Films That Matter
No Caine, No Gain
Following in the recent action craze launched by John Wick, fusing it with The World is Not Enough Bond villain’s inability to feel pain, adding in some of the sadism found in Home Alone and its sequel, and throwing in some rough and tumble comedy to boot, Novocaine (2025), co-directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen, holds no punches, or perhaps packs quite the punch if you’d prefer. Not for the weak of heart... an early warning to the wise – if you don’t like R rated violence then this movie is likely not for you, as it does not hold back in any which way. Though it does contain action, comedy, and romance, don’t let those last two genres suggest that this is a light date night foray for couples.
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Russell Does the Hustle, American Style
American HustleMarch 23, 2014"Some of this actually happened." Released last week on Blu-Ray and DVD, David O. Russell’s 2013 hit American Hustle (which was nominated for 10 Academy Awards) out Scorsese’d Scorsese, as many critics put it. I will not go that far, but Russell creates a lively crime comedy/drama in the vain of past Scorsese classics such as Goodfellas, Casino and others – and it can compete on most levels.
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Hoffman a True Talent
CapoteFebruary 9, 2014In this second week of looking at some of the best Oscar winning movies and performances of all-time, I must once again begin an article with a melancholic note as another Hollywood great, Philip Seymour Hoffman, passed away last week at the age of forty-six. The talented character actor was able to bring forth complex, varied and nuanced performances throughout his career, with his Oscar winning role of Truman Capote, in the 2005 movie Capote, being a perfect depiction of his amazing talents.
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Silence is Golden
The ArtistMarch 4, 2013Last years big Oscar winner The Artist, which won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Original Score, and Costume Design, is a film that harkens back to the golden age of cinema. I have heard that a lot of people feel indifferent about watching this film, as a silent black and white motion picture seems boring and dated, yet The Artist is a beautifully written story that is quite the opposite.