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Since I began writing reviews in 1992, I have devoted more than 3.2 million words to film criticism and commentary. That's somewhere between 5000 and 6000 pages of a hardback book. The sheer volume of what I have written didn't occur to me until I ...
HBO calls it Rome, but it's really a prequel to I, Claudius. The classic 1970s BBC series (based on the Robert Graves novels, I, Claudius and Claudius the God) examined the reigns of the first four Roman Emperors: Augustus (born Octavian), Tiberius...
No lengthy discourses today. A few random thoughts...On serializing The Price of the Crown... Thus far, I have gotten close to 100 e-mails, and about 98% are in favor of posting it. The others think I should avoid giving away what I might be able ...
There's no debating that Bad Words contains some big, politically incorrect laughs. The movie isn't awash in them but there are enough to keep the chuckles coming. The film's problem is that, despite obvious aspirations to be more than just a profa...
U.S. Release Date: 2014-03-21
MPAA Rating: "R" (Profanity, Sexual Content, Nudity)
Genre: COMEDY
Director: Jason Bateman
Cast: Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn, Rohand Chand, ...
Blinded by the Light is a one-third Bruce Springsteen hagiography, one-third kitschy ‘80s recreation, and one-third feel-good father/son coming together. Surprisingly, however, it works. The movie combines an infectious spirit with a serious...
U.S. Release Date: 2019-08-16
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Profanity, Racial Slurs, Sexual Content)
Genre: Drama/Musical
Director: Gurinder Chadha
Cast: Viveik Kalra, Aaron Phagura, Nell Williams, ...
Like a dog to its vomit, I keep coming back to rants about the same pet peeves. Maybe it's because I spend so little time at general admission multiplex movies, but it's tough to surpress a wince of outrage every time a commercial appears on screen...
The most important name associated with this new telling of the tale of King Arthur is “Guy Ritchie.” More than most working directors, Ritchie comes to projects with his own specific take on them – one that inevitably rubs some viewers ...
U.S. Release Date: 2017-05-12
MPAA Rating: "PG-13" (Violence, Profanity, Brief Nudity)
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure
Director: Guy Ritchie
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Jude Law, Djimon Hounsou, ...
There's a lot about Lola Versus that feels familiar, but the propulsion that escalates the film out of the low orbit of angst-riddled 20-something indie "comedies" is Greta Gerwig. The young actress, who began her career in Mumblecore before shifti...
U.S. Release Date: 2012-06-08
MPAA Rating: "R" (Sexual Content, Profanity, Nudity)
Genre: DRAMA/COMEDY
Director: Daryl Wein
Cast: Greta Gerwig, Hamish Linklater, Joel Kinnaman, ...
"You know what the problem with Hollywood is - they make shit." It is with that statement - not profound, but undeniably true - that Swordfish opens. And, while this movie isn't going to convince anyone that the major studios have suddenly turn...
U.S. Release Date: 2001-06-08
MPAA Rating: "R" (Violence, Profanity,Sexual Content, Nudity)
Genre: ACTION/THRILLER
Director: Dominic Sena
Cast: John Travolta, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, ...
It has now been nearly seven years since I stepped tentatively into the world of print publishing and, although I can't claim the experience as a whole was negative, there were enough negatives associated with it likely to prevent me from working ...