From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Be Cool
Originally published 3/13/05 Be Cool Director: F. Gary Gray Writer: Peter Steinfeld, based on the novel by Elmore Leonard Producers: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacy Sher Stars: John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Vince Vaughn, Cedric the Entertainer, The Rock, Christina Milian, Harvey Keitel, André Benjamin, Robert Pastorelli, Steven Tyler, James Woods The Hollywood cliché is known [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Cursed
Originally published March 9, 2005 Cursed Director: Wes Craven Writer: Kevin Williamson Producers: Kevin Williamson, Marianne Maddalena Stars: Christina Ricci, Jesse Eisenberg, Joshua Jackson, Judy Greer, Shannon Elizabeth, Mya, Kristina Anapau, Portia DiRossi, Milo Ventimiglia For over a generation, two minutes of film have hung in judgment over the entire horror sub-genre of werewolf movies. [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Constantine
Originally published 2/19/2005 Constantine Director: Francis Lawrence Writers: Story by Kevin Brodbin, Screenplay by Kevin Brodbin and Frank Cappello, based on the DC/Vertigo comic book Hellblazer Producers: Benjamin Melniker, Lauren Shuler Donner, Erwin Stoff, Michael E. Uslan, Lorenzo DiBonaventura, Akiva Goldsman Stars: Keanu Reeves, Rachel Weisz, Djimon Hounsou, Shia LaBeouf, Max Baker, Pruitt Taylor Vince, [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Elektra
Originally published 2/7/2005 Elektra Director: Rob Bowman Writers: Zak Penn and Stu Zicherman & Raven Metzner, based on the comic book character created by Frank Miller and the movie character created by Mark Steven Johnson Producers: Arnon Milchan, Gary Foster, Avi Arad Stars: Jennifer Garner, Goran Visnjic, Kirsten Prout, Will Yun Lee, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Terence [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Alone in the Dark
Originally published 2/3/2005 Alone in the Dark Director: Uwe Boll Writers: Elan Mastai, Michael Roesch, Peter Scheerer Producers: Shawn Williamson Stars: Christian Slater, Tara Reid, Stephen Dorff, Frank C. Turner, Mathew Walker I’m going to blow the lid off a major secret of movie critic-dom. Most critics, all rhetoric to the contrary, love movies like [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Assault on Precinct 13
Originally published 1/24/2005 Assault on Precinct 13 Director: Jean-Francois Richet Writer: James DeMonaco, based on the film written by John Carpenter Producers: Pascal Caucheteux, Jeffrey Silver, Stephane Sperry Stars: Ethan Hawke, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Byrne, Brian Dennehy, Drea DeMatteo, John Leguizamo, Jeffrey “Ja Rule” Atkins, Maria Bello, Aisha Hinds, Matt Craven Director Jean-Francois Richet, making [...]
MOVIE REVIEW – Cedar Rapids
Cedar Rapids Director: Miguel Arteta Writer: Phil Johnston Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor Stars: Ed Helms, John C. Reilly, Anne Heche, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Stephen Root, Kurtwood Smith, Sigourney Weaver, Alia Shawkat “I got to Kansas City on a Frid’y. By Sattidy I l’arned a thing or two. For up to then I [...]
A great day for independent film
Many of the first studio bosses were showmen – theatre-chain owners for whom bringing in an audience and giving them something to love was in their blood. In the Golden Age of Hollywood, all the major studios owned their own theatre chains, until anti-trust actions forced them to sell them off. The argument about whether [...]
Oscar Nominations – First Reaction: Hear Woman Roar
(Going to do my breakdown of the field in a later post. This one deserved to stand on its own.) My first observation from reading this year’s nominees for the Academy Awards is what an amazing year it is for women in film – and why can’t every year be at least this good? Coming [...]
From the Archive – MOVIE REVIEW – Hotel Rwanda
Originally posted 2/9/05 Hotel Rwanda Director: Terry George Writer: Keir Pearson and Terry George Producers: A. Kitman Ho and Terry George Stars: Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, Nick Nolte, Joaquin Phoenix, Desmond Dube, David O’Hara, Cara Seymour, Fana Mokoena, Hakeem Kae-Kazim, Tony Kgoroge It can only be in the midst of madness that a loving husband [...]