Category Archives: profiles and movie news

Hugh Bonneville was more than happy to hang up his “monkey suit,” the tuxedos, uniforms and evening clothes he’s oft encased in on “Downton Abbey.” “Oh my heavens, yes!” But it took a movie, “Paddington,” with him co-starring with a … Continue reading →

Bruce Willis has aged into a fit, bald menace, a character actor best-suited for chewy supporting parts in ensemble action pictures. If that makes him a has-been, so be it. Thomas Jane, on the other hand, is a never-was, or … Continue reading →

“Paddington” brings children’s book hero Paddington Bear to the screen in a movie as sweet as orange marmalade, as sentimental as a stuffed toy from childhood. It’s an utterly charming and endlessly inventive way of bringing a talking bear into … Continue reading →

Taylor Negron was  in lot of films and TV shows, most famously “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “The Last Boy Scout,” “Seinfeld,” “Fresh Prince” etc. He was a stand-up, and a funny, flippant fellow in person. He died this weekend … Continue reading →

Here she is, Mother Russia, in all its bloated, drunken, allegorical glory. “Leviathan” is a modern parable of an ancient state and caricatures and stereotypes as old as vodka itself. Andrey Zvyagintsev’s film is, like the corrupt politician and hapless … Continue reading →

I know I’ll have to wish Eddie Redmayne “Happy birthday,” because it was just a day or two ago. And I figure I’ll ask him about maintaining one’s center and sanity in the middle of “Awards Season.” His turn as … Continue reading →

Abel Morales is an honorable man. He wants to run his heating oil delivery business above board. But his company, which he bought out from his father-in-law, has mobsters, underhanded competitors and the Teamsters Union to contend with. The local … Continue reading →

Christmas Day, thousands of Americans filled theaters to see a Japanese corporation’s movie by a Canadian director mocking the dictator of North Korea. All in the name of freedom — and rude, raw laughs. And if we’ve learned nothing from … Continue reading →

There’s a lot about John Wayne that I didn’t know before picking up Marc Eliot’s “American Titan,” the latest Wayne bio. From his Oscar night kick down of the door to Taylor and Burton’s bungalow (cool), to more rational explanations … Continue reading →

Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes both suggest that this year’s crop of holiday movies are worth checking out, but there’s no serious “must see” in the mix. “American Sniper” and “Big Eyes” have the best reviews, a return to form for … Continue reading →