Abraham Lincoln is his name, and demythologizing is the game in Steven Spielberg’s new biopic, “Lincoln” (limited release Nov. 9 with a wide release Nov. 16). Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin’s book, “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln,” the movie focuses on the 16th president’s second term and the last four months [...]
Tag Archives | movies
Action and heart abound in ‘Skyfall,’ a new classic
On more than one occasion in “Skyfall,” James Bond (Daniel Craig) obediently returns to M (Judi Dench) after an intense brush with death, only to have her fire off her famous line: “Where the hell have you been?” It’s a question audiences have been asking since 2008, when the hackneyed “Quantum of Solace” premiered, putting [...]
Will Ferrell crosses the border in new film ‘Casa de Mi Padre’
When you sit down to watch a Will Ferrell movie, there are a number of things you can expect: plenty of humorous vulgarity, irony, chaos and an altogether good time. Ferrell’s latest movie, “Casa de Mi Padre,” releases in select theaters in the U.S. March 16 with Pantelion Films, meeting all of the expectations of [...]
Gays neglected in Hollywood
In an otherwise very productive year for gay rights, one part of the country surprisingly hasn’t been all too kind to gays. Hollywood, for lack of a better term, has taken gays out of the picture. Not that there aren’t gay characters or gay themes; there certainly are. “The Kids Are All Right” and “I [...]
What’s Happening in Philly
Documentary & Dialogue series of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival The fall portion of the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival ran Nov. 5-19, and it was a huge success. But the festival includes another component: the popular Documentary & Dialogue series, which is taking place for five consecutive Monday evenings from Jan. 9 to Feb. 6. [...]
Williams shines as Marilyn Monroe
This week American movie theaters open their doors to release the new Simon Curtis romantic adventure that is “My Week With Marilyn.” The film follows the story of Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne) a young playwright striving for the chance to make his name in the movie industry. Along Colin’s journey he comes across some interesting [...]
20th Annual Philadelphia Film Festival exceeds expectations
As the 20th annual Philadelphia Film Festival came to a close Nov. 3, Philadelphia film lovers were left once again in anxious anticipation for next year’s event. The Film Festival never ceases to keep expectations high and never ceases deliver on those expectations. There were few frills to the festival, short of a relatively modest [...]
‘Machine Gun Preacher’ starts slowly, ends with a high note
Directed by Marc Forster, “Machine Gun Preacher” stars Gerard Butler and Michelle Monaghan. The movie was released to select theaters on Sept. 23 by Relativity Media. The first line of dialogue spoken by main character Sam Childer (Gerard Butler) in “Machine Gun Preacher” cannot be printed in this newspaper, and it really isn’t delivered in [...]
What’s Happening in Philly
Smooth Jazz Summer Nights The Smooth Jazz Summer Nights Concert Series returns for the 14th season every Friday night in Aug. at the Waterfront. An evening summer breeze off the river, the cool sounds of smooth jazz in the air: a perfect way to spend a hot summer night. The Sax Pack, consisting of signature [...]
‘Apes’ prequel pleases with CGI
When I think “Planet of the Apes,” I think Charlton Heston running around in a loincloth being chased by men in ape costumes. So, you can imagine my confusion when I got James Franco in a lab coat and very realistic CGI apes at a screening of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” an [...]
Mischief managed: ‘Harry Potter’ and friends graduate Hogwarts
Ralph Fiennes as Lord Voldemort and Matthew Lewis as Neville Longbottom in Warner Bros. Pictures’ fantasy adventure “Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows – Part 2.” Additional reporting by Mike Arrison Overseen with a careful eye by the untouchable author J.K. Rowling, the 10-year legacy which Warner Bros. Pictures has spent the last decade constructing [...]
‘Horrible Bosses’ brings comedy to the workplace
Directed by Seth Gordon, “Horrible Bosses” hit theaters July 8. The comedy stars Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis. Don’t get too excited to graduate, college kids. Things aren’t looking too good out there — or at least that’s what “Horrible Bosses” will have you believe. Students might want to pay a bit more [...]
What’s Happening in Philly
Superheroes Who Are Patriotic! Save The Day Productions signature series, Superheroes Who Are Super! delivers word-for-word staged readings of comic books that at once celebrate and parody the soap operatic qualities of classic comics. Each performance runs approximately one hour and features comic books brought to life with the best in low budget costumes and [...]
Wiig shines in relentlessly funny all-female comedy
Sometimes, the best moments in life are also the most stressful; it is for this reason that weddings don’t always go as smoothly as planned. A specific gathering of just the right (or wrong) people can create the perfect storm for a full-blown family crisis. However, in “Bridesmaids,” directed by Paul Feig, the perfect cast [...]
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