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PIRATE RADIO (Film Review) (TRAILER)
On November 23, 2009 at 10:21 am* 1/2 (out of four) Rating: R (strong language, brief nudity, subject matter) Director: Richard Curtis Imagine government-controlled airwaves, with politicians deciding what music is deemed listenable. It sounds like Tipper Gore is in charge, but in fact we are talking about the British government in 1964. In researching the movie “Pirate Radio,” the truth [...]
Movie Section Editor’s Film of the Week (VIDEO)
On November 17, 2009 at 9:53 am
One of the greatest gangster films ever made, Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, is my film of the week. For most of us, we were hooked upon hearing the words “as far back as I could remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.” The film is based on Nicholas Pileggi’s Wise Guy, which is about the [...]
THE BOX (Film Review)
On November 12, 2009 at 8:00 am
* * 1/2 (out of 4) Rating: PG-13 (violence, disturbing images) Director: Richard Kelly What’s in “The Box”? I’ll tell you. A little bit of: “The Twilight Zone,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers,” “Indecent Proposal,” “The Stepford Wives,” “Faust,” and a good dose of classic fiction from Shirley Jackson. It is also a film that [...]
2012 Director Avoids Terrorist Jihad
On November 10, 2009 at 8:34 am
Once upon a time Hollywood was not afraid to use America’s most passionate enemy in their films. This, of course, would be the radical Islamic terrorists as seen in films like True Lies, The Seige, and Executive Decision. However, in this post-9/11 world many filmmakers have been scared into leaving the Islamic terrorists out of [...]
A SERIOUS MAN (Film Review, Trailer)
On at 5:28 am
* * ½ (out of 4) Rating: R (profanity, brief nudity, brief violence) Director: Joel and Ethan Coen In “A Serious Man,” the writing-directing brother team of Joel and Ethan Coen make their most personal film yet. The film is set in suburban Minneapolis in 1967, and although it is a memory film about a [...]
Movies Section Editor’s Film of the Week (trailer)
On November 9, 2009 at 5:53 am
This week my pick is the always fun Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang. First time director Shane Black made waves with this stylish film noir parody that is slick from every angle. The film takes place in modern day L.A., a perfect backdrop for questionable party themes (people in boxes and cages passed off as “art”), [...]
The Men Who Stare At Goats (Review) (Trailer)
On November 6, 2009 at 11:36 am
By now we should not be surprised when tinsel town takes shots at our military. However, when it has a comedic tone we can’t be sure if they are really attacking our armed forces or just using them as a neutral basis for humor. Based on Hollywood’s recent past (Lions for Lambs, Redacted, Rendition), we [...]
The Fourth Kind (Review, Trailer)
On at 5:58 am
Disclaimer**the best advice I can give you is to not do any research on this film before you see it. My analysis of this film may spoil certain aspects, so if you want to see this film please read my review after you’ve seen it. Do you know anyone who has admitted to seeing an [...]
“STORM” (Film Review) (TRAILER)
On November 5, 2009 at 11:10 am* * * (out of 4) Rating: No rating (limited strong language) Director: Hans-Christian Schmid. In English, German, Bosnian and Serbian (with English subtitles). It’s not often that Hollywood makes a film that depicts the unpleasant complications inherent in the aftermath of a world conflict, especially when the story reveals how the moral principles involved [...]
Movies Section Editor’s Film of the Week
On November 3, 2009 at 5:18 am
In light of the release of North By Northwest on Blu Ray today, it is my film of the week. Alfred Hitchcock is one of my favorite directors and as hard as it is to pick a favorite film of his, this one is mine. Hitchcock ‘s films still have audiences at the edge of [...]
Movies Opening This Week! (TRAILERS)
On November 2, 2009 at 5:40 am
The Fourth Kind — A Christmas Carol — The Box — The Men Who Stare At Goats —
Staff Picks: Last Horror Picks Before Halloween!
On October 30, 2009 at 5:19 amDuring the month of October, we thought it would be fun if the Parcbench writing staff gave us some of their favorite horror movie picks. Any of these ought to be worth checking out if you love a good scare that doesn’t involve congress. As a fan of low-grade entertainment ranging from B-horror to Monty [...]
Staff Picks: More Great Horror Flicks
On October 29, 2009 at 5:37 amDuring the month of October, we thought it would be fun if the Parcbench writing staff gave us some of their favorite horror movie picks. Any of these ought to be worth checking out if you love a good scare that doesn’t involve congress. “Idle Hands” (1999) is my favorite horror movie, because I like [...]
Staff Picks: Great Horror Flicks
On October 28, 2009 at 5:26 amDuring the month of October, we thought it would be fun if the Parcbench writing staff gave us some of their favorite horror movie picks. Any of these ought to be worth checking out if you love a good scare that doesn’t involve congress. There is nothing I find creepier than children in period costume. [...]
“BRIGHT STAR” (Film Review, Trailer)
On October 27, 2009 at 5:49 am* * (out of 4) Rating: PG Director: Jane Campion “Bright Star,” the name of a poem by the ultimate Romantic poet John Keats, is also the name of this film about unrequited love in his brief life. If only this film captured the same artistry in similar brevity. Some of the scenes seem to [...]
Horror Movie Staff Picks: The Omen (TRAILER)
On October 26, 2009 at 9:43 am
(Editor’s note: We asked our writing staff to send in a paragraph or two on the horror movies that really got to them. The results will be appearing throughout October here on Parcbench.) When I was a kid, I used to love to watch Chiller Theater on Saturdays. The D-list movie show featured some of [...]
