Moving along, it’s Elizabeth: The Golden Age. Not that this movie wasn't fabulous, in its own, tapestry-mad way, but it wasn't great. It follows Elizabeth I from 1585 through the whole Spanish Armada thing and into the 1590s. Frankly, I think “Liz, Warrior Queen” is a more apt title, ...
So let’s dive in. The past few weeks have presented a deluge of serious movies as everyone starts polishing up their Oscar speeches and prepping for awards season. First up (on my list), is Michael Clayton, starring the lovely George Clooney. Of the three I’m discussing this week, this was the one I’d most recommend to you all. It’s got action and some moral complexity; ...
Oh, boy. I am a pretty big fan of Sci Fi and willing to go out on a lot of limbs for it (Ha! I'm going to see The Invasion!), so I was looking forward to Sunshine, the new movie from Danny Boyle, who previously has brought us the awesome 28 Days Later and the unusual Trainspotting. Sadly, Sunshine is a muddled...
In A Mighty Heart, Angelina Jolie portrays Marianne Pearl, journalist wife of Daniel Pearl (Dan Futterman), the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and beheaded on tape (to just say murdered doesn't really cover the outrage) by self-proclaimed Islamist nutjobs in Pakistan in 2002. Going into the movie I was expecting it to be serious and heartrending -- it is --
Here are the original reviews of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Identity.
August 2004
Back to Bourne
I figured "A Star is Bourne" was pretty much established in THE BOURNE IDENTITY, where we met amnesiac assassin Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) and went along on the wild ride that wowed us with innovative hit man techniques and Bourne’s hunky romanticism.
OOOkay. I have no excuse for being absent from my own blog-thingy, but here it is, mid-August, and I've been AWOL since July. But I have been to the movies -- not as much as you'd think, given my predilection for the summer blockbuster -- so let's start with the Bourne Ultimatum, which needs no introduction.
"Sometimes you just want to blow the crap out of something." -- Mulder to Scully in the episode First Person Shooter.
This is the sentiment that drives people to movies like Live Free or Die Hard, and it's perfectly valid -- as long as the crap being blown up involves special effects and not your next-door neighbors. As a firm believer in this principle, I can say that I truly enjoyed Bruce Willis'...
Continue reading "If it moves, shoot it. Better yet, blow it up!" »
Last weekend I saw 2 movies that, each in their own way, illustrated how good people suffer when the forces of extremism dominate the dialogue of society. The first, Islam vs. the Islamists: Voices From the Muslim Center, was actually intended to be a television documentary as part of the PBS series America at the Crossroads, which aired a few months ago. However, before airing PBS decided not to include it, citing...
George Clooney bored me last night. Yeah, I know. I never thought I'd say those words, but there you have it. Ocean's Thirteen, the third installment of the capers of Danny Ocean (Clooney) and his crew of unlikely cohorts, lacked the lightness...
A Scanner Darkly is a druggy tale based on another identity-questioning story by Philip K. Dick (others, if you're interested, are Blade Runner -- the best -- along with Paycheck, Total Recall, and most recently, Next). Directed by Richard Linklater and shot in a crazy style that animates the real actors...
Set in an unnamed Deep South town at Joe's Pie Diner, Waitress follows the story of Jenna (Keri Russell) as she confronts impending motherhood with dread. To cope with her life's complications (the baby's father is her abusive dumbass husband), Jenna whips up the unusual pies that keep the locals coming to Joe's. Serving them up her are her fellow waitresses and friendly support group...