2020 | R | 2h 4min It’s admirable that filmmakers are trying to tackle life’s massive, apparently unanswerable questions. It takes courage to contemplate that yawning void. It’s happening a lot these days; Pixar’s “Soul” and A24’s “The Green Knight” are the most recent. But while the attempts are admirable, what of the results? What…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Fisherman’s Friends’: The Importance of Friends, Tradition, and Community
PG-13 | 1h 52m | Comedy, Drama, Music | March 15, 2019 (UK) Recently, some friends of mine traveled throughout the county of Cornwall, located in southwest England and home to the Cornish. Cornwall is known for its rich maritime heritage, which is celebrated by the many rich sea shanties (nautical work songs) that are…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Good Will Hunting’: Even Geniuses Have Trouble Leaving the Nest
1997 | R | 2h 6min There’s nothing quite as fun in movies as when an apparently innocuous individual unexpectedly unpacks his or her superpowers. Like when that silent guy at the bar, who wants nothing more than a cold beer and a quiet place to drink it in (that’s a Clint Eastwood line), gets fed up…
Film Review: ‘Free Guy’: A Funny and Insightful Indictment of Video Game Culture
PG-13 | 1h 55min | Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Fantasy | 13 August 2021 (USA) Beginning in 1993 with “Super Mario Brothers,” there have been 45 live-action and animated films based on video games released by U.S. studios with another 20 in some form of pre-production. For the most part, these movies do well at the box office thanks largely to the established…
Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: ‘Simone’: Was the Film a Harbinger for the Movie Industry?
PG-13 | 1h 58min | Comedy/Satire, Drama, Mystery | 23 August 2002 (USA) During one of the “making of” segments on the DVD release of “Simone” (frequently stylized as “S1m0ne”), a few of the performers in the 2002 movie comment on the possibility of its premise becoming reality and they appear somewhat troubled. Could computer programs replace actual flesh-and-blood actors? In his…
Rewind, Review, and Re-rate: ‘The Pilot’ an Insightful Film About an Alcoholic Pilot
PG | 1h 32min | Drama | 1980 As horrible as alcoholism’s effects can be, it does make for interesting cinematic drama, as it offers a psychological character study. While many films have covered alcoholism, such as “Leaving Las Vegas (1995)” and the phenomenal tour de force, “The Lost Weekend” (1945), films that deal with…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Searching for Bobby Fischer’: Dads, Don’t Use Your Kids to Show Off
1993 | PG | 1h 49min “Searching for Bobby Fischer” (1993) is based on the true story of 7-year-old chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin, who’s played by 8-year-old Max Pomeranc—a prodigy in his own right. Waitzkin won the U.S. Junior Chess Championship in 1993 and 1994. Written and directed by Steven Zaillian (who also scripted “Schindler’s List”), this…
‘My Reputation’ From 1946: Gossip, Convention, and Barbara Stanwyck
“Who steals my purse steals trash. But he that filches from me my good name robs me of that which not enriches him and makes me poor indeed.” This quote from “Othello” begins “My Reputation,” and it is a strong reminder of how our conduct, even if well-intentioned, can affect others. Jessica Drummond (Barbara Stanwyck)…
Film Review: ‘Val’: Val Kilmer: Portrait of the Artist as a Young and Old Man
2021 | R | 1h 49min Marlon Brando’s famous definition of an actor goes: “An actor’s a guy who, if you ain’t talkin’ about him—ain’t listening.” There’s much truth to that. It might have been Jodie Foster who once said words to the effect of “I can’t stand 95 percent of actors.” It’s part of why I…
Film Review: ‘Jungle Cruise’: Another Hit-and-Miss Disney Theme-Park Adaptation
PG-13 | 2h 7min | Action, Drama, Comedy, Fantasy | 30 July 2021 (USA) Before hitting the mother lode with the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise, Disney adapted two other theme park attractions into feature films and both failed miserably. “Mission to Mars” (2000) and “The Country Bears” (2002) were loathed by critics and barely dented the box office. Released mere months after…
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