Many critics are calling Everest absolutely beautiful, but without the human emotion necessary to make it a truly great adventure movie. I take some exception to that, though, as I saw much emotional impact, but with the actors wearing googles, oxygen masks and heavy clothing, it was often difficult to distinguish one from the other…
My friend once told me a story of how he was visiting Las Vegas in the mid-1990s. He said that the person he was with, John, introduced him to a rather sharply-dressed man who told him, “Whatever you want here, just ask for it,” and then walked away. John said, “Do you know who that…
During World War II, the Nazis plundered an estimated 750,000 artworks from European countries including priceless paintings by Van Gogh, Degas, Vermeer, and Michelangelo. Though many paintings and other significant cultural artifacts were recovered by the “Monuments Men,” many were destroyed or auctioned off at extremely low prices. Today, there are well over 100,000 items…
By far the best and most original aspect of A Cry From Within is the fact that it revolves around an extremely solid family. Advertising executive Cecile (Deborah Twiss, who wrote and directed the film and upon whose real life experiences it claims to be based), therapist Jonathan (Eric Roberts “The Expendables”), and their children…
Foxcatcher, based on the real-life events surrounding the relationship between billionaire John E. du Pont and Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, is a plodding, tone-deaf snoozer. The cast tries very hard to make things work, sometimes too hard. Even worse, all that made the true story so weirdly compelling in the first place is lost in…
The makeup may not look the best, but the early buzz says the acting by the three main players is in Sony Pictures’ biographical drama, Foxcatcher. Based on a true story, it chronicles the highs and the very lows of the relationship between brothers and Olympic Wrestling Champions Mark and Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum and…
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…
