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Who doesn’t love a good mystery or a good thriller? Even better, who doesn’t love to watch and wonder about what’s going on in the house next door or down the street in your quiet suburban neighborhood? Is that lovely couple with 6 kids running around really as simple as they seem or are they FBI or CIA staking out the neighborhood, performing undercover surveillance on the house two doors down with the guy under house arrest who’s jack-hammering up the sidewalks and stripping the interio...
For millions across the country and the world, school is back in session. But what about for those who have long ago matriculated? Feeling a bit nostalgic? Longing to relive that campus experience? This week, movies fill that void as we look back at those fun-filled days of high school and college with 10 YEARS and LIBERAL ARTS. 10 YEARS Hopefully, you haven’t tired of Channing Tatum yet because he’s back, heading up his fifth film of the year. Just shy of racking up $500 million in box off...
I love THE WORDS. I love the look. I love the feel. I love the intrigue of the narrative construction and plot. I love that, much like a novel itself, it allows you to imagine, interpret and draw your own conclusions. Written and directed by my fellow Philadelphians, Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal, and with a stellar cast that includes another member of the “City of Brotherly Love Club”, Bradley Cooper, as well as Jeremy Irons, Dennis Quaid, Ben Barnes, Michael McKean, Ron Rifkin and Zoe Sal...
This Labor Day weekend, it’s all about the family with family-themed movies and something for everyone. THE OOGIELOVES IN THE BIG BALLOON ADVENTURE With the same passion that he had with marketing and merchandising the universally beloved Thomas the Tank Engine and Teletubbies, Kenn Viselman brings us THE OOGIELOVES IN THE BIG BALLOON ADVENTURE. Jam-packed with heart, fun, adventure, childlike innocence and purity, OOGIELOVES fills a big screen void when it comes to family and children. R...
Observer Editor Having reviewed several Douglas Theatre thought-provoking plays over the years, I went to Elephant Room on opening night realizing this would be different. Three semi-pro magicians. Magic tricks. Nothing very serious. Two days later, when I began writing this piece I struggled to locate a serious theme. Then I gave up and came to the obvious conclusion. This was a fun night out. Nothing more. But there’s nothing wrong with that. The theatre in Culver City has 317 seats and e...
ACTION, ANIMATION, GHOSTS, WHITNEY & DISNEY MAGIC EXPENDABLES 2 Packing a one-two punch that’s unbeatable, EXPENDABLES 2 proves once again that nothing beats the classics and this jam-packed cast of legendary classic action stars - and their more than formidable skills - evidences just that. Card carrying AARP immortals Stallone, Willis, Schwarzenegger, Van Damme, Lundgren, Li and Norris are joined by fellow veterans Couture, Crewes and Adkins along with action newcomer Liam Hemsworth, not to m...
For a no brainer of a raunchy and rowdy good time any time of the day or night, “Beerfest” is always a winner, although perhaps more so now that it’s on DVD. Given that, it stands to reason that the same Broken Lizard team delivering that frothy fun would have a uniquely entertaining take on a story about sperm banks and a hot topics in films of late, fertility and impending fatherhood. Sadly, what I am now writing pains me to no end as but for a few shining moments that give birth to some...
Before they were solid gold “action heroes”, both Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren were bona fide Olympic superstars. Statham, once ranked 12th in the world in platform diving, competed in the 1992 Olympics for Great Britain while the strapping 6'5" Swedish born Lundgren was Team Leader of the 1996 US Pentathlon Team in the Atlanta Games. Naturally, with the Olympic in full swing, during the recent press day for EXPENDABLES 2, I couldn’t resist getting their thoughts on the games and athle...
MOVIE REVIEW SPECIAL: FILMS TO BRIGHTEN THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER Last week I brought you some “killer” movies for the adults in the crowd, so it’s only fair that this week I turn my attention to perhaps my favorite audience, the kids. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: DOG DAYS For devotees young and old alike of Jeff Kinney’s best-selling WIMPY KID book series and subsequent film franchise, the wait for this summer’s next installment is finally over and I know one kid in particular who will be overjoyed...
LACMA Public Programs August Through the mic series: freestyle fellowship and breakestra Jazz at lacma: reinhold schwarzhald & Patrice rushen Animation august: bolt Talks & Courses Gallery Discussion: The Art of Looking Thursday, August 9 | 12:30 pm BP Grand Entrance | Free with museum admission, no reservations Join museum educator Elizabeth Gerber for a one-hour facilitated gallery discussion exploring the figure in contemporary photography. Meet the Artist: Ohie Toshio Tuesday, August 14 & Thursday, August 26 | 2:00 pm Pavilion for Japanese...
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...
Tickets have gone on sale this week for “Elephant Room” at the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. Bringing pure, unadulterated fun and transforming the space into a mystical place of wonder and amusement, “Elephant Room” runs August 22 through September 16, 2012. The opening is set for August 26. The West Coast premiere will star magicians Louie Magic, Daryl Hannah and Dennis Diamond, and is directed by Paul Lazar. “Elephant Room,” which was called “delightfully daft” by Eric Grode of The New York Times, was commissioned by Center Theatre...
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...
Kentwood Players will hold auditions for the musical “SCREAM QUEENS - The Musical” with book, music and lyrics by Scott Martin on Saturday, July 14 from 11 am to 4 pm and Sunday, July 15 from 6 pm to 9. at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue, Westchester, CA 90045. Callbacks, if necessary, will be held on Monday, July 16 at 6 pm. The production is directed by its author Scott Martin with Susan Goldman Weisbarth producing by special arrangement with Samuel French, Inc. Choreographer will be Victoria Miller. Production dates are Sep...
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...
Kentwood Players presents “DOUBT, A Parable” by John Patrick Shanley from July 13 to August 18 on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm at the Westchester Playhouse, 8301 Hindry Avenue in Westchester. The production is directed by Gail Bernardi and produced by Calia Mintzer-Wolf and Linda Reinhardt by special arrangement with Dramatists Play Service, Inc., New York. “DOUBT, A Parable” won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and Tony Award for Best Play. It tells the story of a nun in a Bronx Catholic School in 1964 who suspect...
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...
Center Theatre Group Artistic Director Michael Ritchie has set the 2012-2013 season at the CTG/Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. In a season of contrasts – of surprising comedy and startling drama, the 2012-2013 season at the Kirk Douglas Theatre will include the magical and mystical hi-jinks of the CTG-commissioned “Elephant Room” by Trey Lyford, Geoff Sobelle and Steve Cuiffo;the acclaimed Gate Theatre Dublin production of the Beckett classic “Krapp’s Last Tape” withone of Britain’s greatest actors, John Hurt; the comic genius of The...
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...
