A flurry of fine films has just descended on the big screen in the last few weeks, almost too many to take in; but I did my best and here are my TOP FIVE FILMS of the year, some of which aren't due out until Christmas! 1) THE REVENANT-- A stunning 156 minute saga by award-winning Mexican director Alejandro G. Inarritu (BIRDMAN) starring Leonardo DiCaprio [...]
Never mind The Force-- I HAVE AWAKENED! The latest installment of STAR WARS EPISODE VII: THE FORCE AWAKENS has pulled me out of the Doldrums of Prequel (a group of empty islands way off the coast of the Star Wars franchise) and takes us home, back to the tale's original charm, storytelling, irresistible characters, sense of adventure, humor and excitement, and creates new characters [...]
THE CRITICS HAVE SPOKEN!! This weekend, the two Boston film critics groups to which I belong announced their 2015 year end awards! So whose picks are closest to yours? Read all the way to the bottom and see if it's MAD MAX or SPOTLIGHT-- and all the rest. Peruse the results and let me know what you think! The [...]
Here's a holiday double feature to be thankful for! The first is a sci-fi adventure franchise that neatly wraps itself up, and the second is a truly artful, old-fashioned romance that may generate a BEST ACTRESS OSCAR nomination! THE HUNGER GAMES:MOCKINGJAY-Part 2 finds Jennifer Lawrence, older and wiser as Katniss Everdeen, the leader of the rebellion in Panem against the cruel President Snow (Donald Sutherland) [...]
Here's the bottom line on some of what I've seen lately onstage and onscreen: THEATER *This is the last week to see Katori Hall's SATURDAY NIGHT/ SUNDAY MORNING at the Lyric Stage. It's an entertaining slice of life set in Memphis during WWII at Miss Mary's Press n' Curl, [...]
THE MARTIAN or (How a Geeked-out Gardener Saved His Own Life) stars our most down to earth actor in an out of this world saga that grabs us in its first few minutes, takes us on a wild ride, and features a signature performance in one of the best films of the year to date. MATT DAMON-- yeah, I love him, you love him-- [...]
A few more good ones left to see this summer and one circling the drain... See MISTRESS AMERICA! Co-writer/director Noah Baumbach's and his muse/co-writer/star Greta Gerwig's hilarious ode to finding your path through and post college. Freshman Tracy (Lola Kirke) is floundering in her first semester and connects with her soon to be older "stepsister by marriage" Brooke [...]
Impossible as it sounds, Tom Cruise has done it again with THE best action/adventure blockbuster mainstream movie of the summer: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION. I would not steer you wrong--this thing works on every level, from its trademark opening action sequence, a ridiculously over the top piece of derring-do which finds Tom hanging off the [...]
Did I mention I can't wait to see MAGIC MIKE XXL? (See my Summer Movie Preview Part I) It opens July 1 and kicks the second half of the summer movie season into high gear! Here are the rest of the movies I can't wait to see as the summer movie season heats up! July 1: TERMINATOR: [...]
Here are two movies to lighten up a summer day-- ALOHA boasts a first rate cast BRADLEY COOPER, EMMA STONE, and RACHEL McADAMS in an offbeat Hawaiian love triangle written/directed by the quirky Cameron Crowe. At his best he gave us JERRY MAGUIRE and ALMOST FAMOUS and at his worst gave us ZOO. ALOHA falls somewhere [...]
