What an intense week. I cannot write anything else before expressing how heartbroken I was to learn that brilliant actor Alan Rickman and musical icon David Bowie died--both Londoners, both at age 69 of cancer. Bowie was an artistic visionary and sonic adventurer who cut an endlessly original and challenging swathe through the musical landscape. We find him [...]
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 [...]
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) [...]
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-- [...]
I know — it’s summer at the movies, but fear not — there is a way to block those brainless blockbusters with more satisfying alternatives: The 24th annual Woods Hole Film Festival, the oldest on Cape Cod, is set to roll for eight days (July 25 to Aug. 1)! We’re talking more than 100 films showcasing [...]
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: [...]
The blockbusters and the hidden gems are battling it out this summer, and here are the winners and losers according to my calculations. I bit the bullet and saw the number one movie in the country: JURASSIC WORLD-- the JURASSIC PARK sequel that's tearing up the box office, with the biggest opening of all time anywhere, ever, on [...]
The summer blockbuster season is upon us-- superhero sequels, animated adventures, and crazy comedies. My tastes are somewhat different from your average 14 year old boy, so keep that in mind as you peruse the list below. Here's what I can't wait to see as the summer kicks off in PART I of my Summer Movie Preview: MAY 1: [...]
INTERSTELLAR is "INTER-less than-STELLAR," but at least it reaches for the stars. Just opened in IMAX and theaters everywhere, INTERSTELLAR, Christopher Nolan's gorgeously shot and directed 3-hour extravaganza, is an immersive experience, part sci-fi adventure/thriller, part family saga; but the meshing of those elements by way of a screenplay co-written by the brothers Nolan-- Jonathan and Chris-- -is [...]
So many screens-- so little to see. GODZILLA is godawful. And put a big X through X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST. Coasting on the devotion of diehard fans who remember the back stories, this latest installment suffers from franchise burnout and never breaks a sweat. How about MALEFICENT? What could be better than Angelina Jolie [...]
