INSPIRED – When I first saw the ads for the police drama End of Watch, I dismissed it, thinking I’d seen that film before. I’d seen that film before – too many times. Wrong. End of Watch opens with a title card that reads: “Once upon a time in South Central…” But trust me, this is no fairy tale. … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: January 2013
Django Unnecessary, redundant, and ridiculous
NOPE – Quentin Tarantino has given us some fresh cinema. Reservoir Dogs launched a whole new generation of filmmakers, hellbent on trying to mimic his unique pop culture rich cool cat dialogue. Pulp Fiction quickly made it on to AFI’s coveted Top 100 films of all-time list. His True Romance script is in a league of its own for a genre … Continue reading
Total Recall remake weak sauce
NOPE – It probably seemed like a good idea to remake one of Arnold’s classics. Relatively simple sci-fi premise (adapted from Philip K. Dick’s “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale”) involving dream implant technology, oppressive bureaucrats with legions of henchmen, trench coat wearing freedom fighters, a couple of attractive female roles itching for a cat fight, … Continue reading
The Best Films of 2012
Possibly the best year of films since I’ve been compiling a list. Too difficult to simply lay out in order my top ten favorites, so I’ve grouped them all in hopes of illustrating each. I have not seen Flight (subject matter makes me nervous), Django Unchained (just have not been in the mood for gratuitous violence on that … Continue reading
Arbitrage deals in the right currency
YEP YEP – Seems like I’ve been watching Richard Gere my entire life. I must have taken five different high school dates to see An Officer and a Gentleman the year it came out (1982). It was the ultimate date flick. And Gere was so good. For whatever reason, probably many, he hasn’t made that many films since … Continue reading
Zero Dark Thirty an American triumph of tenacity
YEP YEP – “Here’s to the big breaks – and the little people who make them happen.” It’s a near throw away line in the middle of a “true story” that spans over a decade-long manhunt to bring down the mastermind of the 9-11 terrorist attack that claimed over 3,000 American lives. But it’s the closest … Continue reading
3 films with themes that bind us all
Three of my favorite films this past year dug deep in to universal themes about who we are and where we come from. The Master, Life of Pi, and Beasts of the Southern Wild are movie going experiences that not only get you thinking about your own existence and how we all relate to one another, but do … Continue reading