From the beginning of Ted, writer / director Seth MacFarlane blends fairy tale and nostalgia into one film. MacFarlane-as-baritone narrator indicts the people of world for no longer believing that wishes come true. As if channeling the virtues of Jiminy Cricket, the narrator brings us into a wintery landscaped-Massachusetts, on Christmas Eve, “that time of year when […]
Ostensibly, everything on the fictional island of New Penzance is out of a Normal Rockwell painting. The colors are clean, the children are adorned with suspenders, crisp hems, and Sunday school shoes, and everything has its place. Such is the life imagined in Wes Anderson’s new film Moonrise Kingdom. This film shares a number of character elements […]
The King’s Speech is well acted, (characteristically by Geoffrey Rush and Colin Firth, who won the Oscar he should have won for A Single Man) and decently directed by Tom Hooper, though I still feel David Fincher and Christopher Nolan were ignored for their work in The Social Network and Inception, respectively. Overall, the film is touching […]
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter: In general, I’m a fan of fairy tailish, revisionist history. So long as the film includes enough farcical moments to subtly remind the audience that it is not watching a biopic or docudrama, I see no harm. Inglourious Basterds might be the prime example of this gimmick done well. From the beginning of […]
If Jack and Jill wasn’t enough, That’s My Boy is full of harbingers that Adam Sandler’s career as audience pleasing comic is coming to an end. For sure, he won’t go broke, and every now and then he’ll step away from his own production company and make a decent film like Funny People or Punch Drunk Love, […]
All apologies for neglecting to write up the weekend arena last week, but my rationale is simple and is offered here: I could not bring myself to write anything about Rock of Ages or That’s My Boy. Some of you might be wondering, What’s hard to write about two crappy films? – something totally justified by the […]
What can knock Snow White and the Huntsman and Men in Black III from their blockbustery perches? Perhaps a tale about the quest for the origins of our existence. The kids are also sure to flock to the latest installment in the we’re-not-Pixar-but-we’re-trying movie studio franchise. If you’re looking for something filled with quirky, mordant, eerie people — or […]
Perhaps my low-to-no expectations influenced what I’m about to write here. Or, perhaps Cameron Crowe’s characteristically solid soundtrack brought me to a nostalgic familiar place. Regardless, We Bought a Zoo was pretty good. I’ll be the first to admit that it’s a surprise to see those words transfer from my brain to the page, but it’s true: […]
Not sure if any of these will not Men in Black III from the top spot, though this weekend’s openings might drive people in droves to Battleship, which is still looking to lose about $200 million domestically. Taylor Kitsch really needs to find a new agent. John Carter + Battleship = career napalm. However, if you’re in […]
(Take 5 is a recurring column in which we gather up five of our favorite Movies About Gladiators contributors and ask them a few questions about cinema. This edition is extra special because we have six people answering. Below are their responses.) 1. Why is it seemingly so difficult to make a successful trilogy? Dustin Freeley: For […]