Not to sound cocky, but my blog title is better that the actual screenplay of “Hustlers”. Ok, maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but let me count the ill begotten ways of this movie. 1. If you want us to feel empathy for a character, we have to have some back story…J Lo, for instance,… Continue reading Hustlers: Despite the Thongs, Not All That it’s Cracked Up to Be
Category: drama based on a true story
The Invisibles: Better Title, A New Term Perhaps: Tenacitators
Tenacitators might be a strange term, but something about the title The Invisibles makes this film sound like a new Marvel movie or animated deal. And when I think of the four principle characters, real humans who survived hiding during Hitler’s last desperate days, invisible is the furthest word from my mind, rather they are… Continue reading The Invisibles: Better Title, A New Term Perhaps: Tenacitators
Stan & Ollie Needed a (Script) Fluffer
I wrote a play about five years ago about a conversation between two old friends. Feedback repeatedly came back that I needed to move the conflict sooner in the script. Stubbornly, I held fast until recently and Stan & Ollie‘s led weighted script is definitely a good slapstick kick in the arse to that same… Continue reading Stan & Ollie Needed a (Script) Fluffer
Excuse Me Mr. Bale, Meet Viggo Mortenson
Much like director Peter Farrelly’s movie career, [some highs comedy-wise with Dumb and Dumber and lows The Three Stooges, which was utterly disappointing even with my main man Larry David] Green Book was a 10 in its story and acting and a 1 for its trailer. Thank God for my watching the Golden Globes and… Continue reading Excuse Me Mr. Bale, Meet Viggo Mortenson
Sugar and Vice and Everything Nice, that’s not what Cheney was made of
Vice directed by Adam McKay (Academy Award winner for The Big Short) recasts many of the same Big Short actors (Bale and Carell) in this solidly entertaining movie about Dick Cheney. No doubt, the real Cheney is an A Number One Villain, but McKay plays fair enough for most of the movie allowing him to… Continue reading Sugar and Vice and Everything Nice, that’s not what Cheney was made of
Where’d the Van Gogh? At Eternity’s Gate
Ever since The Florida Project, I’ve devoted myself to be a life long Willem Dafoe fan, so unless the guy’s in an untra-violent film, I’ll be at his cinematic door step. And At Eternity’s Gate proves again that his acting talent should be rewarded in the industry. He won’t win the Golden Globe for which… Continue reading Where’d the Van Gogh? At Eternity’s Gate
Can You Ever Forgive Me? Waiting Too Long
What happens when life gets in the way of writing a review is correlative to the number of rabbit holes I go down researching the background of the film. Like, just now looking at the screenwriters of Can You Ever Forgive Me? I segued on to the co-writer Jeff Whitty who I discovered starred in… Continue reading Can You Ever Forgive Me? Waiting Too Long
Beautiful Boy: Like Carson’s Carmac placing the envelope to my head
I haven’t read a review of Beautiful Boy, yet, preferring as usual to give my original take. But I will take a guess as to why the film only received 69% Rotten Tomatoes (77 Audience, always way smarter aka Bohemian Rhapsody). Envelope to my head like Carmac the Magnificent, I’m going to guess ‘too long’… Continue reading Beautiful Boy: Like Carson’s Carmac placing the envelope to my head
Check your bags at the door reviewers: Bohemian Rhapsody was an 11:)
While I know I’m hard on certain films and did take it down an angry notch after listening to others’ opinions of Old Man & a Gun, I CAN NOT BELIEVE the bitching and whining by the mass of critics regarding Bohemian Rhapsody. While I try not to read reviews before writing my own, and… Continue reading Check your bags at the door reviewers: Bohemian Rhapsody was an 11:)
Is the Paint Dry Yet? The Old Man & the Gun
The most exciting thing about The Old Man & the Gun was Tom Waits in the one scene he was allowed to speak. He tells a funny story about his macho step-dad on Christmas Eve. The scene was unfortunately only five minutes out of the 1 hour and 33 minute running time. So again, I… Continue reading Is the Paint Dry Yet? The Old Man & the Gun