The Forgaughtens: Charlie’s Angels (2000)
In 2019, before movies were cancelled, a Charlie’s Angels reboot starring Kristin Stewart came and went from theaters without much of a peep. But unless you were squarely in MTV’s key demographic (super horny and roughly 12-28) at the dawn of the new millennium, you might not have even known this more recent Charlie’s Angels […]
Rushmore Review
RATING: (4 STARS) With Rushmore, writer/director Wes Anderson beelines it out of Wes Andersonville toward a place that resembles the world you and I inhabit. In Wes Andersonville, individuals are quirky beyond recognition—sometimes overwritten into oblivion. Rushmore‘s lead character, Max Fischer, is a proud citizen of Wes Andersonville, but unlike the director’s other films, this […]
The Jungle Book (2016) Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The Jungle Book, as surprising as it probably seems, is one of the few Disney animated classics that eluded me in my childhood. A casual awareness of something called “The Bear Necessities” was all I knew about the 1967 version of Rudyard Kipling’s stories. Incidentally, Kipling’s books are foreign to me, as […]
Aloha Review
RATING: (3 STARS) You’re enjoyment of Cameron Crowe’s Aloha will likely be dependent upon how much you subscribe to and are interested in film’s auteur theory—or the idea that a director’s personal creative vision is the driving force behind a finished onscreen product. Filmmakers like Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and Martin Scorsese are proof positive […]
2015 Golden Globes Nominations Predictions
The ultra-prestigious and never ridiculous Hollywood Foreign Press Association is on the cusp of announcing its nominees for the 2015 Golden Globes. We should take these nominations very seriously, as the many, many dedicated and serious-minded members of this fine organization consider only the artistic merits of each film, performance, and craft achievement in a […]
Casting the Monstars for Space Jam 2
“News” “broke” over the weekend that King LeBron James himself would be suiting up this summer for Team Looney Tunes in a sequel to the brilliant 1996 comedy Space Jam. If your childhood was anything like mine, Space Jam was a staple. Bugs Bunny, Lola, Bill Murray, Wayne Knight, and His Airness Michael Jordan could […]
5 Best Performances in Wes Anderson Movies
2014 has had its fair share of pleasures in its first month or so, but the biggest movie for cinephiles like myself to come so far this year (and for some, to come at all this year) is Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel. I placed it #2 on my most-anticipated movies of 2014 list. […]
Moonrise Kingdom Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Moonrise Kingdom opens with a shot of an immaculately tidy room in a quaint, old-fashioned home on the New England coast. Suddenly, the camera pans right on the perfectly straight line to another such room, with three similarly—and oddly—dressed boys. They play a symphonic record and sit down in perfect symmetry. It […]
The Royal Tenenbaums Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The Royal Tenenbaums is Wes Anderson‘s masterpiece. As much as I admire and enjoy some of the man’s other films, this 2001 gem is unequivocally his most satisfying work to date. It’s easy to simply label it a quirky family dramedy, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The Royal Tenenbaums […]
Groundhog Day Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Groundhog Day is one of those films that can please just about every kind of moviegoer. Its charm is undeniable, and even the most cold-hearted viewer can get swept up in the premise’s cleverness and the romance’s tenderness. It’s got terrific performances, solid direction, and some truly timeless moments—what more can you […]
Get Low Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) In the face of tragedy, people often do strange things. In Get Low, a guilt-ridden man completely shuts himself off from others. He builds himself a prison of isolation in which to punish himself, and nearly 40 years later, he still hasn’t quite come to terms with his mistake. The film, from […]
Fantastic Mr. Fox Review
RATING: (4 STARS) I’m not the biggest Wes Anderson fan. Other than “The Royal Tenenbaums,†I’ve found his work to be one-note and somewhat pretentious. With that said, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox†was anything but. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, full of wit and charm. In a year when animation seems to be one-upping […]
