High Fidelity at 25: the soundtrack of growing up
A reflection on life’s messiness, “High Fidelity” remains a cherished guide and a testament to the enduring power of cinema.
review
The Bear: intense drama served up with heart
In the smorgasbord of television dramas, “The Bear” emerges as a flavoursome offering that’s both raw and refined, a hearty stew of dysfunctional found- and blood-family, gorgeous food, and the frenetic pace of the culinary world.
Revisiting Office Space (1999): a timeless classic of cubicle hell
“Office Space” is a timeless satirical comedy, cleverly mocking corporate life while remaining relevant and hilarious to this day.
Brick: how did I miss this film?
Take the plot, dialogue and style of a 30s crime-noir, with a hard-nosed detective, a femme fatale, drug lords and enigmatic informants, and transpose it all to a modern-day High School.
Les Misérables: something is missing in this hard life
The film adaptation of “Les Misérables” impresses with potent performances but lacks epicness due to excessive use of closeups that undermine grand ensemble scenes.
Act of Valor: bang for your buck
Much like the Special Air Service during the London Iranian Embassy action (and the movie that followed, Who Dares Wins), the US Navy SEALs were fully exposed to the glare of publicity when they raided a compound in Pakistan and killed Osama Bin Laden. Now comes a film of the unit’s exploits, but with a twist: it stars actual, active duty, Navy SEALs.
The Avengers
When you have a motley collection of strong characters and a plot involving world invasion, who else do you get to direct but Joss Whedon?
Reviews of “Dead Red Heart”
Reviews of the “Dead Red Heart” anthology, in which my story “Such Is Life” appears, are coming in.
X-Men: First Class – the whipped horse is reborn
After the debacle that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, you’d be forgiven for thinking that perhaps the X-Men franchise was best left to lie for a while. Never let it be said however that Hollywood is unwilling to beat a dead horse; out come the whips to give us X-Men: First Class. Except somewhere along the way, they actually made a classy, fun, interesting film.
Doctor Who: A Good Man Goes To War
Matt Smith’s Doctor solidifies, showcasing intensity; diverse revelations, side characters shine, anticipating darker depths sans companions.