Daily Archives: April 19, 2018

Sure, it’s the Liam Neeson keep-yourself-relevant role model, take on vengeful wise-old-men-of-action films in your 60s. I’ve gotten over any sense that these are “beneath” the often fine actors who make these movies. Especially after “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” Denzel … Continue reading →

As I type this, the original musical “The Greatest Showman,” an ode to showmanship, show business, show people, tolerance, and the power of Hugh Jackman doing a song and dance, will have been in theaters four months, 120 days. It … Continue reading →

Wes Anderson’s got something he wants to talk to you about.     Every day, more than 4,100 dogs and cats are killed in America’s shelters, simply because they don’t have safe places to call home. Best Friends Animal Society … Continue reading →

It takes confidence in your jokes-per-minute count to burn through as many as these “Deadpool” movies do. It always seems like a mistake, giving away too much, too many gags/action beats and one-liners. But maybe not. Will it chase “Avengers: … Continue reading →

There was a moment, right at the end of “Inside Amy Schumer” and just after “Trainwreck” blew up, that it seemed everybody wanted to be in the Amy Schumer business. Make a movie with her, talk her into a stand-up … Continue reading →

Good actors making their living in the nether regions of the cinematic mainstream are an ongoing fascination for me. Nicolas Cage, Oscar winner and C-movie mainstay, John Cusack donning and endless selection of baseball caps to hide the inevitabilities of … Continue reading →

Clancy Brown is getting a lot of off-Hollywood work these days. The “Shawshank” star’s long been a favorite of mine. In “SuperCon” he plays a beloved but hateful genre-picture star — think Ron Perlman/Bruce Campbell/Shatner — whose bounty for autographs … Continue reading →

Vera Farmiga’s a single-mom — some sort of therapist, I gather from the trailer — whose aged father (Christopher Plummer) is a stoner/pot dealer/true believer from way back. She and her son get re-acquainted, “Road Trip” style, when they have … Continue reading →

The passe comic pair who gave us “Never Been Kissed” tamp down Amy Schumer’s go-to coarseness into PG-13 territory for “I Feel Pretty,” an almost-empowering, never-quite-hilarious farce that gets by on charm. That’s right. Schumer comes off as shockingly sweet–Drew … Continue reading →