ON THE AIR. UNAWARE. There’s an episode of Twilight Zone, the 1980s revival, called ”Special Service” that aired in 1989. Written by J. Michael Straczynski who later created the sci-fi classic Babylon 5, the episode tells the story of a man who discovers that his whole life is a reality show on TV; even his … Continue reading The Truman Show: Before Big Brother
CORRUPTS ABSOLUTELY. During a burglary, veteran Luther Whitney (Clint Eastwood) becomes an accidental witness to the U.S. President (Gene Hackman) trying to seduce a younger woman, which ends in her death. One of the author’s most sensational thrillers becomes a fairly intriguing movie in Eastwood’s hands, primarily a chance for himself to deliver a charming … Continue reading Absolute Power
SOONER OR LATER A MAN WHO WEARS TWO FACES FORGETS WHICH ONE IS REAL. Chicago attorney Martin Vail (Richard Gere) happily takes on a high-profile case where a confused former altar boy, Aaron (Edward Norton), stands accused of having murdered the Archbishop. It’s not often an actor making his screen debut gets to shine as … Continue reading Primal Fear
WHEN YOU LOVE SOMEONE YOU CAN’T JUST THROW IT AWAY. Art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) receives a copy of a novel written by her ex-husband (Jake Gyllenhaal); she’s immediately drawn into the story about a family that falls victim to three men while driving in the middle of nowhere… Tom Ford’s second film … Continue reading Nocturnal Animals
THE UNTOLD STORY BEHIND THE MIRACLE ON THE HUDSON. After depicting a controversial ”hero” in American Sniper (2014), Clint Eastwood crafted another watchable portrait of a real-life man who struggled with his experiences of an intense life-and-death situation. In 2009, captain Sullenberger made an emergency landing on the Hudson River in New York City, instantly … Continue reading Sully
RAISE SOME SHELL. After escaping from a prison convoy, Shredder teams up with a supervillain from another dimension, Kraang; at the same time, the Turtles face an internal conflict… This 3D sequel to the 2014 film may be too cluttered and silly for non-fans, but why would they be in the audience? This is OK … Continue reading Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows
THE MAN BEHIND THE MYTH. In 1947, 93-year-old Sherlock Holmes (Ian McKellen) is befriending the young son of his housekeeper while trying to recall the details of his last case, unsatisfactorily chronicled by Dr. Watson. After a few disappointing films, Bill Condon reunited with his Gods and Monsters (1998) star for an intriguing look at … Continue reading Mr. Holmes
YOU CAN’T EXPOSE THE WORLD’S SECRETS WITHOUT EXPOSING YOURSELF. In 2007, German journalist Daniel Domscheit-Berg (Daniel Brühl) meets Australian computer hacker Julian Assange (Benedict Cumberbatch) in Berlin and begins working with him on a website devoted to exposing classified information provided by anonymous sources. Bill Condon’s portrait of the rise of WikiLeaks goes for an … Continue reading The Fifth Estate
WE BURY OUR SINS, WE WASH THEM CLEAN. Even after the phenomenal Unforgiven (1992), the movie that won Clint Eastwood an Oscar as director, the aging filmmaker went on making a slew of films in the latter half of the decade that always had interesting ingredients but were generally speaking done in by an overly … Continue reading Mystic River: Gone Girl
THE PRESIDENT. THE FIRST LADY. THE KING. THE QUEEN. THE MOTHER. THE MISTRESS… ONE WEEKEND WOULD UNITE TWO GREAT NATIONS… AFTER COCKTAILS, OF COURSE. In the summer of 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Bill Murray) seduces his sixth cousin (Laura Linney) while also preparing to entertain the King and Queen of England at his New … Continue reading Hyde Park on Hudson
UNDER THE SURFACE OF EVERY LIFE LIES A MYSTERY. On a fishing trip out in the wilderness, four best friends find the naked body of a murdered girl in the river… and make a decision that will have far-reaching consequences. Director Ray Lawrence’s first film since Lantana (2001) is almost as impressive, another ensemble drama … Continue reading Jindabyne
The Savage patriarch (Philip Bosco) needs a new place to stay; he’s been showing signs of losing his mental faculties and the dilemma of what to do about his situation brings his son and daughter (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laura Linney) together for the first time in many months. Director Tamara Jenkins chooses a difficult path, … Continue reading The Savages
HE UNITED THE STATES OF AMERICA. Sometimes there are discrepancies between filmmakers and the people hired to market their work. The tagline of this ambitious HBO miniseries has nothing to do with what John Adams actually did. He remains a controversial figure who was dragged into the fight for independence and subsequently came to view … Continue reading John Adams: The Reluctant VP
