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As we head into the final vestiges of summer, movie distributors are sating our craving for good storytelling and filmmaking (not to mention the need to be in air conditioned comfort), flooding us with small movie gems, each glistening like a pebble on a sunlit beach. So while the kids are off at camp or the neighbor’s pool, spend a little adult time with some of these bits of movie magic. RUBY SPARKS Magic is the operative word with Fox Searchlight’s RUBY SPARKS. Written by the singularly uniqu...
Easily claiming a spot on my list of “Must See Festival Films” at the 2012 Los Angeles Film Festival last month is the documentary THE QUEEN OF VERSAILLES which is now being released in theatres for all to see. As fascinating and funny with ridiculum and tacit socio-political comments as the documentary was when I first saw it, with the theatrical release, the film takes on a whole new light thanks to a lawsuit filed by the film’s subject, David Siegel, against filmmaker Lauren Greenfield and ot...
MOVIE REVIEW: EASY MONEY (SNABBA CASH) Based on the internationally acclaimed novel by of the same name by Jens Lapidus, EASY MONEY (“Snabba Cash”) was already wildly successful in Sweden and Europe before this US release. And it’s easy to see why. EASY MONEY is “easy” in more ways than one. Easy on the eyes with Joel Kinnaman as JW, for starters. Easy to grasp and follow (even were there no subtitles; the film is in Swedish, English, Spanish and Russian) thanks to the superb craftsmanship of ed...
MOVIE REVIEW: THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN It’s been a decade since Sam Raimi first brought everyone’s favorite webslinger to the big screen, setting the bar and forever immortalizing indelible imagery and performances to the audiences’ imaginations. So one must now ask in 2012, after the successful franchise starring Tobey Maguire wrapped in 2007, is it too soon to reboot and reimagine Spider-Man. The answer: It’s not and that’s because while the franchise is being rebooted, it’s being done more a...
Many may recall that I have never been a huge Woody Allen fan. His material has always been hit or miss, more on the miss side as a rule. However, as Allen has aged, his material has become more resonating and he has excelled at blending generational actors, mixing mature established talent with young upstarts, and capturing a level of magic that warms the heart with laughter. With TO ROME WITH LOVE, Allen has achieved casting perfection with chemistry, energy, likeability, and performance...
For many, the number 13 often bodes a negative connotation and is considered to be “unlucky”. Such is not the case here, however, with Pixar’s 13th animated feature, BRAVE. Raising Pixar’s already astronomically high bar for level of excellence even higher, writer/director Mark Andrews and co-writers/directors Steve Purcell and Brenda Chapman, take us into the mystical, magical world of ancient Scotland to a time of kilts and Celts, celebrating its famed beauty and fabled lore with stunnin...
Now in its 18th year, and bigger and better than ever, LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL 2012 is a guaranteed winner. Returning to the LA Live complex in Downtown Los Angeles, the energy and excitement is already at an anticipatory fever pitch - and that’s just from looking at the line-up! While the main screening venue will be at the Regal Cinemas L.A. Live Stadium 14, LAFF will have the stars shining all over town with special events at additional venues, among them, Disney Concert Hall Redcat, D...
A bombastic week of movie releases, we’re going on quite a few journeys. Be they ones involving time travel, emotions, self-discovery or visits to history, each is as engaging as the next. Filled with heart, surprise and entertainment, this is the week to “journey” to the theater to see some of my picks of the week. SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED Thanks to a shared vision of director Colin Trevorrow and screenwriter Derek Connolly, and stand out performances of a small ensemble cast led by Mark Dupla...
HIGH SCHOOL I don’t know about you, but when I think back on my high school days, I don’t recall them being anything like the school in John Stalberg’s HIGH SCHOOL, and that’s probably a good thing, as I would have accomplished nothing but for laughing my way through my senior year. While reminding us all of the fun and foibles of our youth (and taking it to the extreme), with HIGH SCHOOL, Stalberg capitalizes on irreverent humor and social incorrectness to bring us the most Mind Numbingly Funny...
MEN IN BLACK III It has long been said that the third time’s a charm. Sadly, that phrase doesn’t too often apply to movie franchises. By the time the third sequel film roles around, characters are typically hackneyed, old, tired and sorely lacking in enthusiasm and originality. With MEN IN BLACK III, however, after a ten year absence, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones jump back into the alien-busting saddle with lasers and neuralizers blazing, bringing us the return of Agents J and K in a sum...
THE YANKLES There may be no crying in baseball but there certainly is praying - a lot of it - especially when it comes to THE YANKLES. The greatest American past-time, baseball has seen more than its share of movies made about it. From documentaries to biopics to underdogs to dreamers and even women, baseball movies have covered all the bases. Or have they? Obviously not because brothers David and Zev Brooks come out swinging, putting a twist on the familiar with an original, funny and...
Director Patricia Riggen came to the attention of English-speaking audiences several years ago with the beautifully poignant “Las Misma Luna”. Her follow-up, “Lemonade Mouth” was a smash success for the ABC Family Channel. As if fated, she now helms GIRL IN PROGRESS, a film blending elements and emotions from each of these earlier projects into a coming-of-age story that at times touches the heart, makes you laugh, makes you cry, addresses social issues such as bullying, and will definit...
While we all know that MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS hits theatres this weekend (and I know that 98% of you are chomping at the bit to see it, and you should, and you will), there are a few other films that are truly gems on which you should cast your eye. But before getting to them, I give you a word of advice when seeing THE AVENGERS - sit in the middle section of the theater. As many of my colleagues and I learned during a screening at Grauman’s Chinese Theater, the sound mix is such that if seated o...
To paraphrase Edgar Allan Poe's own descriptive terms in The Tell-Tale Heart, what many may mistake for my own madness is but over-acuteness of the senses when it comes to THE RAVEN. In a phrase, A MASTERPIECE! Thanks to an inventive, intriguing and intricately twisting script courtesy of scribes Ben Livingston and Hannah Shakespeare, which is exquisitely showcased and brought to life by director James McTeigue, fact meets fiction during the last days of Poe’s life as he becomes embroiled in a...
While I may not be a Steve Harvey fan per se, I am a fan of all things funny, especially when funny comes in the form of a great ensemble cast, well told organically unfolding intertwining stories and characters, and all packaged as a gem of a film shot in, of all places, the Heart of Screenland - Culver City. And this is exactly what director Tim Story gives us with THINK LIKE A MAN - a funny, funny film filled with heart and laughter. Based on Steve Harvey’s best-selling comedic advice book ...
Who could ever imagine that Friday, April 13th would give birth to one of the richest weekends of new film releases that we have seen in a long time. With so many to choose from, I thought I’d give you a taste of some of my faves: DETENTION Joseph Kahn’s comedic genre-busting love letter to the 90's that is brilliantly constructed with rapier dialogue, sharp creative visuals, meticulously tapestried themes and plots, a soundtrack that is to-die-for, an off the charts performance by Dane Coo...
When director Tarsem Singh told me back in the Fall of 2011 that MIRROR MIRROR was (1) unlike anything he had done before, (2) unlike any "Snow White" story that had been previously done, (3) was filled with "color, fantasy and fun" and, (4) "you will love it" - he wasn't lying. Creative, colorful, fanciful and funny, this is one fantastic fairy tale that is hilarious fun for the whole family! MIRROR MIRROR is the stuff from which dreams and fantasies are made and I love it! Now, the tale of...
Are you hungry yet? I hope so because with THE HUNGER GAMES you are in for a seven course meal with all the trimmings, guaranteed to satisfy even the most ravenous fan. Directed by Gary Ross and based on Suzanne Collins’ best selling young adult novel of the same name, THE HUNGER GAMES is not only a faithful adaptation of the book, but excels with high production values, vivid visual imagery, thought provoking detail on topical social and political issues as relevant today as in the futuristic R...
This is a big week for movie releases and there’s quite an assortment from which to choose. In the mood for some laughter myself, I’ll give you a glimpse of two of my favorite films of 2012, both opening March 16th - CASA DE MI PADRE and, the funniest film of the year, 21 JUMP STREET. CASA DE MI PADRE Admittedly not a big Will Ferrell fan, suffice it to say that when I tell you that CASA DE MI PADRE is flawlessly funny and absurdly hilarious, you can take it to the bank that it is. So ent...
Anyone who knows me or who is a regular reader, knows of my unabashed admiration and respect for Nic Cage. While his chosen roles and performances are sometimes spot on and sometimes not, he never ceases to stretch himself and go outside the box with interesting, eclectic diversity. In SEEKING JUSTICE, Cage is in unfamiliar territory as the bookish Will Gerard which lends itself well to Cage delivering one of his best performances in some time. A high school teacher, Will is married to the...
Long an admirer of Tyler Perry and his works (with a few exceptions), I was curious to see what he would bring us with GOOD DEEDS, a film in which Perry sheds his usual onscreen persona of Madea and her over-the-top hilarity, and presents us with a man who, as I have come to learn, is the closest thing to Perry himself that we have ever seen. My curiosity is well-rewarded as GOOD DEEDS soars with emotion and is without a doubt, the best work that Tyler Perry has done to date; and by work, this...
Steven Soderbergh - you are forgiven. After The Girlfriend Experience starring porn star turned wannabe actress, Sasha Grey, I didn’t think I would ever watch another Soderbergh film. Although visually stunning thanks to impressive cinematography, the heinous “acting” of Grey left me cold. Then came Contagion, a rehash of a rehash of a rehash just with bigger names than the prior rehashes. And I was saddened wondering where was the Steven Soderbergh of old? The Soderbergh who gave us the fun,...
I have never known the world without those adorable, energetic and often impish chipmunks Alvin, Simon and Theodore, and their adoptive father Dave Seville, as all were “born” along with me in 1958. In fact, The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don’t Be Late) has been a mainstay of the holiday season for me since my first Christmas. Subsequent Chipmunk songs and albums were always a highlight for me, as were the cartoons when they began appearing on tv in 1961. And after a sad hiatus from the small...
In this post-Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of summer, the theatres are full of little gems to satisfy every demographic out there (well, except for my brother). So for a little change this week, rather than one in-depth review (which you will still be able to find on my website), I’ll take a look at several of this weekend’s openers. SUBMARINE What a quirky little delight SUBMARINE is! Filled with cuteness, laugh out loud funny and dark comedy that I just can’t praise enoug...
