Archive for November, 2009

Adrift in Japan

  • November 25th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

The Weekly reviews three new Japanese films The Honolulu Academy of Arts Doris Duke Theatre offers up “Six cinematic views of Japan” in the next two months in a diversity of styles and themes but favoring that country’s youth in various states of turmoil and aspirations. (Japan has the second largest movie-going public in the [ READ MORE ]

Best movie book for the over-the-top, serious-to-a-fault movie buff

  • November 24th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

The Phantom Empire (amazon.com link), by Geoffrey O’Brien. (Trust me; Have I ever lied to you before?) O’Brien examines the cultural and psychological effects of movie-watching over the past 100 years, analyzing a variety of genres within the medium. Preview the book on Google Books [ READ MORE ]

Missing In Action

  • November 23rd, 2009
  • Posted in Film

“They” keep saying these long-shelved movies will be released soon but that the time isn’t quite right for them yet. The Wolfman — Benicio del Toro stars in this re-make of the horror Classic starring Lon Chaney, Jr. Photo from First Showing. I Love You, Philip Morris( — Gay love story (a dramedy) starring Jim Carrey To escape from [ READ MORE ]

Movies so bad they’re wonderful–sort of

  • November 10th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

Mame (l974) Sounding like Count Dracula, baritone Lucille Ball sings up a storm in this slow, clunky abomination. Lions For Lambs(2007) Robert Redford directs Tom Cruise in this anti-war propaganda piece for Cruise’s new studio. Preachy and woodenly-acted. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993) Gus Van Sant misdirected this version of the Tom Robbins’ novel. Give this [ READ MORE ]

DVD sets

  • November 9th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

Even though it’s not even Thanksgiving yet you do need to start thinking about what to get the film buff in your life if you want your gifts to arrive in time for the holidays. The Paul Newman Tribute Collection (l958-l972, boxed), the first part released for Christmas giving, the second due later on. 25 [ READ MORE ]

What’s the buzz?

  • November 9th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

An Education: on the cusp of release An Education, written by Nick Hornby, and Starring Peter Sarsgaard in a breakout role as a late-30s hustler who patiently involves himself in the seduction of a not-so-naïve l6 year old girl. Fantastic Mr. Fox; An epic, expensive stop-motion animationer (as in the Wallace and Gromit films) with the [ READ MORE ]

The Shadow of a Doubt

  • November 4th, 2009
  • Posted in Film

Of his more than 55 films, Alfred Hitchcock called The Shadow of a Doubt (l943) his favorite. As dense as a novel, this film about a serial killer (Joseph Cotton) returning back home to his unsuspecting relatives. Smart and sly–the movie, that is. (Watch the movie) Trailer Clip [ READ MORE ]

James Cameron redux

  • November 2nd, 2009
  • Posted in Film

A friend of mine saw a few minutes of James Cameron’s 3-D Avatar, and raved. (The news here is that my friend doesn’t like Special Effects movies. ) For more info, check out this week’s New Yorker on-line for a feature on the always controversial Cameron . [ READ MORE ]

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