boasted Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Romany Malco, Terrence Jenkins, Gary Owen, Jerry Ferrera, Regina Hall, Gabrielle Union, Taraji...
Yep. You read it right. This is the 20th Annual Los Angeles Film Festival. Running from June 11th to 19th, this is a big anniversary for LA’s favorite and biggest film fest. 20 years. When I look over the list of filmmakers and actors presenting films this year, I can’t help but think that some were in diapers when the festival first started and others, not even born yet. Technological advances over the past 20 years have opened up filmmaking, making it more accessible and more economically feas...
If you follow baseball, and particularly the Pittsburgh Pirates, then you probably know Pirates pitchers Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel and the story behind MILLION DOLLAR ARM. But whether you know the story and its outcome or not, like with any good sports epic inspired by a true story, be it "The Rookie", "Miracle", "Invincible" or even "Secretariat", you still feel that swell of pride, the joy of winning and the beauty of triumph over adversity no matter how many times you watch the story...
If all I knew of Clark Gregg was his writing and directorial work of a few years ago with his adaptation of Chuck Palahniuk's "Choke", and now again with his stepping behind and in front of the camera as well as penning the original script of TRUST ME, I would have no qualms about saying this. But then toss in his acting skills, be they performing Shakespeare, comedy, drama or action, and this takes on even greater truth and meaning. Be he Agent Coulson, Leonato, Agent Michael Casper, Jennifer...
One of the most marvelous movie-going experiences of the year, with WORDS AND PICTURES screenwriter Gerald Di Pego and director Fred Schepisi create a film that wafts over you, making the heart smile. The dialogue is smartly written and constructed, as well as intelligent and witty. And watching leads Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche is like looking at a magical meld of Cary Grant and Ingrid Bergman in "Notorious" with the loving needling they then brought decades later with "Indiscreet". The...
I don’t know about you, but when the opening shot of a film boasts Emma Thompson hoisting a very large and very shaken martini immediately followed by Pierce Brosnan sidling into frame and elegantly sipping the same, you’ve more than got my attention. Add a beautifully intimate and colorful garden wedding and crisp, sharp sunlight cinematography to the mix, and I’m hooked. Then garnish with some quick-witted snappy dialogue, and I know I’m in for a treat. And a treat is exactly what THE LOVE PU...
Directed by James Gray and co-written with Ric Menello, THE IMMIGRANT is a film that is not to be missed and is, quite honestly, the best work of Gray's career thus far and will be difficult to top. Steeped in the rich immigration history of America in the early 20th Century, THE IMMIGRANT is set in 1921 New York where it revolves around the story of a young Polish Catholic immigrant named Ewa Cybulski, as she tries to navigate the treacherous American waters filled with corrupt officials,...
From the moment that L. Frank Baum put pen to paper back in 1900 and swept that first generation of collective and individual imaginations up into a Kansas twister, the stories of Dorothy Gale, her little dog Toto, the Scarecrow, the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Woodsman and the Land of Oz have dazzled and delighted young and old alike for more than 100 years. Baum himself penned a total of 14 Oz stories as well as a play before MGM and Judy Garland dropped in on an eye-popping Technicolor Oz. Since...
by debbie lynn elias Hammer Films is iconic when it comes to the history of film and horror films in particular. Thanks to a steady stream of B-movies with stunning production values, talents like Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing became household names. Revived and reinvigorated in the 21st Century, Hammer has been the name behind such recent hits as “The Woman In Black” starring Daniel Radcliffe and the Matt Reeves directed “Let Me In” adapted from the Swedish smash “Let the Right One In....
Captain America and company are back with what is undisputably the best script and most well told and constructed story of any super hero movie to date - CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE WINTER SOLDIER. With a screenplay by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeeley and the film now helmed by newcomers to the Marvel world, Anthony and Joe Russo, the bar of excellence is elevated to astronomical levels that future writers and directors in not only the Marvel universe, but others, will be hard pressed to equal...
As recalled by stage and screen legend Carole Cook, "We called it 'the plague'. They called it 'the gay disease'. There wasn't even a name." The time was 1984. We would come to know the disease as AIDS. But in 1984, all anyone knew was that gay men were becoming ill and sadly, dying. What Michael Kerns and James Carroll knew was that someone had to do something to help ease the suffering and with that Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event was born. Calling on former Dramalogue scribe and thea...
Intensity, intelligence, introspection. That’s what each of these films bring. Brimming with testosterone and sensitivity, our main men - Tom Hardy and John Turturro - in LOCKE and FADING GIGOLO, respectively, carry their film with a powerful dignity from under which unexpected understanding of those around them as well as themselves, emerge. Two very different films. Two very different men. Two cinematic levels of excellence. LOCKE When I first heard about LOCKE, I had no idea what to expect fr...
While there are many moments in which I was hoping to transcend the experience of screening TRANSCENDENCE, long after the credits rolled and I had left the theater, this freshman directorial effort by award-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister would not leave by thoughts. Screenwriter Jack Paglen tackles thematic issues of morality and mortality, humanity, ethical responsibilities, artificial intelligence, sentient beings, self-awareness, reasoning and in a large sense, taking the "God...
With Spring in full bloom and along with it the freewheeling spirit of growth, vibrancy, color and the brightness of a new day after a long cold winter, not to mention spring breaks taking hold across the nation this week, Hollywood adds its own bouquet to the mix with a colorful collection of studio releases and indies alike with something to please everyone from the animated and musically delightful RIO 2 where we take a trip south of the border to the Amazon rainforest with everyone’s f...
"It's the Muppets again! It's the Muppets again! It's. The. Muppets. Agaaaaain!" That's right!! They're back (for the eighth time, in case you're keeping count) and not only most wanted, but most welcome. Putting yet another song in your heart and smile on your face with MUPPETS MOST WANTED, Kermit, Miss Piggy, Walter, Fozzie Bear, Animal, Gonzo and the rest of the gang (yep - almost all of the Muppets get some face time in the sequel) are now joined by the evil amphibian and criminal...
For those of you who are fans of or remember Jay Ward's legendary "The Bullwinkle Show"/"The Rocky & Bullwinkle Show" and particularly the "Peabody's Improbable History" segments created by Ted Key, you're in for a howling good time as everybody's favorite talking canine Mr. Peabody, his adopted son Sherman and the infamous WABAC machine are resurrected, reimagined and brought to the big screen in DreamWorks Animation MR. PEABODY & SHERMAN. And for those of you experiencing Mr. Peabody and...
Scorching the senses with exhilarating action, edge of your seat intrigue and some incredibly riveting plot twists and turns, SABOTAGE is an action powerhouse that thrills not only with explosions, drug lords and covert operations, but immerses the audience in the lives of a dynamic ensemble of personalities and the psychological drama of the players. Who can you trust? Who do you trust? Treachery, blood shed and blood lust run amok! What really stands out and sets SABOTAGE apart from being...
Since 1994, the "Need for Speed" video game has had 20 different incarnations and racing adventures and is a multi-generational at-home thrill ride worldwide. Given its popularity and commercial success, it was only a matter of time before "Need for Speed" the game would become NEED FOR SPEED the movie. And for this big screen adaptation, the perfect triumvirate of filmmakers come together - director Scott Waugh, stunt coordinator Lance Gilbert and cinematographer Shane Hurlbut - to deliver a...
Nothing warms my heart more than a father-daughter film - unless it's a father-daughter film with kick-ass action; which means, 3 DAYS TO KILL is killer! Exhilarating! High energy! High Heart! High Humor! As the second of five films starring Costner to hit theatres this year, 3 DAYS TO KILL finds the perfect blend of Costner's "everyman" sensibility, old school practicality and matter-of-fact humor with the high octane storytelling of director McG based on a script by Luc Besson and Hasak. Not...
It's been a long time coming, but Disney magic is back! The glorious fantasy of storytelling, the beauty of fairy tales filled with princes and princesses, magic, wonder, beauty and eye-popping ultra widescreen Technicolor, this is just what we have from Walt Disney Animation Studios with FROZEN; ethereal, beautiful, perfect use of 3D and all to glorious magical effect creating a winter wonderland that sparkles as far as the eye and heart can see. The epitome of wide-eyed wonder and amazement as...
Under threat of rain and cover of tents, emotions and energy were as high and as raging with fun and comaraderie as the wild surf on the beach at Santa Monica. While dodging raindrops and even seeing a peak of the sun throughout the afternoon, by the time big name winners Cate Blanchett, Matthew McConaughey and 12 Years a Slave, took to the stage, the skies opened and thundered roared as if the gods themselves were applauding and crying tears of joy for the celebration of indie spirit and...
This week brings us two delectable works that embrace and celebrate film noir and all the deliciousness of the genre. One, THE BAG MAN, inspired by "The Cat", a work by Jungian scholar Marie-Louse von Franz, is set in present day and filled with slick saturated hyper-realistic color and frenetic yet controlled emotion. The other, IN SECRET, set in 1897 Paris, is based on Emile Zola's scandalously lust-filled novel "Therese Raquin". Both films are filled with murder, guilt, lust and madness, not...
With love and lust filling the air this Valentine's weekend, what better way to celebrate than with a fresh and funny romantic comedy that I like to describe as "raunchy likeable vulgarity." Without a doubt the funniest film of the year, Kevin Hart and Regina Hall make you laugh till you cry, or pee your pants, while Michael Ealy just steals your heart. ABOUT LAST NIGHT melds the hysterical outrageous comedy stylings of Hart and Hall with the warmth and tenderness of Ealy and Joy Bryant, all...
Making this the jolliest holiday of the year, SAVING MR. BANKS is, quite frankly, practically perfect in every way. Based on the true account of the making of "Mary Poppins", SAVING MR. BANKS is the story behind the story; the battle of wills between studio titan Walt Disney and literary titan P.L. Travers as the man behind the mouse fought to fulfill a promise to his daughters, a promise to bring to life on the big screen the beloved story of the nanny with the bottomless carpetbag and talking...
As you are reading this very column, be it online or in print, one of the people responsible for this luxury is the very man celebrated in THE IMITATION GAME - Alan Turing. Although director Morten Tyldum focuses on Turing's life in the context of WWII and the genius of his mathematical and codebreaking skills, it is thanks to Turing's work for the Allies during this time at Bletchley Park, the Government Code and Cypher School, that an early version of the device we now know as "the computer"...
