Monthly Archives: July 2016

I defy anybody over the age of 8 to get much of anything out of “The Secret Life of Pets.” But perhaps the fact that we’re two generations past the many TV iterations of “Looney Tunes” and Saturday morning kid-watching … Continue reading →

With Daniel Craig’s years-in-the-making exit from playing James Bond, all the speculation has been about “Who will replace him?” It’s focused, mainly, on Idris Elba (cool enough, an interesting choice in these inclusive times, but a bit old — 44 … Continue reading →

In a world of documentary gadflies, navel gazers and agenda-pushers, Alex Gibney has earned a “teller of hard truths” reputation. If you’re in the know, or simply want to be, he is documentary cinema’s E.F. Hutton. When Gibney talks, about … Continue reading →

That’s quite the big screen image that Aubrey Plaza has created for herself. She lowers her gaze, opens her inviting mouth and the filthiest, unfiltered thoughts pour out. A red blooded male finds himself wondering what pick-up line might work, … Continue reading →

The voices are mostly bland, the animation detailed but generic and the gags are all variations of low-hanging-fruit in “The Secret Life of Pets,” a comedy built around what our non-speaking companions do when we leave them alone all day. … Continue reading →

Whatever subtlety there was remaining in the satirical intentions of “The Purge” franchise pretty much fly out the door and into the blood-soaked  chaos of “The Purge: Election Night.” Any doubts even the slowest paying patrons had about who and … Continue reading →

The mad pageant that is masked Mexican wrestling earns a sympathetic documentary in “Lucha Mexico,” a behind-the-scenes look at the most popular sport that doesn’t involve a ball among our neighbors South of the Border. Filmmakers Alex Hammond and Ian … Continue reading →

Another blockbuster weekend for Disney/Pixar’s “Finding Dory” doesn’t obscure three other telling facts about July 4, 2016. To wit, Edgar Rice Burroughs’ “Tarzan” retains a staggeringly lucrative brand identity over 100 years since first publication. Piddling reviews and a lot … Continue reading →

This July 4 weekend, “Dory” is still the box office “BFG.” Or “BFD.” The “Finding Nemo” sequel is slated to pull in another $57 million at the box office, three weeks into release. HUGE hit for Disney and Pixar. It’ll … Continue reading →

Steven Spielberg’s viability as a kids-entertainment brand gets a test this weekend with his stately and stolid adaptation of Roald Dahl’s “The BFG.” I wasn’t nuts about it. Long, stiff, with a third act that has all the action the … Continue reading →