I’m beginning to think that by adding Samuel L. Jackson to their fantasy/science-fictiony superhero-ish flicks, movie producers think an automatic hit will be generated. It is the only way I can explain why Mr. Jackson is in every one of these movie types these days. It also explains why he is front and center in…
Based on true events, Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips is the rarest of thrillers, the kind that relies on neither distracting special effects nor circumspect character development. Driven by a powerful, soul-baring performance by the inimitable Tom Hanks, the movie never lags, never oversells the plight of its characters and never reduces anyone or anything to…
Making the mess is always a lot easier than cleaning it up. The residents of Swallow Falls are finding that out in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 as it picks up right where “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” left off — the water-to-food making machine disabled and the town overgrown with foodstuffs….
The ultimate police officer is finally on showcase in the long awaited trailer for RoboCop. This remake basically follows the same story as the 1987 original which saw Detroit police office Alex J. Murphy (then played by Peter Weller; now played by Joel Kinnaman) brought back into service to fight crime and corruption as a…
When we last left our intrepid tiny blue friends, they had just . . . oh, why bother explaining the plot of this film’s predecessor, “The Smurfs,” when it’s going to be difficult enough to write about this sequel’s ridiculous storyline? And, unless one is either under the age of four or in a drug-induced…
The look of the 1970s can’t be matched and it is proudly on display in David O. Russell’s upcoming crime drama American Hustle. With a powerful ensemble cast consisting of actors handpicked by Russell from his earlier projects (“The Fighter” and “Silver Linings Playbook“), the film tackles corruption and American greed on all levels. The…
In a world where we’re used to seeing entire months — sometimes even years — unfold on screen in the space of a couple of hours, you wouldn’t expect a film that takes 90 minutes to show us only 90 minutes worth of action to be particularly exciting. Think again. Director and co-writer David Koepp…
