Were it not for the eventual cameo by Jason Lee and Matt Damon, one could easily forget that one was watching a Kevin Smith movie. This is a warm and funny film about the relationship between a young girl and her widowed father. Has Smith gone Hollywood? Has he gone […]
The Ladykillers
In the grand tradition of the Coen brothers, they have turned in another magnificently quirky comedy. Although they have yet to top their masterpiece, 1987’s Raising Arizona, this one is certainly a jewel in the Coen brothers’ crown. Tom Hanks’s performance alone is worth the price of admission, with Marlon […]
Taking Lives
Does every movie out of Hollywood these days have to have a “twist”? This movie is very suspenseful, if perhaps a bit predictable. Although I didn’t see the surprise ending in this one coming, it was fairly obvious early on who was *not* the killer. Angelina Jolie does a good […]
Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights
What a fun movie! With comparable dancing, an equally kick-ass soundtrack, and all of the cheese of the original Dirty Dancing, this was a very entertaining movie. It had a similar vibe, but wasn’t so identical as to feel formulaic. Patrick Swayze has a cameo in a couple of scenes, […]
The Passion of the Christ
It’s not the fact that I got sick to my stomach halfway through this movie and had to leave that leads me to not recommend it to others (although that might be a good enough reason for many to avoid it!). Rather, it is Mel Gibson’s artistic license that soured […]
Miracle
The only thing depressing about this movie is Kurt Russel’s wardrobe. This is definitely a feel-good movie, and we are in desperate need of some of those after enduring a spate of depressing films in recent months. Despite knowing how the story ends before seeing the movie, it was no […]
Mystic River
Well, the trifecta of depressing movies is complete. Sean Penn and Tim Robbins both turn in excellent performances in their respective roles, but I’m beginning to wonder if Hollywood has forgotten how to make happy endings. The movie’s setting, story, and its commentary on vigilantism all borrow heavily from 1996’s […]
House of Sand and Fog
If you enjoy feeling like you need therapy, by all means, go see this film. Cold Mountain was positively cheery by comparison. The story is compelling, however. It is essentially two overlapping Greek tragedies, with the protagonist in each serving as the other’s antagonist. The result is that you find […]