HOW MUCH SPIN DOES IT TAKE TO WIN? In 1996, the novel ”Primary Colors” was published, a roman à clef depicting then-Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, with a Southern governor called Jack Stanton standing in for Clinton. The author was anonymous, but considering the insight into the campaign it had to be someone… … Continue reading Primary Colors: All the Governor’s Men
The Milk (2008) writer’s ambitious odyssey through 45 years of fighting for LGBT rights in America starts with gays finding their voice in San Francisco in spite of persistent police brutality and ends with the Supreme Court paving the way for same-sex marriage in all 50 states. Focus lies on several real-life characters that we … Continue reading When We Rise
In 1994, fledgling Hollywood agent Sandy Wexler (Adam Sandler) finally finds a talent worth promoting, singer Courtney Clarke (Jennifer Hudson)… but his lack of skills is a constant roadblock. A comedy loosely based on Sandler’s own colorful agent, Sandy Wernick, that plays out over several years. That’s one explanation for the massively bloated running time, … Continue reading Sandy Wexler
PAUL SHELDON USED TO WRITE FOR A LIVING. NOW, HE’S WRITING TO STAY ALIVE. After finishing his last novel starring the popular romantic character Misery, Paul Sheldon (James Caan) has a traffic accident in the snowy Colorado wilderness and is rescued by his number one fan (Kathy Bates), a woman with a dark past. The … Continue reading Misery
THERE ARE A MILLION REASONS NOT TO LIKE OREN LITTLE. JUST ASK EVERYONE. After suddenly being saddled with a nine-year-old granddaughter he didn’t know he had, grumpy and selfish realtor Oren Little (Michael Douglas) grows closer to his neighbor (Diane Keaton). The intended target audience of older women deserve better movies than this romantic comedy – … Continue reading And So It Goes
BATTLES ARE WON BECAUSE THEY ARE FOUGHT. In 2008, California voters said yes to Proposition 8, which denied the gay citizens of the state marriage; two years later, the decision was deemed unconstitutional by a federal court, which was eventually upheld by the Supreme Court. This documentary chronicles the hard work behind this tremendous success, … Continue reading The Case Against 8
CAN TWO FRIENDS SLEEP TOGETHER AND STILL LOVE EACH OTHER IN THE MORNING? Rob Reiner’s first idea for a film was rejected by Nora Ephron. They had just had a lunch meeting in New York City together with producer Andrew Scheinman. The purpose was to come up with a project, but it didn’t result in … Continue reading When Harry Met Sally: It Had to Be You
After the Black Monday stock market crash in 1987, Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) finds the perfect little boiler room to start over and turn into a rapidly successful brokerage firm, with a steady supply of money, champagne and cocaine. In Martin Scorsese and Boardwalk Empire creator Terence Winter’s hands, the real-life story of convicted Wall … Continue reading The Wolf of Wall Street
IN THE HEART OF THE NATION’S CAPITAL, IN A COURTHOUSE OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, ONE MAN WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO KEEP HIS HONOR, AND ONE WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO FIND THE TRUTH. Inexperienced U.S. Navy lawyer Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) takes a case where two Marines stationed at Guantanamo stand accused of having … Continue reading A Few Good Men
DOES FOR ROCK AND ROLL WHAT “THE SOUND OF MUSIC” DID FOR HILLS. In 2002, This Is Spinal Tap was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. It’s not hard to see why. The film has become a template for an entire genre of “mockumentaries” and numerous rock musicians have talked about mistaking it for a … Continue reading This Is Spinal Tap: Band in Need of Aid
A KILLER COMEDY! In 1920s New York, David Shayne (John Cusack) gets a chance to produce one of his plays on Broadway, but has to accept the casting of a gangster’s moll (Jennifer Tilly) in a lead role. One of Woody Allen’s most successful comedies in the 1990s takes a look at a clash between showbiz … Continue reading Bullets Over Broadway
IT’S AS REAL AS THE FEELINGS YOU FEEL. Once upon a time there was a Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) who was kidnapped, but two men set out for her – her husband the Prince (Chris Sarandon) and a masked pirate (Cary Elwes) who just may be her true love. Updating fairy tales is a task fraught … Continue reading The Princess Bride
WHY CAN’T THE MOST POWERFUL MAN IN THE WORLD HAVE THE THING HE WANTS MOST? Widowed President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) falls for an environmental lobbyist (Annette Bening), but dating has political consequences for a man in his position. Another charming romantic comedy from Rob Reiner, greatly aided by Aaron Sorkin’s idealistic, highly political but also amusing … Continue reading The American President
