The printed word can be a powerful thing, especially when it appears in a publication like The New Republic, which bills itself as the official in-flight magazine of Air Force One. The New Republic may not have a huge circulation, but it does have the ear and trust of people who matter, lawmakers, politicians, and competing journalists who would love nothing more than to see the magazine fall from grace. Read the rest of this entry »

They first meet in an out-of-the-way pub, late at night, during a rain shower. The perfect setting for a little intrigue. They’re nameless at first, but hey, isn’t that Robert De Niro? Yeah, and the woman behind the bar, wasn’t she Truman’s fantasy in “The Truman Show?” That guy sitting at the bar? Didn’t he double-cross Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible?” And speaking of double- crossing, isn’t that guy in the booth the same person who tripped up Harrison Ford in “Patriot Games?” Read the rest of this entry »

Not since the over-hyped “The Blair Witch Project” have I had the pleasure of sitting through (just barely) such a ponderous and preposterous thriller as “The Ring.” If you think that’s praise, look up facetious in the dictionary. Based on the Chinese thriller of the same name, “The Ring” is as annoying as it is cloying. Read the rest of this entry »

KNOCKAROUND GUYS (R)

Barry Pepper is very effective as Matty Demaret, the son of a Brooklyn crime boss who wants in on the family action. Reduced to being an errand boy after he refuses to kill the man responsible for sending his father (Dennis Hopper) to prison, Matty gets fed up with his lower run status and convinces his paroled father and uncle (John Malkovich) to trust him and his friends with an important money drop. Read the rest of this entry »

A lot of water has passed underneath the bridge since Vietnam, but for John Eastland, the war never ends. He suffers from horrific nightmares (I guess watching your buddy get his head chopped off would do the trick), but tries to get on with his life working at a meat packing plant in New York. Read the rest of this entry »

I met author Stephen King when he was on a promotional tour for the film “Creepshow.” Straddling into the room, his hair looking as if he had just awoken from a deep sleep, King sat down at the table and jokingly inquired “Okay, who’s got the drugs.” I immediately knew that this was someone I would want to hang out with. Read the rest of this entry »

"3,000 Miles To Graceland" is one of the most stupefying experiences to come out of a major studio this year. Shot by another music video wunderkind and starring the usually reliable Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner, "3,000 Miles To Graceland" is an unforgiving mess. Nothing makes sense in this homage to gritty crime noir thrillers. Read the rest of this entry »

One year after being submitted (and snubbed) as Brazil’s Best Foreign Language Film entry in last year’s Academy Award race, “City of God” finds itself in a unique position. Academy rules allow non-nominated foreign film entries to compete in all other categories the following year. “City of God” has since garnered four Academy Award nominations, including Best Director, Adapted Screenplay, Cinematography and Editing. Read the rest of this entry »

America’s insatiable appetite for television has been fodder for Hollywood for generations, but never has the picture been as bright nor as sharp as it is in “The Truman Show,” a wonderfully realized dramatic comedy from director Peter Weir. Read the rest of this entry »

Ever wonder why filmmakers don’t remake bad movies? Why do they always pick good movies? Is it conceit? The opportunity to fix something that isn’t broken? Read the rest of this entry »