Florence Foster Jenkins Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The only name that matters when it comes to getting butts in front of Florence Foster Jenkins isn’t Florence Foster Jenkins, but rather Meryl Streep. Improbably, Streep has done what seemingly a dozen Hemsworths couldn’t — become a reliable box office draw based exclusively on star power. She can play a magazine […]
Ricki and the Flash Review
RATING: (3 STARS) One week before Ricki and the Flash opened in theaters, we were met with a film called The End of the Tour about author David Foster Wallace. The two films have next to nothing in common, but I bring up The End of the Tour because I think its title perfectly describes […]
2015 Golden Globes Predictions
When it comes to making 2015 Golden Globes predictions, everyone knows quality shouldn’t come into the picture too much. The Globes are notorious for some decisions—most notably Zsa Zsa Gabor and The Tourist. I’m not sure why we take them seriously other than the fact that it’s a show on primetime, but to be fair, […]
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 […]
2015 Oscar Predictions: First Guesses Before Fall Fests
It’s 2015 Oscar predictions time, so let’s dig the prognosticator’s hat out of the attic, dust it off, and take a look at the landscape of the 2015 Oscar race. If I’m being honest, though, I almost didn’t want to get involved with 2015 Oscar predictions at all. Last year’s Oscar season and the nonsense […]
Predicting the 2014 Golden Globes Winners
This Sunday, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association will carve for itself a unique place in the 2013/2014 awards season. How do I know? Because it must. There still isn’t much consensus among this year’s major categories. The critics groups like 12 Years a Slave and Her. American Hustle and Gravity have loads of support—some from […]
2013 TIFF Movies to Watch: #30-#21
Continuing my TIFF preview today with lots of big-name acting talent: Streep, Roberts, McGregor, Witherspoon, Firth, Johansson, Eisenberg, Wasikowska, Hiddleston, Swinton, Hemsworth, and more. 30.) August: Osage County Program: Gala Presentation Distributor: The Weinstein Company Directed by: John Wells Written by: Tracy Letts Starring: Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, Abigail Breslin, Sam Shepard, Dermot […]
The Deep Breath Before the 2014 Oscars Plunge
Click on over to my 2014 Oscar Predictions page to see everything I’m forecasting in the major categories. The signs of fall are all around us. Temperatures are dropping (from sweltering to comfortable). Darkness knocks earlier every night. Most importantly, fantasy football research consumes most of my time. We’ve received a glut of movie news […]
Hope Springs Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) David Frankel (whose The Big Year was, improbably, both one of last year’s biggest surprises and worst films) must have quite a rapport with Meryl Streep. He directed her to an Oscar nomination in The Devil Wears Prada, and he somehow convinced her to star in his latest, Hope Springs—a film that […]
The Iron Lady Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) The Iron Lady lacks focus, plain and simple. It strives to be this grand biopic that encompasses the whole of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s life. But for such a big, polarizing figure, it feels as if her messier, more complicated moments are glossed over in favor of spending time with a dementia-riddled […]
2012 OSCAR PREDICTIONS: One Year Out
I realize it’s a bit silly for 2012 Oscar predictions this far out, but I can’t help it. With the multiplex fare so bad this time of year, I need something to be excited about, so why not dig into the prestige films later this year? The odds say much of what looks Oscar friendly […]
Doubt Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “Doubt†is a film of uncommon depth and intelligence, and it tackles some very interesting philosophical issues. What is certainty? How much doubt is necessary to prevent oneself from doing something hurtful? And what in the world is it going to take to get Meryl Streep another damn Oscar? She seems to […]
The Ten Best Performances of 2008
This wasn’t an incredible year for performances. There were undoubtedly some great ones, but when I sat down to compile my list of the greatest, I was surprised by how few sure things there were. As with most years, there were more great roles for men than there were for women. The supporting actress category […]
Kramer vs. Kramer Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) “Kramer vs. Kramer†stars Dustin Hoffman, one of the greatest actors of his generation, and Meryl Streep, probably the greatest actress ever. Both actors won Academy Awards. Robert Benton won two Academy Awards (for directing and writing the picture), and the film won the big award back in 1979, Best Picture. With […]
Manhattan Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Manhattan is Woody Allen’s love letter to New York. It’s also a complex and realistic love story. It’s beautifully filmed, well-acted, and wonderfully written. Most importantly, it’s well-worth two hours of your time. This might be the beloved director’s finest hour. The film tells the story of Isaac Davis (Allen), a neurotic, […]
It’s Complicated Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Nancy Meyers is part of a rare breed, directors capable of making a good adult comedy. It’s a hard thing to do, crafting a film full of laughs that’s commercially viable while avoiding gross-out humor and raunchy Apatow-style sex jokes. She did it with “Something’s Gotta Give” (a bloated but enjoyable film), […]
