Neil Hamburger’s first gig in town was Neil Hamburger’s last gig in town. It took place on one of those flawless summer nights during which the desire to be covered by the sky tends to turn any indoor activity into an uncanny choice. And uncanny was the result. His act was the antithesis of the…
We know, in that achingly familiar phrase, that “absence makes the heart grow fonder” but we sometimes forget that our memories will remain only in our experience and cannot be recreated in time. It is a hard lesson to be learned and one that Eilis Lacey (pronounced Ailish) (Saoirse Ronan, “The Grand Budapest Hotel”), a…
Sports movies are very predictable. Both cautionary tales and underdog stories end in almost surefire victory. Given their foolproof game plans, the only way to decide whether one of these movies is good or not is by how pumped-up you get watching it. Without any notable competition, Antoine Fuqua’s summer boxing drama “Southpaw” has become…
After a two year gap, Pixar made a triumphant return to big screens a few months ago with the magnificent “Inside Out,” a funny, heartfelt, beautiful, film which should be the pole-sitter for this year’s top animated film (and it could even be nominated in the Best Picture and Screenplay category — yes, it’s that…
A superstar athlete surprises us with what they can do in their sport. They don’t just make it look easy, they make it look like no one else can do what they have accomplished — ever again. College football provides us with one of those platforms where superstar athletes are born. Some players won’t hit…
I suppose it’s a generational thing that a lot of younger critics seem to adore the newest film by Jonathan Levine (“50/50,” “Warm Bodies”), The Night Before. I mean when I think of harmless Christmas comedies, my mind conjures up movies like “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” or “Home Alone,” among others. So when did foul…
As the brace is removed, and Katniss’ terribly bruised and raw neck is exposed, a horrifying memory descends upon the audience — Peeta loathes and attacked our heroine at the end of “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1.” We begin The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 shortly thereafter, as Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence, “Silver Linings…
