On the surface, a movie like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is a generic kids’ movie with all the singing and dancing that was common at the time. Musicals were all the rage even though movies were going through a huge change with the end of the Hays Code and the rise of theContinue reading “A Mad, Wild Trip With ‘Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory’”
Category Archives: Movie Reviews
‘Road House’ Manages To Kick, But…
Reviewing a remake of Road House is like reviewing a classroom of schoolkids who make those hand turkeys around Thanksgiving. It doesn’t take much, just an outline, and let the kids’ imagination do the rest. You can’t really critique it because it’s no way near high art, but if a child put a lot ofContinue reading “‘Road House’ Manages To Kick, But…”
‘The Garfield Movie’ Feels Like A Stuck Hairball Blocking A Good Adaptation
Twenty years ago, there was Garfield: The Movie, it got bad reviews but made a lot of money. The problem with movies like this, which was the same as that Curious George, animated movie in 2006 is they’re made for kids but reviewed by adults. I like the 2004 version even though Bill Murray hasContinue reading “‘The Garfield Movie’ Feels Like A Stuck Hairball Blocking A Good Adaptation”
Fourth ‘Friday The 13th’ Is Too Entertaining For Its Own Good
By the time Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter hit theaters on April 13, 1984, the whole slasher horror craze was entering its great downfall. Critics hated them and the big names refused to acknowledge their existence except to condemn and degrade them. At the time, most of them had been filmed in Canada asContinue reading “Fourth ‘Friday The 13th’ Is Too Entertaining For Its Own Good”
‘The Union’ Falls Apart
Now, in his early 50s, Mark Wahlberg seems to take great enthusiasm in being the most Bostonian he can. I don’t mind that he talks about his religion. But most of his movie roles for the past decade seem to be playing blue-collar types. And yes, he may have that look where all he needsContinue reading “‘The Union’ Falls Apart”
James Earl Jones Had An Impressive, Most Impressive Life And Career
I’ve always bee fascinated with actors like James Earl Jones and their difficult pasts. As a child in rural Mississippi, he had a terrible stutter. For years, he refused to talk as he was much embarrassed. Then, one day, Jones said a teacher made him read aloud. And when that happened, the stutter was gone.Continue reading “James Earl Jones Had An Impressive, Most Impressive Life And Career”
Are Conservative Christian Movies Intentionally Bad As A Way To Show A “Liberal Bias” Among Hollywood?
In August, Deadpool and Wolverine became the highest grossing R-rated movie ever. It beat a 20-year record that had been established by The Passion of the Christ. The movie was only the third feature directed by Mel Gibson and reportedly funding were from Gibson and his Icon Productions company. The final price tag was $30Continue reading “Are Conservative Christian Movies Intentionally Bad As A Way To Show A “Liberal Bias” Among Hollywood?”
‘Imaginary’ Lacks Much Imagination
In his autobiography, Richard “Cheech” Marin called Hollywood a very incestuous industry and by that he meant that there was a lot of connections and you can get involved in a project through someone who knows someone. But there’s also knowledge of projects in the trades and throughout the industries. A studio executive will takeContinue reading “‘Imaginary’ Lacks Much Imagination”
‘Sasquatch Sunset’ Dims Early
There’s no way you can effectively, logically or rationally critique a movie like Sasquatch Sunset. It doesn’t know if it intends to be an absurdist comedy or a dramedy after survival by showing four sasquatch beings trying to make it day to day in the northern California wilderness. The movie features Jesse Eisenberg as oneContinue reading “‘Sasquatch Sunset’ Dims Early”
Why The ‘Ghostbusters’ 2016 Remake Really Failed
Jean-Luc Godard famously quipped: “The best way to criticize a movie is to make another movie.” I don’t know what anyone would have against the 1984 original Ghostbusters. The movie seems to be one of those rare lightning in a bottle movies where everything worked. Even the casting of Ernie Hudson to replace Eddie MurphyContinue reading “Why The ‘Ghostbusters’ 2016 Remake Really Failed”
Zane Says 