Monthly Archives: October 2017

Chadwick Boseman adds to his growing repertoire of Great Figures in African American History with “Marshall,” a light and thoroughly entertaining historical drama about a trial that helped make future Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall’s reputation. Its subject and themes … Continue reading →

Every action star has to change his repertoire when he clears 60. Brawls characters played by Stallone, Gibson, Neeson, Willis and Schwarzenegger used to settle with their fists start relying on duffel bags filled with guns and grenades. The theme … Continue reading →

J.K. Simmons has steered his Oscar-winning career from scary guys (“Whiplash,” TV’s “Oz”) to whimsical ones (“Juno,” and the definitive J.J. Jameson in the Tobey Maguire “Spider-Man” movies). But of late, he’s sought out vulnerable, damaged characters, none more damaged … Continue reading →

There’s an economy to the writing that marks the earliest moments of “Walking Out,” another winter survival tale — this time involving injured father and son hunters struggling to escape the Montana wilderness. David (Josh Wiggins) gets off a plane, … Continue reading →

The action beats promise more of “Star Wars’ Greatest Hits.” More supernatural mumbo jumbo about “The Force” and “Ultimate Power.” And even though he seems to be filling out in terms of gravitas for this sequel, even the most optimistic … Continue reading →

That darned John Boyega is making a fair living off of derivative/repetitive sci-fi sequels. Scott Eastwood needs to show he’s more than just a magic surname. And Charlie Day? He could use the money. “Pacific Rim Uprising” is a sequel … Continue reading →

The best line in Eddie Izzard’s stultifying new autobiography, “Believe Me,” comes in the forward. And the British transgender comic attributes it to one of his idols, the Scots comic Billy Connolly. Billy’s rule for a life in showbiz, or … Continue reading →

I’ll bet Lady Gaga’s fans never realized just how much their iconic tiny dynamo has in common with the late Jerry Lewis. Lewis injured himself, just as his fame was cresting in the mid-1960s, by pulling a slide-across-the-piano pratfall on … Continue reading →

Looks kind of like Ryan Gosling walking through an empty movie theater, doesn’t it? Some people are using the “B” word to describe “Blade Runner 2049” and its “Maybe it’ll clear $50,” “Whoops it’ll be lucky to reach $40” and … Continue reading →

The reviews have been of the swooning variety, despite the obvious shortcomings “Blade Runner 2049” has as…a MOVIE. Chilly, inhuman, all the empathy of an iPad. Then there’s the fact that it is a long long LONG delayed sequel to … Continue reading →