David Oyelowo gives a career propelling and defiant performance as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in director Ava DuVernay’s “Selma”. From the opening scene, in which King is attempting to tie an ascot with the help of his struggling but supportive wife Coretta (Carmen Ejogo) prior to accepting the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize, to the […]
The adventures of Bilbo Baggins have come to a close with the final installment (or as the poster reads, “The Defining Chapter”) of director Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” prequel trilogy. It’s a series that many believe (though not Warner Bros. execs) should have been condensed into just one film, since J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The […]
“Night at the Museum” was released during the crowded holiday season of 2006. I avoided seeing it right away because I just wasn’t excited about the premise from the trailers and commercials. But once I did check it out, about halfway through I realized I was watching something special. 2009’s copycat sequel, “Battle of the […]
In the opening scene of this modern update of the “Annie” story, a brainiac girl is doing a class presentation. She’s white, with red hair, and her name is Annie. When she finishes, the teacher asks the other Annie in the class (our young heroine, played by “Beasts of the Southern Wild” Oscar nominee Quvenzhane […]
In September, Chris Rock’s all-star, R-rated comedy “Top Five” premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Following the screening, an all-out bidding war began. Nearly every major studio (except, very likely, Disney) wanted distribution rights. Paramount emerged victorious, buying “Top Five” for $12.5 million and adding another $20 million for marketing. Rock’s been everywhere recently […]
“A Most Violent Year” is Oscar-nominated writer/director J.C. Chandor’s follow-up to last year’s Robert Redford “I’m alone in the middle of the ocean and I’m barely going to talk” drama “All Is Lost”. With “A Most Violent Year”, Chandor has paired-up Oscar Isaac (“Inside Llewyn Davis”) and Jessica Chastain for an intriguing crime drama. The […]
The film that defined Clint Eastwood/Director in the 1990s was “Unforgiven”. In the 2000s, “Million Dollar Baby”, his excellent boxing drama co-starring Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, likewise earned Eastwood Best Director and Best Picture Oscars. Now, for this current decade, “American Sniper” could very well be the film that takes Eastwood to the pinnacle […]
“Inherent Vice” is writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson’s follow-up to 2012’s overrated “The Master”. The only appreciation I had for that film were the performances of stars Joaquin Phoenix and particularly the late Phillip Seymour Hoffman. The rest was an unfocused and overly complicated mess. That same description can be used to describe “Inherent Vice”, which […]
Last year, director Jean-Marc Vallee earned “Dallas Buyers Club” stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto Lead and Supporting Actor honors from nearly every major awards organization. Now, Vallee’s follow-up, “Wild”, has placed Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern as Lead and Supporting Actress frontrunners for their raw and brave performances in one of 2014’s most engrossing […]
“The Imitation Game” is one of those Awards Season films every studio dreams of having on their “For Your Consideration” list. The true-life drama captured the People’s Choice Award at the Toronto Film Festival and it’s destined to be a favorite among voters over the next few months, as is star Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays […]