As my good friend and fellow dweeb Nick Allen once pointed out: middle-aged killing machines have become the new normal in contemporary Hollywood actioners. Initiated by Liam Neeson's crusty John Mills in Taken, and expanded upon by Tom Cruise (Jack Reacher), Denzel Washington (The Equalizer), and Pierce Brosnan (The November Man), wizened bruisers have suddenly become as…Read more Film Review: John Wick (2014)
Film Review: Irma la Douce (1963)
Anyone familiar with the classic film The Apartment would think that a reunion between its director Billy Wilder, and its stars Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine would produce another charmer. Well, I'm here blabbering on the Internet to tell you that you're dead wrong. Reuniting just three years after their mega-hit, this distinguished trio produced…Read more Film Review: Irma la Douce (1963)
Film Review: Foxcatcher (2014)
Foxcatcher, the new film by director Bennett Miller, is defined by two attributes. It is a testament to the power of intuitive casting, and perhaps the year's greatest exploration of the promise of America. Recounting the bizarre relationship between Olympic wrestling brothers Dave and Mark Schultz, and millionaire John du Pont, Foxcatcher is a restrained…Read more Film Review: Foxcatcher (2014)
Film Review: Interstellar (2014)
There was a time when Christopher Nolan was cinema's golden boy. After the success of his early films, and especially after legitimizing the comic book film (with Batman Begins and The Dark Knight) as a serious art form, it appeared that the director could do no wrong. Yet, in the interim between 2008 and 2012 it…Read more Film Review: Interstellar (2014)
Film Review: Brute Force (1947)
The 1947 prison drama Brute Force has a title that possesses a wide-range of applications. It forms the crux of the film's thematic focus of the prison edifice, which despotic head guard Captain Munsey (Hume Cronyn) views as an arena where might definitely makes right. However, while this sets up a semi-interesting discussion on the…Read more Film Review: Brute Force (1947)
Film Review: X-Men – Days of Future Past (2014)
"I've come a long way," says Wolverine (who is once again played by a hairy Hugh Jackman) in the latest installment of the X-Men franchise. This simple expression runs like a refrain throughout Days of Future Past, the seventh entry into the long-running series, and also one of its most minor. This phrase is also reflective…Read more Film Review: X-Men – Days of Future Past (2014)
Film Review: Hercules (2014)
When one thinks of Brett Ratner - one of Hollywood's resident homophobes - great filmmaking doesn't exactly spring to mind. Over the past ten years this paunchy businessman killed a billion dollar franchise (X-Men), gradually made another irrelevant (Rush Hour), and even found time to desexualize Pierce Brosnan and Selma Hayek - an idea one would…Read more Film Review: Hercules (2014)
Film Review: Birdman (2014)
Is Birdman the best film of the year? Well, that is always a tricky question. In a certain sense one would have to say yes; it's hard to imagine another film coming out that will be its equal in energy or aesthetic bravado. From its masterfully executed cinematography, to the cache of brilliantly delivered performances,…Read more Film Review: Birdman (2014)
Film Review: Obvious Child (2014)
As suggested in this excellent summation of Hollywood's dubious history with abortion, Obvious Child is not the revolutionary harbinger of pro-choice cinema. In fact, it is a movie with relatively modest ambitions, functioning primarily as a vehicle to showcase star Jenny Slate's powerful comedic and emotive gifts. It's legacy however will be how it contextualizes abortion for…Read more Film Review: Obvious Child (2014)
Adam Mohrbacher 