Penelope Cruz might be the prettier of the two, but Javier Bardem’s newest film The Good Boss is far better than Cruz’s Official Competition. Sorry Penny! And that’s saying something since I saw The Good Boss after a very long day: running 3 and a half miles, playing an hour and 15 minutes of tennis… Continue reading In the Summer Movie Spouse Competition, Javier Wins
Category: comedy
Nick Cage: Commitment & Self-deprecation=Hall Pass
I consider this two year period my renaissance with Nick Cage. First he recaptured my heart with his understated, yet powerful role as washed up chef in Pig. Now, in a far lesser movie, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, I have to give him a pass for humility and pure fun. The story is… Continue reading Nick Cage: Commitment & Self-deprecation=Hall Pass
Don’t Look Up But Get Down with Your Sense of Humor
Don’t Look Up written (with the help of David Sirota: Guardian Contributor Bernie’s Speech Writer 2020) and directed by Adam McKay consists of a more star studded cast than can be held in the sky reported on by scientists Leo DeCaprio and Jen Lawrence. You name him/her/they and they are also in the movie: Streep,… Continue reading Don’t Look Up But Get Down with Your Sense of Humor
French Dispatch, Just Ca Va
Wes Anderson’s French Dispatch reminds me of me when I’m trying to tell a long story or joke, I talk way too fast, lacking confidence or worried that the person’s listening is bored. So Wes, get thee to a therapist. You’re an artist, but you have to slow down the pace so we can enjoy… Continue reading French Dispatch, Just Ca Va
Sparks*: Joy! *as in The Sparks Brothers Doc
Edgar Wright (Baby Driver, Shaun of the Dead) has done me a great service by nudging me from Boomerism to The Sparks, a rock/pop/electronica duo who has been performing since the 1960’s. To say that the duo, two brothers, Ron and Russell Mael are creative is like saying Picasso used paint. Their avant-garde music was… Continue reading Sparks*: Joy! *as in The Sparks Brothers Doc
Just like a well crafted cocktail, Bad Trip is humorous taken one small dose at a time
I watched Bad Trip over the course of four or five evenings, like a nightly tonic of humor before bed. Hence, I disagree once again, with the fine NY Times critic Jeannette Catsoulis who probably took it all in one sitting. True, it’s the movie’s fault to not forewarn people about portion suggestions. Catsouils writes… Continue reading Just like a well crafted cocktail, Bad Trip is humorous taken one small dose at a time
Funyuns and Hip Hop, A great film combination!
“The 40 Year Old Version”, Rhada Blank’s amazingly creative new film of which she both wrote and directed had the freshness of ‘Clerks’ and the ‘woke-ness’ of ‘Sorry To Bother You’. The story of a woman at 40 trying to re-invent herself is as real as any midlife crisis story. Here, Rhada, a teacher by… Continue reading Funyuns and Hip Hop, A great film combination!
What a find! Citizens of the World
Wow, what a refreshingly slow paced film with a mood that transcended it’s 90 plus minutes; “Citizens of the World” written and directed by Gianni Di Gregorio. The jist is three men in their 70’s (Gregorio being one of the actors as well) decide they are suffering from wanderlust and make a grande` plan to… Continue reading What a find! Citizens of the World
Comedy’s Core: The anticipatory laugh and how Borat Subsequent Film nails it
If we ever needed to have belly laughs, it’s the week before the election and “Borat Subsequent Film” delivers in spades. Just Sacha Baron Cohen’s word play (and to be fair, his 11 other collaborators who worked on the screenplay) alone, is commendable. I double dog dare you to check out Rudy Guillani’s Twitter response… Continue reading Comedy’s Core: The anticipatory laugh and how Borat Subsequent Film nails it
I Use to Go Here, A Pleasure!
I Used to Go Here (written and directed by Kris Rey) was a delight, even overcoming my ‘I miss the theater’ nausea caused from at home video. But no kidding, right? Since I love Jemaine Clement and really like Gillian Jacobs (who I adored in the Netflix series “Love”). With the aid of an outstandingly… Continue reading I Use to Go Here, A Pleasure!