Philip Seymour Hoffman

A Most Wanted Man Review

A Most Wanted Man Review

RATING: (3.5 STARS) The name John le Carré is to the spy genre as Tolkien is to fantasy. For more than 50 years, the man has thrilled fans with labyrinthine tales of hardened espionage agents trying to navigate morally murky waters—and he’s still going. Published in 2008, A Most Wanted Man is one of his […]

The 20 Best Performances of 2014

The 20 Best Performances of 2014

It was a great year for acting, and I still haven’t seen some of the year’s most acclaimed performances. If David Oyelowo (Selma), Julianne Moore (Still Alice), Benedict Cumberbatch (The Imitation Game), J.K. Simmons (Whiplash), Timothy Spall (Mr. Turner), Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Beyond the Lights), or anyone else bowls me over the way they have so […]

The Ides of March Review

The Ides of March Review

RATING: (3.5 STARS) The Ides of March is a slick thriller with a clear message: Idealism and hope have no place politics. Succumb to these feelings and you’re finished. Yes, it’s not a new thesis, but it’s one that director George Clooney presents unflinchingly. There are moments in this film that I felt real despair, […]

Moneyball Review

Moneyball Review

RATING: (4 STARS) While Moneyball might seem like an odd cinematic fit, the dream writing team of Aaron Sorkin and Steven Zailian transform the story of the 2002 Oakland A’s into something exciting, emotionally-involving, and surprisingly thoughtful. Though the film (thankfully) doesn’t shy away from the nuts and bolts of building a successful baseball team, […]

Pirate Radio Review

Pirate Radio Review

RATING: (3 STARS) Sometimes, a film doesn’t have to be deep or thought-provoking for me to really enjoy it. Despite the fact that most of my positive reviews are of dark, depressing stuff, I’m still a fun guy. I enjoy a good comedy every now and again. That’s exactly what “Pirate Radio” is – a […]

Magnolia Review

Magnolia Review

RATING: (4 STARS) After the critical and financial success he had with “Boogie Nights,” New Line essentially gave P.T. Anderson the freedom to do anything he wanted. The result is “Magnolia,” a picture that wouldn’t have been made, couldn’t have been made, without such freedom. This is a bold motion picture, a 3-hour tale about […]