Undercover cop stories are pretty common on the big screen, as are the cinematic exploits of characters trying to climb the ladders of the big drug cartels; it seems everyone has made something in this vein over the past fifty […]
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Free State of Jones (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆
It is stunning to me that historical events of one hundred and fifty years ago can still resonate as contemporary drama, but such is the case with Free State of Jones. The struggle of anti-slavery Southern folk to resist the all-consuming […]
Continue reading »The Legend of Tarzan (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆
I have fond recollections of the 1930s Tarzan movies with Johnny Weissmuller — though not the later versions with Ron Ely, Mike Henry, Jock Mahoney, Lex Barker and Gordon Scott, most of which I skipped. More recent versions of the […]
Continue reading »The BFG (2016) ☆ ☆ 1/2
Although Steven Spielberg is my favorite film director, I would rather he not spend his time on children’s fantasies like Hook, The Adventures of Tintin and this film, which features a young girl being kidnapped by a giant in jolly England. […]
Continue reading »The Shallows (2016) ☆ ☆ 1/2
I always look forward to shark movies, hoping that eventually one will rival Jaws (my second favorite movie of all time). None have come close. The Shallows seemed to have potential, but it falls short in terms of delivering real scares […]
Continue reading »Genius (2016) ☆ ☆ ☆
Lots of movies have been made about writers and writing, but relatively few get into the nuts-and-bolts detail of editing raw prose into the stuff we actually read in books and magazines. Most movies rely on the blank page to […]
Continue reading »Independence Day: Resurgence (2016) ☆ ☆
It’s been twenty years since aliens attacked Earth in the first Independence Day, a movie I felt was rather dopey at the time. I’ve seen it several times since then, and I have developed a respect for it. It’s still dopey, […]
Continue reading »The Nice Guys (2016) ☆ ☆
I have to admit I was sort of looking forward to this; I like both of its stars, and Shane Black, despite his penchant for excess, still holds a place in my heart for Predator. Since then he has turned into […]
Continue reading »The Lobster (2015) ☆ 1/2
I’m all for originality in new movies because it is usually in short supply. And yet, some premises are just so odd that they don’t transfer into good cinema — and this year seems ripe for mainstream films trying to […]
Continue reading »Double Indemnity (1944)
by Barb Lentz. The five movies Bob provided me from which to choose are these: Double Indemnity (1944) The Hill (1965) Kind Lady (1951) The Old Dark House (1932) The Temptress (1926) I chose Double Indemnity because it was […]
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