A brief word of explanation about the title of this post. When I was a high-school language teacher, I started…
“American Hustle” Plays the Long Con and Wins
David O. Russell (Flirting with Disaster, Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees, The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook) is not one of America’s most…
“The Wolf of Wall Street” Howls and Drools, but Has No Bite
The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese, 2013) When I emerged from the preview screening of Martin Scorsese’s latest film,…
“Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom” Liberates the Man from the Myth
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (Justin Chadwick, 2013) In spite of some of the usual pitfalls of biographical films (or,…
“Saving Mr. Banks” – Too Much Saccharine, Not Enough Sugar
Saving Mr. Banks (John Lee Hancock, 2013) Are you a fan of Mary Poppins, the 1964 live-action Walt Disney film starring…
“Inside Llewyn Davis” – One Groundhog Day of a Odyssey . . .
Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel and Ethan Coen, 2013) The new Coen Brothers film, Inside Llewyn Davis, which opens across the country…
The Desolation of “The Hobbit”
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Peter Jackson, 2013) J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit, depending on which printed version you read,…
“The Armstrong Lie” – Truth and Its Consequences
The Armstrong Lie (Alex Gibney, 2013) The truth will out, and when it does, the bigger the lie that preceded…
In a Theater Near You: Midday on Current and Upcoming Films
[UPDATE: Missed the show? Please listen to the podcast!] It’s that time of year again, when we review the films…
“Frozen” Won’t Completely Melt Your Heart, but It’s Still (Kind of) Fun
Frozen (Chris Buck/Jennifer Lee, 2013) Let’s talk about what works first: The 3D animation is stunningly beautiful. You must see…
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