Film Review: Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

After the rousing, Oscar-winning success of Gladiator, it was no surprise that Ridley Scott returned to the historical epic with 2005's Kingdom of Heaven. However, this time around his efforts were met with gentle indifference. There were no Oscar parties, nor were there any massive box office hauls. In fact, the film barely broke even.…Read more Film Review: Kingdom of Heaven (2005)

Film Review: Husbands and Wives (1992)

Husbands and Wives is a wonderfully written, powerfully acted piece of cinema, which features two of the best supporting performances seen in a Woody film. While deeply (and painfully) insightful about relationships and human behavior, Husbands and Wives largely avoids the moody, onerous angst of several other Allen titles from this period (such as the laborious Another…Read more Film Review: Husbands and Wives (1992)

On the Insatiable American Dreamers of Pain and Gain

In Michael Bay's Pain and Gain a nightmarish, sun-baked idea of the American Dream emerges, marred by crime, violence and madness. However, despite what many have said, Bay's film is not so much a moral critique of a specific lifestyle or belief system. Instead, it conveys a more intriguing truth. The American Dream is ultimately a…Read more On the Insatiable American Dreamers of Pain and Gain

Film Review: The Boys From Brazil (1978)

Whether serving as the punching bag of Indiana Jones or as the thorn in Rick Blaine's side, Nazis have proven themselves time and time again to be perfect fodder for cinematic villainy. This potential is exploited to the fullest in director Franklin J. Schaffner's bizarre thriller, The Boys From Brazil, which stars two heavyweights: Gregory…Read more Film Review: The Boys From Brazil (1978)

Film Review: Greenberg (2010)

Sometimes a movie just makes you want to bellow, "Shut the FUCK up!" It doesn't happen that often, at least not at my house. Still, I must admit that when watching Noah Baumbach's 2012 effort, the Ben Stiller vehicle Greenberg, it nearly escaped my lips on more than one occasion. I don't think anybody could…Read more Film Review: Greenberg (2010)

Film Review: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

As Mrs. Potts once sang, it's a "Tale as old as time," but "True as it can be." These simple phrases form the refrain of one of  Beauty and the Beast's iconic songs and serve as a great summation of the film. Disney's 1991 opus channels one of the most well-known and arguably tired themes…Read more Film Review: Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Film Review: Save the Tiger (1973)

Early on in John G. Avildsen‘s 1973 feature Save the Tiger, Phil Greene (played by the great Jack Gilford) laments to the main character, despondent businessman Harry Stoner (the inimitable Jack Lemmon), that “they” (the film industry) haven’t made a “…good movie in 30 years.” This casual disparagement of an industry comes across almost as…Read more Film Review: Save the Tiger (1973)

Film Review: Scarlet Street (1945)

Once an archetypal cinematic gangster, the diminutive Edward G. Robinson did a bold about-face in Fritz Lang's excellent noir, Scarlet Street. In Lang's studio shot, oppressively claustrophobic film, the man who once was Little Caesar is reduced to puddy in the claws of femme-fatale Kitty March (played with great bombast by Joan Bennett). Lang, always…Read more Film Review: Scarlet Street (1945)

Film Review: The Cranes are Flying (1957)

The Cranes are Flying is a great slice of Soviet cinema, focusing on a small set of characters caught up in epic events. The film chronicles the plight of Veronika, a young woman living in Russia who finds herself and her lover Boris (the most stereotypically Russian name of all time) separated through the horror…Read more Film Review: The Cranes are Flying (1957)

Film Review: Rise of the Guardians (2012)

Rise of the Guardians is a film possessing an intriguing premise: the legendary figures of Santa Clause, The Easter Bunny, The Sandman and the Tooth Fairy are all secretly not only aware of each other, but are all guardians who work together to defend the world’s children from the forces of evil. These supernatural characters are…Read more Film Review: Rise of the Guardians (2012)