Monthly Archives: October 2014

Say this for Ryan Philippe’s “Catch Hell.” It may be a nasty, low budget exploitative genre thriller.But it’s as timely as the latest batch of stolen celebrity cell phone photos, as pointed as every Hollywood type’s nightmares about movie making … Continue reading →

“Automata” is yet another “Blade Runner” knock-off, a sci-fi dystopia about robots getting too smart for humanity’s own good on an already sun-cooked Earth. The novelty in this, which owes as much — cinematically — to “I Robot” as it … Continue reading →

Hilary “Million Dollar Baby” Swank’s latest transformative performance has her taking on the doomed descent of someone suffering from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. ALS is probably best-known these days as the “Ice Bucket Challenge” disease. If that’s a glib way of … Continue reading →

“Meet the Mormons” is a slick, upbeat Church of Latter Day Saints-backed documentary that aims to answer the image of the church and its members “shaped by the media and popular culture.” A quick montage of pop culture ridicule of … Continue reading →

Bill Murray’s annual aim for the Oscars? Melissa McCarthy’s redemption for “Tammy”? Oh I hope so. Kid living with his mom, parents divorced, befriends the engaging layabout who lives next door. Naomi Watts also stars. “St. Vincent” opens in limited … Continue reading →

Consider the phrase “Rockwell crackles.” It’s often turned up in reviews of Sam Rockwell’s film performances over the years, in Amber Wilkinson’s plug for his latest, “Laggies,” in London’s Daily Telegraph newspaper, for instance. All that crackling comes by design … Continue reading →

“Gone Girl” has the Oscar hype. “Annabelle” is a reliably scary horror picture. “Gone Girl” had a good Friday. “Annabelle” had a HUGE Friday. And now, as the Oscar contender pulled in its huge audience for the weekend on Saturday, … Continue reading →

Yes, we know who he used to be married to.  But there’s considerably more to Ryan Phillippe than who his ex is. He’s been in ensemble hits such as “Gosford Park” and “Crash,” “The Bang Bang Club,” “Stop Loss,” he … Continue reading →

Based on late night Thursday and all-day Friday returns, we’re looking at a  big weekend for a thriller pitched as a possible Oscar contender, and a solid opening for a no budget horror flick that works well enough. “Gone Girl” … Continue reading →