The Mideast terrorist world seems to be the new Cold-War-spy paradigm for thrillers, and if this scenario hadn’t felt so familiar it would have rated even higher. Mark Strong was sharp as the Jordanian security chief, and all the Arabs were convincing Arabs. Brad Pitt’s Arabic accent was standard American, but otherwise he was a […]
Not nearly as bad as reviews led me to expect, but its triviality did confirm for me that all the Coen Bros. movies aren’t worth saving, let alone masterworks. Sort of like Woody Allen, I guess. Anyway, this is a one-joke movie that passes the time, however implausibly, and depends on how you like various […]
Another director, Ed Harris this time, is enticed by the beauty of the Old West, this time New Mexico, to make a post-modern Western, with noble Indians in a cameo role. Unfortunately, in mining a past genre, the filmmakers have come up with nary a novel plotline or character. Viggo Mortenson is exemplary, Jeremy Irons […]
It’s the oldest storyline in cinema – Average Joe thinks he loves bodacious bombshell, not noticing the ‘friend’ who secretly loves him, and only after a series of misadventures does he realize where true happiness lies – but when the leads are endearing, the side characters entertaining and the rock score energizing, it’s still a […]
A bit of fashion fluff, with lovely period rooms and an Oscar wardrobe of pretty dresses for Keira Knightley. Unfortunately, humor is lacking, as is much in the way of drama.
While being high may be quite the pleasant state, it is probably not good to write an entire screenplay in that condition. How else to explain the el stupido factor of this film from the usually reliable Judd Apatow factory? The male bonding that made the other films sort of sweet was so heavy here […]
A sweet movie, perhaps a little overacted by Richard Jenkins, who didn’t have to be such a sad sack in his work but who, nevertheless, gave a haunting performance. Best were the starring roles given to the Arab son, Tariq, and mother, Mouna, both of whom lit up the screen. The immigration part of the […]
An essentially good-spirited movie, more studio-like than the Judd Apatow flicks and consequently less fun, but smiles and pleasures kept popping up, not least in Tom Cruise’s almost-total disguise as studio boss Lev Grossman. Robert Downey Jr’s dialogue-swallowing failed to enthrall, but the trailers preceding the feature totally worked.
Another story from the desolate, barren, culture-free northern fringe of America, where folks are just getting by, or trying to, by hook or crook, in this case crook. Melissa Leo gives a sensational performance, lying to her son, batting her eyes at a cop, exhibiting the determination of desperation, constantly balancing the need to cut […]
Scarlett Johansson was a caricature and Javier Bardem was a mythical (or metaphorical) male, but they set the stage for Rebecca Hall’s Vicky, who portrayed a conflicted heart to perfection (ironically, a similar role to Johansson’s in Lost in Translation, with Barcelona replacing Tokyo). Perhaps never having seen her before helped convince me. The narrator’s […]
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