GeneralUrsus

Don't understand the hate for this nifty little thriller. Bodies start to pile up in a small town in Albuquerque, New Mexico. John Hamm and his trusty assistant Deputy Ready are on hand to sniff out the clues and put the pieces of this tricky puzzle together.

Hamm and Tina Fey feature some nice chemistry and work well to keep the energy going. Sure there are elements of Fargo and Rear Window sewn into the plot but, they only act as pepper there's much more seasoning here to keep you interested.

The picture is lensed by John Hamm's former Mad Men co-star John Slattery. He has a nice feel for suspense, tension and utilizes the dramatic mountain ranges of New Mexico to good effect.

A fine supporting cast of memorable character actors keep you interested. There's a twist or two but, mostly it's a slow burn thriller that pays off. Give it a try.

This moving, heartfelt film documenting the life of Elton John is magnificent. It spans the years from his boyhood growing up in Pinner, England yearning for love from his cold father, his partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin and his rise to super stardom.

This is a warts and all tale featuring both the success and drug-fueled sadness of a man searching for love in his Circle of Life story. If you are a fan of Elton John, this film captures all of the notes and the tales you've read about. Director Fletcher has created a spectacle perfectly suited for an entertainer who has thrived on lavish lifestyle, costumes and crowd-pleasing performances.

The songs chosen from the Elton/Taupin songbook perfectly mirror the particular scenes portrayed in the film, even if they don't match the specific era they were created in. This film is magical. A musical is the perfect fashion to present Elton John's life story, comprised of soulful solos to high-octane choreographed production numbers.

Elton John's lift-off performance at the famed Troubadour in Los Angeles was the gig that catapulted his career. It's only fitting that both Elton and his mesmerized audience levitate into space as the gifted piano man bangs out an uproarious rendition of Crocodile Rock.

Taron Egerton is a knockout and superb as Elton John, capturing all of the mannerisms, moves and speech patterns of this gifted, troubled musician. This is an Oscar-worthy performance that dances circles around Remy Malek. Egerton is a tour-de-force and triple threat as actor, singer and dancer. His vocal interpretations of John's music are rich and powerful. High praise too must be given to Jaime Bell for his poignant, touching portrayal of lyricist Bernie Taupin.

The film beautifully depicts the relationship of the two artists from young men to super stars, a brotherhood and a bond, it is a love story all its own. The attention to detail from John's outlandish costumes and changing looks through the decades is spot on, the resemblance of Egerton to Elton by virtue of talented hair and costume designers is miraculous.

This compelling, thoroughly enjoyable film will whisk you away and take you back to those golden days of youth and the Elton John songs you listened to growing up. Rocketman is one giant leap for biopic-kind. Bet it goes to Broadway where it will run a long, long time.

Life of Crime is a wonderful, quirky little gem from writer Elmore Leonard who specialized in off-beat characters, fast moving plots and catchy dialogue. The film doesn't feature explosions or car chases but, what it does have are a stable of terrific characters colorfully brought to life by a veteran cast of actors in Tim Robbins, Jennifer Aniston, Mos Def and John Hawkes.

Director Daniel Schecter who also adapted the screenplay has done a great job pulling this film together and highlighting all of the wonderful 1970's nuances into a wonderful pastiche. Life of Crime based on Leonard's novel Switch is a solid adaption and perhaps the best representation of the characters and mood Leonard creates in his books. The action has a methodical pace, but, it is never boring.

The plot is simple but, absorbing due to the strong performances by the leads as well as some very comical character turns from Will Forte as a Country Club tennis pro with an interest in Aniston. Mark Boone Junior is both menacing and memorable as a Natzi sympathizer with an armory of guns and rifles at hand's reach. Isla Fisher is terrific as a clever mistress whose machinations just might pay off.

The humor is dry and there are several good laughs throughout. Overall Life of Crime is a well-directed, tightly constructed and entertaining caper film that packs some suspense , humor and solid performances into it's compact 90 minute running time.

This is simply an atrocious film. How people are rating this so high is incomprehensible. The acting is awful. There is zero chemistry between the leads, the killer was as scary as a toad and had the delivery of a really bad voice-over actor on a dubbed film. Hockey executives are getting offed by a disgruntled former player. The writer and director should have been sent to the Penalty Box for this weak effort. There is absolutely no suspense or intrigue, the characters are boring and there isn't a single twist. There are so many superior French thrillers like Tell No One, Read My Lips and Point Blank, Bon Cop Bad Cop however, isn't in the same stratosphere. Stay far away from this mess or watch a hockey game it will be much more exciting than this terrible film.

This is the quintessential telling of this rollicking, adventure tale. Director Richard Lester does a marvelous job of capturing the hilarity and thrills of this swashbuckling story. George MacDonald Fraser's screenplay delivers the essence of Dumas' story and retains many of the key characters and pertinent situations.

The production values are top notch with gorgeous scenery and sparkling costumes. The casting is superb with Richard Chamberlain, Oliver Reed and Frank Finlay as the three musketeers. Michael York with his matinée idol good looks does a bang up job as the bumbling country boy D'artagnan who is equal parts daring and chivalrous.

The heavy's here are delectable with Christoper Lee at his dastardly best as Rochefort the evil henchman of the equally wicked and cunning Cardinal Richilieu played to the hilt by Charlton Heston. Roy Kinnear is delightfully droll as D'artagnan's servant planchet. Raquel Welch the iconic 70's pin up is both gorgeous and absurdly humorous to boot. This is by far one of the hallmark performances in Ms. Welche's cannon of work.

There are numerous beautifully staged sword fighting sequences. There are also many authentic looking scenes of 17th century France both among the peasant class and the nobility that give this films a rousing, full bodied atmosphere and bristle. This is a superb entertainment, with high comedy, deft thrills and top drawer talent, this Three Musketeers is the One for All!

Without question one of the all-time, most exciting adventure films ever made. What stands out particularly about this classic is that it was made long before things such as blue screen and computer graphic imaging reared their ugly heads. All of the startling and captivating effects in this film were accomplished by actually turning sets upset down, outlandish stunts and highly creative production design that gives the audience a first hand feeling of an upside down ocean liner bobbing on the high seas.

The POSEIDON ADVENTURE is the grand daddy of the disaster film. In addition to it's eye popping effects it sails on the merits of its first rate cast. Jack Albertson and Shelly Winters are perfect foils as a retired married couple, Red Buttons exudes pathos and great likability as the shy loner, Ernest Borgnine unleashes bravado and fury as the stubborn New York cop who continues to oppose preacher Gene Hackman every step of the way throughout their escape attempt to the ships' hull.

Hackman is also very strong playing a role completely opposite of the no holds barred Poppeye Doyle in the FRENCH CONNECTION however with equal fervor and determination as he seeks to deliver his desperate band to safety. A young Pamelue Sue Martin pines for Hackman while her younger brother Eric Shea provides some timely laughs along with ship board knowledge.

Director Ronald Neame does a superb job navigating his actors around the real ship the Queen Mary docked in Long Beach, California however, through camera effects the ship appears to be cruising the far reaches of the ocean. Neame creates terrific suspense and packages a wonderful twisty, adventure.

The POSEIDON ADVENTURE has developed cult status because it is such a thrilling and exciting story brought to life by gut wrenching special effects, top notch performances and a wonderful story from writer Paul Galico's original novel. Don't miss it.

Finally caught this film on cable and thoroughly enjoyed it. A rain drenched town flooded to the gills with Christian Slater as an armored truck guard protecting three million from a band of outlaws. This is a suburban Poseidon Adventure with many superb set pieces that continuously entertains and includes some great moments of suspense. Watching bandits blaze through high school corridors on Jet Skis in pursuit of Slater was a great highlight. In an age before CGI dominated every film it is refreshing to see practical - not animated effects with actual water flooding the roads, homes, alleys and buildings of a small Indiana town.

Slater and Minnie Driver have a nice chemistry and Morgan Freeman always strong turns in a top notch performance. Some nice cameo appearance from Betty White and Richard Dysart liven up the action and add a few chuckles along the way. There are few adventure films today that provide the same escapist entertainment as Hard Rain. Put this one in your queue, it's solid entertainment where action and suspense reign hard.

Woody Allen's latest foray into the thriller realm is an extremely compelling story of family ties and murder. Before the murderous game is afoot Allen spends a good deal of time setting up his characters with multiple layers and nuances.

Two regular working class English brothers each hoping their rich uncle will help them out financially must first complete a murderous task. What makes this film so intense and highly suspenseful is that Woody Allen has created a pair of very believable characters in Ian (Ewan McGregor) and Terry (Colin Farrell). As they conptemplate the dreadful task of murdering an associate of their uncle, we are sucked right into this frightening dilemma with them.

Allen's movie is so strong because it examines the daunting task and repercussions accepted by the brothers. This is not some standard Hollywood, glossed over, thriller where people are knocked off and life goes on. Woody Allen ratchets up the tension in every frame and his film is so exciting because it is so very real. McGregor and Farrell turn in some terrific performances as the two brothers.

McGregor is in top form as the manipulative, deal maker. Without question Colin Farrell has turned in his most memorable performance yet. Farrell's character Terry is a very gentle soul, a complete opposite from anything he has ever played, a stellar performance that is both beautiful and tragic. Cassandra's Dream is a very entertaining film, it will make you think, it will make you squirm and it will stay with you long after you've exited the theater.

One of the funniest comic romps to ever hit the silver screen. Ryan O'Neal is perfect as Howard Bannister; a bumbling musicologist who cannot seem to elude the precocious, disaster prone clutches of Barbara Streisand's Judy Maxwell.

Streisand really sparkles here and is a riotous foil to O'Neal. Madeline Kahn, in her feature debut, is flat out hysterical as Howard's overbearing fiancée Eunice. This is a classic, screwball farce where four mixed up plaid bags are the ingredients to side-splitting mayhem.

Director Peter Bogdanovich does an excellent job of serving up an array of perfectly timed comic set pieces which his troupe of seasoned character actors and stars deliver with lunatic aplomb. There are non- stop bits, one liners, a hilarious hotel hallway scene with slamming doors, zany slapstick fights and a comic crescendo which features the most masterful and madcap chase sequence up, over and around the hills, steps and streets of San Francisco.

This is a tremendously funny film that will keep you giggling continuously whether it is your first viewing or your twenty-first.

Point Blank is an adrenaline charged thriller that will keep you riveted to the screen. Fred Cavaye's latest film pits Samuel Pierret,a male nurse and everyman, into a twisted crime plot. Pierret is propelled into the action when his wife is kidnapped and he must deliver an injured patient to her captors to assure her safety.

The film starts out with an epic foot chase and barely catches its breath before sending its primary characters hurtling across Paris and through the underground. This is guerrilla film making from the old school with the expertise and daring of 70's smashes like The French Connection.

French filmmakers continue to lens spectacular thrillers in the spirit of classic American movies while the US has simply lost its way. The action here is taut and bristling with suspense. There are no ultra- flashy stunts and massive conflagrations just a tight plot and edge of your seat thrills that result from the fast paced nature of story.

The acting here is also top notch. Fred Cavaye is a director to watch his earlier film Anything For Her was remade successfully into The Next Three Days. Cavaye who also scripted the film with Guillaume Lemans, has a great sense about what works and how to generate excitement. This film is not weighed down by useless romance scenes and fake looking cgi effects. Point Blank is a fast moving, well written story that will entertain you.

Brett Ratner's latest is a finely crafted, comedy caper that moves swiftly and elicits great performances from a star studded cast. The story unfolds gradually as we meet a quartet of employees who have been swindled by arrogant building owner Arthur Shaw via a scheme reminiscent of Bernie Madoff.

These four horseman with Stiller as their ring leader decide to pull off an improbable heist. The timely plot mirrors the harsh current economic climate. Alda is especially strong in his arrogant portrayal as Arthur Shaw the owner of the Tower. He nails his role with a relentless, wicked ire in a world where money is king and the working man is a replaceable commodity.

Ben Stiller, Michael Pena, Matthew Broderick and Casey Affleck feature great comic chemistry as the rag tag Robin Hood team. But, it is a bravura comedic performance from Eddie Murphy that brings the biggest laughs as the wise cracking, two-bit hood Slide, a character reminiscent of Murphy's classic roles in Beverly Hills Cop. It is so refreshing to see Murphy back again flexing his comic muscles; the story truly soars when he is on screen.

Once the planning stages heat up the laughs come in a rapid fire succession that kept the audience roaring. There are several very funny sequences with Murphy teaching his robbery apprentices. Tower Heist has the feel of the some of the classic caper films from the 70's like The Hot Rock,The Anderson Tapes and The Taking of Pelham 1, 2, 3. There's also a nifty nod to the French Connection in a short speeding car sequence filmed below an elevated train track.

What works is a nice combination of drama and grand belly laughs. The straight edge in the early portion helps to set up the latter robbery and the laughs are that much more cathartic because the stakes are higher. The film has a really nice balance between laugh out loud comedy and dramatic tension.

There are some twists and turns and a wild stunt near the end that is so outlandish we buy into it because the film wins us over with its finely drawn characters and Robin Hood and his Merry Doormen theme. Some seamless cgi makes the latter stunt truly sing. Tea Leoni turns in a strong performance as a no nonsense FBI agent and character actor Stephen Henderson is thoroughly engaging as the Lester the doorman. Christophe Becks' smooth, jazzy soundtrack has just the right tempo and feel to it and helps the film hurtle along with a suave, slick style.

Ratner has done a terrific job pacing this film and captures the grandeur and sizzle of New York City with some sweeping aerial shots that really set the mood. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is such quintessential New York occasion juxtaposed with an adrenaline charged robbery sequence and plenty of humor. Tower Heist is every inch a crowd pleaser, a smartly written revenge tale and one of the best films of its kind lately.

If you enjoy watching a series of long, protracted establishing shots with very little story then this is the film for you. For the first forty minutes it's as if the director waltzed away from the camera and forgot to yell cut, as the same screen image continues into a oblivion. These drawn out shots happen frequently during the film and it is about as entertaining as staring at a wall for five minutes.

Eventually, a mystery presents itself when the main character's ex-girlfriend disappears. There is one specific series of clues he follows involving a set of numbers. At first glance it appears to be a clever twist but, on reflection it is such an obscure reference and does not relate to any of the personality traits of the characters.

The rest of the amateur detective work is rather pedestrian, there are really no surprises. The acting here isn't bad, it's just the script which doesn't contain any surprises or twists.

The mystery portion ends fairly abruptly and by that time if you're not fast asleep you will be wondering why you ended up watching this film. There are some nice establishing shots, of waterfalls Oregon scenery but, otherwise an utter bore. How the critics gave this good reviews I will never know. Perhaps they all fell asleep as well and dreamed they saw a good film.

This final entry in the Harry Potter series ties up all of the loose ends in a grand style that is both rousing and triumphant. I haven't had this much fun at the movies since I was a kid, credit that to the magnificent characters and stories created by J.K. Rowling. Also script writer Steve Kloves is able to mesh the most important plot points into a tight storyline that is suspenseful, thrilling and very moving.

This final installment is by far the darkest in the series and director David Yates has created dozens of powerful images throughout this film. He sets the stage with a wonderful shot of Severus Snape leering from a parapet high above Hogwarts, an eerie prelude to the high adventure and drama lying ahead.

The acting once again is top rate as the cast is chock full of some of the finest British character actors. Several newcomers deliver particularly strong performances Ciaran Hinds as Abeforth Dumbledore and Kelly Macdonald as Helena Ravenclaw command the screen in captivating fashion.

There are several laughs along the way to ease the tension, Ron Weasley provides a chuckle or two but, this film belongs to Harry. Daniel Radcliffe has emerged from this series of films with some serious acting chops and his powerful performance here is certainly Oscar worthy. Alan Rickman is haunting and very memorable as Severus Snape. Ralph Fiennes bubbles with delicious wickedness and an evil hissing whisper that will curl your toes.

Some critics have argued the film is too short, I disagree. I found The Deathly Hallows part 2 to be highly enjoyable and compact storytelling that whisks the viewer into a magical world and cleverly and carefully sums it all up. This is movie-making at its finest, a team of highly talented professionals creating a thoroughly entertaining movie for now and for the ages.

This is a wildly over rated film. I was quite looking forward to it but, found the incessant scenes of monks living their solitary existence farming, praying, eating and chanting to be painfully boring.

I echo the sentiment of another reviewer and felt as if I had been heavily sedated while watching this film. Yes, we saw a few segments of the Monks interacting with the local Algerians at social events but, we never really had a chance to discover the individual personalities of any of the characters.

The film would have benefited had there been some endearing moments of humor or whimsy to make us feel closer to these men. Instead however by the time the story reaches its inevitable conclusion it is nowhere as powerful or sad as it might have been because we have barely glimpsed these characters personalities beyond the excessively dull scenes of them in prayer.

This is the cinematic equivalent of counting sheep. By the time the first chanting scene arrives you will be in a deep and restful slumber. Sweet Dreams.

An absolute classic thriller from the 1970's. Walter Matthau headlines a superb cast in this adrenaline charged, roller coaster ride. Matthau is excellent as an everyman thrust into the pivotal position of negotiating with a lunatic who along with his cohorts has hijacked a New York City subway train.

Robert Shaw is truly magnificent as the villainous mastermind behind the subway train takeover. But, the magic truly starts to simmer in the high tension interplay between Matthau and Shaw as the ruthless killer demands his money while Matthau attempts to achieve the safe release of the victims.

Each of the heavies in this picture are identified by colors Mr. Green, Grey and so on; a plot point which inspired director Quentin Tarantino in his debut film Reservoir DOGS. A solid crew of character actors round out this picture including Jerry Stiller as a transit worker in Matthau's department, Martin Balsam is terrific as one of the hijackers with a terrible case of the sniffles. Hector Elizondo, in a very early role, really makes an impression as an unhinged thug who is more than eager to execute anyone who crosses him.

Character actor Lee Wallace is memorable as the New York Mayor particularly for his striking resemblance to New York Mayor Ed Koch. New York City is used to great effect here especially during a frantic sequence featuring a police car making a crucial delivery. The back and forth plotting between the stalled train and the pressure ridden Transit Authority headquarters with Matthau attempting to appease the hijackers is crisply edited and creates wonderful balance in this high stakes thriller. During a decade that featured some of the best movies ever made, this one is a jewel not to be missed.

Woody Allen's latest is beautifully written and a charming story that belongs in the top ten of his all-time greats. From the opening montage of lush, picturesque Parisian scenes the film is a love letter to the city of lights. Owen Wilson is perfectly cast as Gil Pender a Hollywood writer who has penned his first novel about a man who owns a nostalgia shop. Throughout his stay in Paris he hearkens back to the iconic characters who once roamed its winding cobblestone streets.

For everyone who sometimes ponders how life would be in another time, this film through whimsical storytelling and pure fantasy transports us. Perhaps that elusive world does not really exist or we are never truly content in whatever station we reside. Gil is enraptured with discovering the bistros where Ernest Hemmingway once wrote or the idea of living in garret with a sky light.

His fiancé played by Rachel McAdams who adroitly depicts a character both shallow and blasé and content to listen to the pseudo-intellectual musings of her onetime flame. To discuss the plot much further and divulge the magic twist would be a shame.

Midnight in Paris is a gourmet meal of delectably charming and playful scenes. Adrian Brody is riotous as a surreal artist and Kathy Bates deftly evokes a wise and famous writer. A character in the film remarks of seeing a movie but, she cannot recall what it was about or who was in it, not so with Midnight in Paris. It is a sweet, endearing and thought provoking film that will whisk you away into a sublime magical world.

This mafia revenge story might have been a good film but, a weak script and some horrendous acting render it with the kiss of death. As a child young Rita witnesses her father's cold blooded murder at the hands of a rival mafia clan. Years later in an attempt to bring justice she seeks the assistance of the district prosecutor and is placed in a witness protection program in Rome.

While strolling the Colosseum she feels she is being followed. Moments later she encounters the stranger and shortly after is calmly chatting with him soon they are dating. It is mindless and ridiculous instances like this that completely undermine any credibility in this tale. Her life has been threatened but, somehow it's okay to strike up a budding romance with some guy in Rome.

Much later Rita is placing phone calls home from her Rome apartment not terrific thinking if you value your life and your enemies can easily be tapping the lines. Aside from many flaws within the story the biggest fault with this film was the casting of Veronica D'Agostino in the title role.

Ms. D'Agostino is an acting neophyte and it shows with every over the top glare and pained expression she delivers. In her attempt to appear indignant her face contorts in such odd fashions she looks somewhere between constipated and deranged, or both. She is capable of one note throughout the entire film, anger. In fact you get the feeling that the love interest she encounters in Rome was probably created to develop another more uplifting shade to her on screen demeanor.

A good actress would hold the picture together and elevate the weak material by giving the viewer someone to care about. The Sicilian Girl suffers from wretched acting, poor writing and should be swimming with the fishes and not in your cue.

From the opening frames this film had a cloying, cutesy ersatz sweetness that was annoying. The movie's look and feel resembles a television episode. Flipped which is based on a novel seems like a watered down, rip-off of television's The Wonder Years. However this material is neither funny, heartwarming or memorable on any level.

The acting across the boards is stilted, forced and borders on caricature particularly from Anthony Edwards as a belligerent father who's abusive qualities stem from his unfulfilled desires to be a musician. The only decent performance in the film is from character actor John Mahoney. His sweet, endearing portrayal as a grandfather is honest, moving and presents the only flowering hope that this film might blossom.

What really destroys this film though is the constant use of narration. At least 80% of the movie is narrated in dull, garbled monologues from both of the two main characters. Another major flaw is the endless ping- pong, story telling device where we see the same scene over again from the perspective of each of the two main characters.

We witness entire passages of this film devoted to nonsensical issues like whether or not to eat the neighbor's farm fresh eggs because they might be tainted by salmonella. The film does not draw us in, the characters are bland, the situations are ridiculous and the pacing is monotonous. I have seen Folger's Coffee Commercials that were more uplifting than this drivel. For me Flipped flopped.