Many analysts have been surprised that teenagers and twentysomethings are making up a large percentage of the moviegoers seeing “Minions: The Rise of Gru”. I’m not. And here’s why. 1) If you were six years old when the first “Despicable Me” was released in 2010, you’re now 18. And if you’ve been following along with […]
Every year or two, Hollywood offers a slightly different spin on the world of political campaigns. Some are taken directly from the headlines (“Game Change”, “The Front Runner”). Others use real-life for inspiration (“The Ides of March”, “Long Shot”, “The Campaign”, “Swing Vote”). The latest to enter the arena is “Irresistible”. It’s written and directed […]
Back in October, I screened the first three episodes of AppleTV+’s flagship series “The Morning Show” about a week before they debuted. You might’ve read my review of these episodes, which I thought were okay but soap opera-esque and a mixed bag in the realism and freshness departments. What amazed me then, and still surprises […]
In 2010, I began appearing on NBC’s “The Today Show”, CBS’s “The Early Show” and Australian TV’s top AM program “The Morning Show”. A film called “Morning Glory” was also released that year. It tackled the ratings game, the “news vs. entertainment” debate and the clashing of personalities on and off the air. With AppleTV+’s […]
Our Top Story: Cult classic comedy “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” turns 15 this week. The classy film, starring Will Ferrell as a 70s San Diego TV news anchor, opened on July 9, 2004. It earned $28.4 million in its first weekend on a $26 million budget. Christina Applegate, Paul Rudd, David Koechner, Fred […]
You’d think that a film with Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston and Laurence Fishburne – from writer/director Richard Linklater – would be either a box office hit, an overwhelming critical darling, an awards contender, or a combination of the three. But “Last Flag Flying” hasn’t flown high… or really at all. And it’s honestly a mystery […]
With the release of “Last Flag Flying” in select theaters this weekend, and with “Battle of the Sexes” still in a number of theaters across the country, I thought I’d rank Steve Carell’s 10 Best Movies. Here are a few things to keep in mind: 1.) I haven’t seen every movie starring or featuring Steve […]
“Last Flag Flying” is co-written and directed by Richard Linklater – the man behind “Boyhood”, “Bernie” and the “Before” trilogy with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy. This time around, he takes a different approach to his usual quirky, offbeat filmmaking style. “Last Flag Flying” is much more of an actors movie than a profound directorial […]
“Battle of the Sexes” may just be the sunniest movie of the year. Coincidentally, the film comes from “Little Miss Sunshine” directors Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton. Here they take on one of the most influential sporting events of all-time – the 1973 Billie Jean King – Bobby Riggs exhibition tennis match which captivated the […]
“Foxcatcher” is director Bennett Miller’s follow-up to 2011’s “Moneyball”, making this his second “based on a true story” sports drama in a row. The first trailer was actually unveiled over a year ago (September 2013) because the film was originally scheduled for release last December. However, Sony Pictures Classics decided to take “Foxcatcher” out of […]