Actor Rick Dalton gained fame and fortune by starring in a 1950s television Western, but is now struggling to find meaningful work in a Hollywood that he doesn’t recognize anymore. He spends most of his time drinking and palling around with Cliff Booth, his easygoing best friend and longtime stunt double. Rick also happens to… [Read More]
Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood – A Tarantino Fairy Tale
When I first heard that Quenton Tarantino was going to be making a movie that involved the Manson Family killings, I assumed the violence and blood would be overwhelming. But Once Upon a Time . . . in Hollywood turns out to be his least violent film. All of Tarantino’s films have an aspect of… [Read More]
6.01 The Outer Reaches of the Inner Soul in AD ASTRA
In the Season Premiere (and our 99th episode!) of SF Radio, we venture into the deepest regions of the solar system to talk about AD ASTRA. Starring Brad Pitt, AD ASTRA takes place in the near future and tells the story of Roy McBride, an astronaut who remains fearless when faced with the most impossible… [Read More]
5.23 Living the Dream in ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD
The year is 1969 and Hollywood is changing. Fading star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) has been forced to the sidelines as new stars like Sharon Tate are stepping into the limelight. Joined by his faithful stuntman who is closer than a brother but not as close as a wife, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), Dalton tries… [Read More]
Ocean’s Thirteen: Shaking Sinatra’s Hand
Near the beginning of Ocean’s Thirteen, Willie Banks (Al Pacino) muscles Reuben Tishkoff out of his share of a casino, offering Reuben a pittance for his half. Reuben responds: Everybody said that you would try to screw me. That you done it to every one of your partners. But I defended you. I said, “No!… [Read More]
Ocean’s Twelve: The Greatest Don’t Always Win
In Ocean’s Eleven, Danny Ocean gets back the wife who had left him. (For a list of actors playing “the eleven,” see my previous review, Ocean’s Eleven: Danny’s Perfect Hand.) In Ocean’s Twelve, it’s Rusty Ryan’s turn to get back the girl. At the beginning of the movie, Rusty is seen with Isabel Lahiri, who… [Read More]
Ocean’s Eleven: Danny’s Perfect Hand
George Clooney is ubiquitous. Last week we all saw him at Prince Harry and Megan’s wedding. He looked as much a part of a fairy tale as the wedding itself – suave and handsome, with his young wife on his arm. The Daily Express ran a story that same day with the opening line: “GEORGE… [Read More]
War Machine – What Makes a Successful Satire?
War Machine is the newest Netflix original film from director David Michod, starring Brad Pitt, Topher Grace, Emory Cohen, John Magaro, and Scoot McNairy. David Michod is best known for directing Animal Kingdom, a 2010 crime story from Australia with a hit cast including Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, and Ben Mendelsohn. Going into this movie, I knew… [Read More]
tiff16: VOYAGE OF TIME: LIFE’S JOURNEY
Terrence Malick is an acquired taste. The mysterious director has built a prolific career, to be sure, but his style of filmmaking can be polarizing, with it’s emphasis on visual narratives and fractured style. Some have written him off as self-indulgent while others have looked upon him as a prophetic and profound. Personally, I fall… [Read More]
The Big Short – Winning Is(n’t) Everything (Oscar Spotlight)
The Big Short is set in 2008 and tells the true story of Michael Burry (Christian Bale), a Wall St. guru who foresaw the downfall of the US economy due to sub-prime mortgage fallout. As a result of his discovery, he places over a billion dollars of investors money against the economy, drawing the attention… [Read More]
