Review: The Other Guys

The Other Guys, the latest from comedy director and writer Adam McKay is an buddy-cop action-comedy starring Mark Wahlberg, and McKay regular Will Ferrell. Telling the story of oddly paired partners Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg), and Allen Gamble (Will Ferrell), the action comedy is fun, but in the end, flawed. Allen is a forensic accountant who …

Review: Knight & Day

Friends of mine and I always discuss how the era of the fun summer action movie has been long over. Where are the Lethal Weapons? The lighthearted “fun” Die Hards?” The ridiculous but extremely awesome Face/Offs? Every action movie we see these days is a brooding, serious, gritty film. There is nothing wrong with that, …

Review: Toy Story 3

I’ve always said, if you see a Pixar film and at one point don’t even get slightly misty eyed, you have no soul. The latest film from the powerhouse of a production company is no exception. Toy Story 3 does not break the rhythm. It is a funny, yet emotional film that is relatable by …

Review: Cyrus

‘Cyrus’ is the latest film from The Duplass Brothers, one of the groups behind an indie film movement called mumblecore. If you’re not familiar with the genre, its basically ultra-low budget films that foucs on relationships, using improvised scripts, and non-professioanl actors. Working up the ladder with films like ‘The Puffy Chair’ (which played at …

Review: Get Him to the Greek

‘Get Him to the Greek’ is the latest from writer/director Nicholas Stoller, and a spin-off of his previous film, the excellent ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall.’ In this film, Russell Brand reprises his role of Aldous Snow, the controversial rocker, and is joined by Jonah Hill, who in this outing plays a new role, Aaron Green, a …

Review: Winter’s Bone

Winter’s Bone is a chilling (no pun intended) adaptation of Daniel Woodrell’s novel. Described as country noir, the film was masterfully adapted by director and co-writer Debra Granki, and stars Jennifer Lawrence and John Hawkes. The film opens in a cold setting, on a small house in the Ozarks. Ree (Jennifer Lawrence), a young 17-year …

My Netflix Queue Review 8

Over the course of a week I watch a lot movies and neglect my responsibilities and personal hygiene, all for your benefit.  Here is the list of movies I have seen this past week.  Try to keep up: Breathless – In the 50 years since its release, what more can be said about this beautiful …

DVD Review: Shutter Island

‘Shutter Island’ Scorsese’s latest masterpiece is a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley, based on the novel by Dennis Lehane. Set on Shutter Island in Boston Harbor, 1954, the film begins with two Federal Marshals on a boat, heading to Ashecliffe Hospital to assist in finding an escaped patient. Teddy Daniels (Leonardo …

Review: Exit Through the Gift Shop

Is it a joke?  Is it real street art made by an important new artist?  Either way, “Exit Through the Gift Shop,’ the new documentary by artist Banksy is damn interesting. “Gift Shop” tells the story of Thierry Guetta a French-born, LA-based clothing boutique owner.  Years ago, Thierry became obsessed with video cameras.  He started …