Director-star Anjelica Huston is superb in this touching, funny, and at times heartbreaking tale of an Irish woman trying to keep her brood together while looking for love. There’s lots of local color and character in this sweet Valentine to the heart and human spirit. Set in 1967, Huston plays Browne, a middle-aged mother of seven trying to make ends meet when her husband dies. Her quest to lead a simple, honest life takes a tailspin when she’s forced to borrow money from a local hood in order to bury her husband. Read the rest of this entry »

Like New Orleans chicken and jambalaya, A Love Song For Bobby Long is deep fried and slow cooked, but not nearly as tasty. This quaint little slice of life drama about three castaways awash in misery and booze feels like Fried Green Tomatoes cooked in unsaturated fat and featuring an overripe performance by John Travolta as the drawling, drunk professor who fashions himself as a modern day Tennessee Williams. Read the rest of this entry »

If you’re a regular reader of my reviews, then you know that I keep a journal of my favorite lines from films. I started this practice back in 1977, and among the entries are two lines from director George Roy Hill’s “Slap Shot.” They both involve star Paul Newman and a four letter “C” word that some might use to describe a male chicken. Read the rest of this entry »

In Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” Kate Hudson, daughter of actress Goldie Hawn, plays a 1970’s rock and roll groupie, excuse me, a Band Aid, named Penny Lane. Because “Almost Famous” took place in the moment, we only got to see a small sliver of Lane’s life. Rumor has it that the real Lane “aided” quite a few “bands,” but was never willing to name names. Read the rest of this entry »

After suffering the embarrassment of Herbie Goes Bananas, The Love Bug is fueled up and back on track in Herbie: Fully Loaded. In the driver’s seat is Lindsay Lohan, Disney’s go-to girl when it comes to remakes (The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday). Lohan has a license to drive this franchise back into the hearts of kids everywhere. Read the rest of this entry »

Anyone who pays to see United 93 hoping to be entertained will be sadly disappointed. Quite frankly, anyone looking for any entertainment value in United 93 is out of their mind. Like Shoah, and Born Into Brothels, United 93 isn’t so much a film as a filmed document, a harrowing but ultimately heroic tale of everyday people who committed the ultimate sacrifice. Read the rest of this entry »

Fever Pitch is as artificial as Astroturf, but that doesn’t stop the romantic sports comedy from wearing its heart on it’s jersey. Maybe because it’s that time of the year, or because I’m really a romantic underneath this Wooly Mammoth exterior, but I’m a sucker for romantic comedies that play by the rules. Read the rest of this entry »

Director Tobe Hooper wanted something big to follow up his success on “Poltergeist,” and turned to this lumbering science-fiction thriller that cost plenty and didn’t make a dime. Steve Railsback (“The Stuntman”) stars as a United States astronaut who is the only survivor of a mysterious shuttle disaster. Read the rest of this entry »

As “The Matrix: Revolutions” parades through theaters, it now becomes apparent that creators, Andy and Larry Wachowski, the Emperors of Gucci trench coats and bullet time, have no clothes. They’re working from the same blueprint, perhaps believing that with enough money and visual razzle dazzle they’ll be able to obscure the fact that they’re basically telling the same story. Read the rest of this entry »

There are few things more disappointing than paying premium prices to see a star-filled stage play, only to discover a sign in the lobby stating that due to illness, the evening’s performances will be performed by the understudies. This happened to me several times, and I always ask for a refund. If I pay for A-list, I don’t want second string. Read the rest of this entry »