I doubt Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks and the rest of the cast and crew, when they made the original “Pitch Perfect”, were thinking that a comedy about a college A cappella singing group would turn into a viable franchise. The first “Pitch” was a base hit, the second – a double. This third […]
Last year it was “Moonlight”. In 2015 it was “Mad Max: Fury Road”. It seems that every awards season I’m in the minority when it comes to one or two highly-praised contenders. Heading into “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” I never thought it would be this year’s submission to the category. A talented, all-star cast. […]
“It” is the latest highly-anticipated adaptation of a very popular Stephen King novel. Though, much like this year’s “Get Out”, “It” isn’t really a horror film. Instead, what it is…or… I guess…what “It” is, is a creepy tale of a small town and an angry clown. Back in 1990 King did a TV-mini series of […]
Often, while I’m watching a film that isn’t going so well, I can’t help but root for things to get better. I felt that way during most of “Leap!”, the French-Canadian animated film originally released last year under the title “Ballerina”. The Weinstein Co. is distributing the English-language version in the U.S. which includes, not only […]
Tom Cruise’s Twitter bio includes the phrase: “Running in movies since 1981”. Someone even created a 19-minute compilation video last year called “Every Tom Cruise Run. Ever”. And, yes, Cruise does even more sprinting and dashing in his new, highly familiar reboot of “The Mummy”. When I first learned that Cruise was being cast in […]
I want to begin this review with an apology – to all the movies in the past that I blasted for having extremely long set-ups. The reigning champ in this category was 2015’s “Fantastic Four” reboot, which was essentially “Fantastic Four Origins” with one action scene at the end. “Power Rangers” is structured exactly the […]
Gosh it disturbs me to see this, Gaston – such a beautiful film go to waste. My favorite movie has now been remade – and I’m going to share my dis-TAAASTE. Disney’s new live-action “Beauty and the Beast” is based directly on their 1991 animated classic – which I’m always proud to tell anyone and everyone who asks […]
“The Space Between Us” is a cute title that represents the film’s interesting concept: the lead astronaut on a mission to a human settlement on Mars called “East Texas” is pregnant. She gives birth to the child, who she names Gardener, while on the red planet. When he reaches the age of 16, Gardener demands to […]
At 73, Robert De Niro is showing no signs of slowing down. Recently he’s had some big highs (“Silver Linings Playbook”, “The Intern”) and tremendous lows (“Dirty Grandpa”), and some notable work in between (“Hands of Stone”, “Joy”, “Grudge Match”, “The Family”). Now comes “The Comedian” – a rare movie that, following the end credits, […]
Unlike most of his films, Tyler Perry’s latest, “Boo! A Madea Halloween”, wasn’t based on one of his stage plays. The concept actually came from a tiny gag in Chris Rock’s 2014 comedy “Top Five”. Instead of going to the movie Rock’s character had directed, everyone in a NYC multiplex was seeing a (then fictitious) […]