Monthly Archives: January 2013

You have to remind yourself to breathe.  It’s not that you’re literally stuck, in a coffin, with Ryan Reynolds for the 90 minutes that he’s “Buried.”  But this everybody’s-worst-nightmare thriller makes feel that you are. “Buried” works on you that … Continue reading →

Sly Stallone still has a few miles left in the tank as far as this career second wind goes. An action picture shipped to the first weekend in February tells you it’s not that many miles — outside of his … Continue reading →

It’s set in the middle of the Napoleonic wars, this story of a rule-breaking British society woman, Lady Hester Stanhope, who traveled near and far, and stuck her nose in Napoleon’s incursions in the Middle East, kept calm and carried … Continue reading →

Tommy Lee Jones and Daniel Day-Lewis of “Lincoln” took supporting and best actor honors Sunday night at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Jennifer Lawrence picked up her biggest honor yet, best actress, for “Silver Linings Playbook.” And Anne Hathaway’s tearful … Continue reading →

Lovely and melancholy, poignant and chilling, “Never Let Me Go” is an old school sci-fi dystopia with lovely, wistful performances that never quite overcome the fatalism that hangs over the whole affair. Music video director Mark Romanek’s film of Kazuo … Continue reading →

Two very good looking people play two offbeat and abrasively charming lovers in “Love & Other Drugs.” And when your screen romance is as sexual as this one, it helps if your stars are about as good looking with their … Continue reading →

Mom, or grandmom, is a real piece of work. She presides over a family of low-rent thugs — armed robbers, guys with guns, no ambition and very bad tempers. As played by Jacki Weaver, she is the lioness who rules … Continue reading →

Kevin Kline’s post-Academy Award career hasn’t been the most glorious. The performances were often there, but the acclaim and box office rewards, not so much. But every so often, a piece comes along tailor made for the man, and “The … Continue reading →

Paul Haggis is back to his tricky script tricks with the thoroughly engrossing prison break thriller”The Next Three Days.” He foreshadows, hides details, delays his “reveals” and does a pretty good job of keeping us guessing, even if we remember … Continue reading →

Others heard the story of rock climber Aron Ralston’s days-long ordeal, trapped by a boulder that pinned his arm, and winced. Danny Boyle saw a tale of endurance  and triumph, a spiritual journey in which a young man comes to … Continue reading →