Let’s be honest: every satirical film I’ve seen since 2004 has been gauged against?Saved!?At the time of the film’s release, I knew only that it starred Jena Malone and Mandy Moore (two hit-list actresses at the time) and was produced by Michael Stipe of R.E.M. But after seeing the film, and reflecting on my own…
Oh, Gotham, how I love and loathe thee. The darkly resplendent world of Batman, Gotham City reigns supreme with nuances that outdo the likes of Metropolis or Star City when it comes to the background that births a hero. But in the Complete Second Season of FOX’s?Gotham, all hell breaks loose on the streets of…
11.22.63,?Stephen King’s time-bending novel, has been adapted by Bridget Carpenter (Friday Night Lights, The Red Road) for Hulu. Now, available on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD,?11.22.63?takes us on a twisty road from the present back to the 1960s in a darker?Back to the Future. James Franco’s Jake Epping suffers. His marriage has crumbled and his…
Cedric Nicolas Troyan, who was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects on?Snow White & the Huntsman, directed?The Huntsman: Winter’s War?out now on Digital HD (and on Blu-ray on August 23). After directing Chris Hemsworth, Jessica Chastain, Emily Blunt, and Charlize Theron in his debut, Troyan shared his thoughts on conveying strong visuals,…
In Dave Eggers’ book,?Hologram for a King, a beaten-down salesman travels from the United States to Saudi Arabia to sell a teleconferencing system to Saudi royalty. Now, Tom Tykwer (director of?The International and?Run Lola Run) delivers the cinematic version in a script he wrote. Exploring the cross-cultural experiences of this fish-out-of-water story, Tykwer follows Tom…
Pretty Woman. Dear God. The Princess Diaries.?Before he was the director of the “Day” movies (Valentine’s Day, New Year’s Day,?and, now,?Mother’s Day), Garry Marshall (1934-July 19, 2016) was a romantic director of epic proportions. In fact, his?Runaway Bride?film is part of my marriage narrative, but that’s a story for another day! Now that this director…
Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key are their own brand of humor, but in?Keanu, they take their act to a place where even the real Keanu Reeves has never gone before: they make a comedy about a missing cat. Ridiculous, hilarious, and filled with other funny people (Will Forte, Luiz Guzman, Anna Faris), the film follows…
With all of the buzz that Netflix’s?Stranger Things?was attracting, I was compelled to take a look (and a day later, I’d binged it all!). It only takes a few minutes of footage to recognize that it’s the kind of masterpiece that J.J. Abrams was aiming for with?Super 8, like a mashup of the ‘greats’ from…
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans Saints fought for a city by playing football, proving that sports could unite, inspire, and encourage in ways that beautifully rise above a game. Because of that,?I have watched and appreciated the way that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees carries himself on and off the…
Let’s consider the post-Bridesmaids?chart of Melissa McCarthy vehicles: Identity Thief?(good).?The Heat?(hilarious).?Tammy?(forgettable).?St. Vincent (good).?Spy?(hilarious). Of course, the next film is?The Boss… and it falls into the “forgettable” category, setting up McCarthy’s?next?film in the good-to-hilarious pattern. (Here’s looking at you,?Ghostbusters.) McCarthy stars as Michelle Darnell, a money-wrangling, speech-giving sociopath (okay, that’s a little strong), who tangles with…
