Dark comedy is not easy to do, since comedy itself is hard enough. With dark comedy, you have to have the right amount of bleakness or terribleness and then a mix of comedy for it to work. The Coen Brothers have perfected this art in such films as Fargo. Martin Macdonagh’s new dark comedy/thriller/action/shoot ‘em [...]
Gangster Paradise: Review for “Public Enemies”
John Dillinger had a very obvious suaveness to him. He liked cars, movies, and could woo a girl in no time. He is one of the most famous bank robbers. And his career, if untimely short, has been put on the screen. The director is a very able one at that. Michael Mann knows how [...]
Long Time
It has been extremely hectic lately and I am so sorry, Faithful Readers, that I have not posted in a long time. So, I will just write what I have seen and provide a capsule review of each.
Doubt
The John Patrick Shanley translates to the screen well mostly because of its stellar cast. Meryl Streep as [...]
Where the Truth Lies: Review for “Duplicity”
Honestly, in this economy, I don’t think it’s comforting seeing two attractive leads try to get away with $40 million. And to make matters worse, the two corporate rivals seem as ruthless as AIG or those other nutcases who’ve been asking for bailouts. But the film plays out well anyway, no matter how uncomfortable it [...]
All That You Love Will Be “Taken” Away: Review for “Taken”
As psychologically interesting it is to see what a father would do to save his daughter, I don’t really want to see something like that actually happen. Alas, the new action film “Taken” practically rubs that in your face in the TV spots.
Genial Liam Neeson, who gave an amazing performance in Schindler’s List, plays a [...]
“Transsiberian” Orchestra of Horrors: Review for “Transsiberian”
Claistrophobia can be a key part of a suspense film. Whether you’re trapped in an old house or in a small town, that feeling can always creep up on you. Transsiberian is about a young couple (Woody Harrelson and Emily Mortimer) who are traveling back to the United States from China and take the Trans-Siberian [...]
Killer Appeal: Review for “Dexter”
While some may see it horrifying to identify with and empathize with a serial killer, think about this: we have no trouble empathizing with any other vigilante like Batman or Spider-Man. So why is it so hard to do it with a killer? Is it merely the idea that he is a killer? That is [...]
Sin City: Review for “Chicago”
I was walking to a show in New York earlier this year and saw a very provocative poster on a wall. It had the image of a woman all in black lying promiscuously with the words “Sin Is In!” above her. It was Chicago. Chicago is definitely one of my all time favorite movie musicals (tied with Cabaret). Because of the [...]
I Simply Lovett: Review for “Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
There have been many, many incarnations of Sweeney Todd, the demon barber of Fleet Street. From appearing as a cult character in a penny dreadful to singing barber in Stephen Sondheim’s terrific musical, the tale of the demon barber has become one of the most famous legends in history, helped by its incarnations in popular [...]
“Blaze” of Glory: Review for “Blaze” and “The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon” by Stephen King
I mentioned in one of last posts how great a writer Stephen King is. I just finished two of his recent novels, The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon and Blaze, which was written under his pseudonym Richard Bachman. The first of the two is probably the most realistic. 9 year old Patricia McFarland is walking [...]
