Legendary comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks will be honored by the American Film Institute with its Lifetime Achievement Award next year. Brooks, one of a select few talents to win an Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Grammy, will be recognized for a career that includes some of the funniest films ever made. “Mel Brooks is America’s…
“Can’t repeat the past?” he cried incredulously. “Why of course you can!” (from “The Great Gatsby,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald) “The Great Gatsby,” the 1925 American novel of the 20th century, is back. This time it arrives in 21st century 3-D. Premiering May 10th nationwide, Baz Luhrmann’s remake of The Great Gatsby is getting a…
Bravo, Soderbergh. Too often do action directors feel compelled to get in the middle of the action and jiggle the camera around in a half-assed attempt to put the audience “in the action” these days. The result is almost always muddy, confused, and ultimately boring. Soderbergh didn’t have a straight-up action film to his name…
Cedar Rapids is an example of a cancer in American movies, a horrible disease that has befallen independent movies. Every year a movie pops out from Sundance that seems to be the little indie movie that could. This would be nice if it were usually movies of ideas made outside the system like Shane Carruth’s…
Tree Of Life **** (out of 4 stars) Starring: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Hunter McCracken Directed by: Terrence Malick Rated: PG-13 “The only way to be happy is to love,” says the mother. “Unless you love, your life will flash by.” Terrence Malick’s The Tree Of Life (at a running time of 2 hours 18…
The Hangover Part II has gotten a reaction that could only be described at the polar opposite of the accolades heaped upon its sleeper predecessor. The Hangover was a refreshing high-concept comedy in the middle of a summer stuffed with branded product. The movie opens with a disheveled Bradley Cooper, donning aviators in the middle…
Midnight In Paris *** (out of 4 stars) Starring: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen, Nina Arianda Directed by: Woody Allen Rated: PG-13 (some sexual references) If nostalgia were solely dependent on one medium, it would be be film. Nothing succeeds at making another time and place seem appealing as the limited frame…
Nostalgia films are always something to look forward to, even though they don’t always end up being so great. There is something about looking back with a fond eye, even if it was a time before we were born, that can be fun and rewarding. Think of films like Rob Reiner’s Stand by Me and…
When I finally got around to watching Robert Rossen’s The Hustler, I got a movie that was the complete opposite of what I expected. What I thought I was going to see was a movie about a guy sharpening his pool hustling game, he meets a girl, gets in a financial bind, and has to…
Producer Judd Apatow has a reputation for pumping out hilarious films, every now and then he even writes and/or directs one (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Funny People). It’s safe to say I’ve been an Apatow fan ever since I saw Heavyweights and Celtic Pride as a youngster, so I may be biased here. Bridesmaids…
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