Posted in: The Reel World by M. W. Phillips on February 3rd, 2012
“Have you seen her? The Woman in Black? She once lost a boy, and now she’s come back. Our parents all worry, they make such a fuss: For if she can’t find him, she’ll take one of us.”
Now this looks like a Hammer film. A subdued cool color palette, stunning Gothic set pieces, a wonderful location ripe with grieving and decaying symbolism, and genuinely scary ghosts make The Woman in Black an impressive throwback to old fashioned horror. Having been a fan of the original 1983 novella by Susan Hill and the 1989 TV teleplay for Britain’s ITV network, I looked forward to Hammer’s adaptation. I was not disappointed.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on January 23rd, 2012
At first glance Haywire appears a bit out of character for the likes of director Steven Soderbergh. It's not that he hasn't delivered action films in the past. It's that he's never quite tied himself to such a tried and sometimes true formula before. When you first look at the press for Haywire you're going to pretty much dismiss it as a standard action hero film that follows in the mold of a Steven Seagal/Chuck Norris mold with a touch of Bourne Identity thrown in to meet the more recent trends. If that's what you think, then you've pretty much called it, because that's exactly what it is. But that's not a good reason to dismiss the film either.
I won't lie. The film pretty much follows the path you expect it to follow. Mallory (Carano) stumbles into a bar in an isolated town where she's meeting with a contact. But she's wary because something has gone wrong and she's not sure exactly who she can trust. She's right. No surprise there, is there? She takes Scott (Angarano) hostage for his wheels and makes her getaway. During their flight she begins to tell him the story of how she got to where she is. It's through this narrative that the story unfolds for us. This is where Soderbergh offers up a little of his own tweaks to the story and, for the most part, there's enough of his wit here to keep the narrative humming along. Of course, she's out to find the guys who tried to get her killed, and there's a ton of carnage in the wake.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on November 24th, 2011
"It's time to play the music. It's time to light the lights. It's time to meet the Muppets on the Muppet Show tonight…"
What do the following huge stars all have in common: Elton John, George Burns, Peter Sellers, Don Knotts, Bob Hope, John Cleese, Madeline Kahn, and Milton Berle? They all were guests on The Muppet Show. It would be pretty hard to argue that the seriesdidn't became the in place for A-list entertainers to have a little fun. Like a neighborhood clubhouse, the top stars would come to the show and allow themselves to be often upstaged by Henson’s cute little creatures. They would place themselves in ridiculous situations and often allow themselves to be lampooned and ridiculed, and they always appeared to have a blast while they were doing it. Elton John singing his Kiki Dee duet, Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, with Miss Piggy has to be one of television’s most memorable moments. Not only do you have a guest list that would make Saturday Night Live envious, but you have something they never had, namely Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie and Gonzo providing their special brand of Muppet madness.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on November 12th, 2011
"Fight for honor. Fight for your children. Fight for your future. Fight for immortality!"
I know there are a lot of you out there who can't wait for the huge 300 sequel: 300 The Battle Of Artemisia. You might even have your calendar circled for the Clash Of The Titans remake sequel Wrath Of The Titans, also on the horizon. In case you find that you just can't wait, director Tarsem Singh has created a weigh-station, of sorts, with his action-packed Immortals. The film takes elements from both franchises and melds them together into something very much like those films, yet unique enough to warrant some of your attention. The result is a film that is absolutely uneven in places, but entertaining enough to be worth a look.
Posted in: News and Opinions, Release Announcements, The Reel World by William O'Donnell on October 30th, 2011
The Toronto After Dark film festival has left it's claw marks all over the Big Smoke and in the fallout, audiences were floored by two feature length delights by Canadian film collective ASTRON-6. Father's Day, a revenge tale about a vigilante group tracking a “father-rapist,” and Manborg, a lo-fi, sci-fi epic about a cybernetically altered soldier facing the forces of Hell in the future, both made their Canadian theatrical premieres at TAD and have been receiving not but rave reviews since.
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on October 12th, 2011
Written by John Delia
Most everyone would like to be the boss, but in most instances there’s only one. I hope my readers don’t have a boss as despicable as the ones in Horrible Bosses, a nicely funny comedy directed by Seth Gordon. Filled with a lot of hilarious situations, this film is perfect for mature adults. If you are not offended by sexuality and a lot of crude language, then run to see Horrible Bosses.
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on October 4th, 2011
Written by John Delia
It’s a chick flick, so there you go, I said it right up front. And What’s Your Number? is very predictable, so there you go again. AND it’s 27 Dresses with a bit more sex and without Katherine Heigl. Actually, I almost liked the film up until two scenes that show the moral decay of American cinema.
Posted in: The Reel World by Gino Sassani on October 4th, 2011
Written by John Delia
When I see Seth Rogen’s name listed in the cast of a film, the first thing that comes to my mind is a wild comedy. But in 50/50 Rogen adjusts his bizarre persona and creates a character that provides the right medicine to a poignant situation. Although the film gets a little sappy at times, it delivers a strong, meaningful story.
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 23rd, 2011
Written by John Delia
The inspiring, moving, poignant true story Dolphin Tale splashes into theaters this weekend with a family friendly theme that’s sure to touch your heart. Filmed in Florida where it happened, it’s a movie about a dolphin that receives a compassionate helping hand and a strange new lease on life.
Posted in: The Reel World by Archive Authors on September 23rd, 2011
Written by John Delia
The film Killer Elite plays out like you are watching a video game -- kill an assassin and move up to the next level. Exciting, power-packed, and relatively predictable, the film tends to mirror other action movies that have been released this year. The thing that does play better than the rest involves the suspense that comes with trying to decide who really is the bad guy here.
