Isn’t there anyone that writer-director George Lucas is close to who is willing to tell him the truth? Something like, “Hey George, you’re a wonderful storyteller and a brilliant filmmaker, but please stop writing screenplays.” Read the rest of this entry »

When director Brian De Palma is on the money, he’s one of our greatest directors. Whether he’s pumping out pseudo-Hitchcock like “Dressed to Kill” and “Obsession” or popular popcorn fare like “The Untouchables” and ‘Mission: Impossible,” De Palma knows how to tell a story. Read the rest of this entry »

Sir Michael Caine is such a consummate actor he makes it easy for us to forget we’re watching a performance. The two-time Oscar winner (Hannah and Her Sisters, The Cider House Rules) is so adept at drawing us into his character’s life that he can make even a bad movie good. Read the rest of this entry »

Anchor Bay Entertainment, never one to rest on their laurels, have scoured the nether regions looking for lost and ignored movies that have slipped through the cracks. After the hunt, they always return with something interesting and tasty. Read the rest of this entry »

“Underworld” reminded me of the conversation between two of the boys in “Stand By Me.” They’re arguing over who would win a fight between Mighty Mouse and Superman. Teddy, one of the boys, has the answer: “Mighty Mouse is a cartoon. Superman’s a real guy. There’s no way a cartoon could beat up a real guy.” Read the rest of this entry »

“The Wonder Boys” is the first great movie of the new millennium. There, I’ve said it. I usually distance myself from such proclamations, because they sound like I’m writing a quote for a film ad. Read the rest of this entry »

My favorite screen credit of all time comes from the film “Poltergeist II.” There’s a scene where Craig T. Nelson downs a bottle of tequila, and accidentally swallows the worm. In true “Poltergeist” fashion, the worm takes on a life of its own, forcing Nelson to chuck it back up. Read the rest of this entry »

“Patch Adams” took a lot of potshots from the critics last Christmas when it was released. Some called it manipulative. Others called it trite, syrupy and silly. Read the rest of this entry »

War is hell, so it only makes sense that our government would do whatever was in their power to make it less so. That included sending our men overseas newsreels from home, along with other filmed entertainment. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s been a bad year for New York. First the city finds itself inundated by a giant tidal wave in “Deep Impact.” Splinters of a comet smack into Manhattan in “Armageddon,” making the afternoon commute even more horrendous. Read the rest of this entry »