Without spoiling anything, Ruby Sparks is an engaging spin on the typical romantic comedy. As a very young man, Calvin Weir-Fields (Paul Dano) wrote a critically and financially successful novel. He has been unable to recreate that same success with a follow-up. Actually, he hasn’t even attempted a follow-up. FeelingContinue Reading
Where the movie ultimately fails is its portrayal of Viktor Frankenstein. Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, “Frankenstein; or The Modern Prometheus” has been directly or indirectly referenced many times in motion pictures. The first such adaptation was a 14-minute short film made in 1910 by Edison Studios. Since then, there haveContinue Reading
Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy) is the unluckiest man in Las Vegas. His luck is so bad that casino owner Shelly Kaplow (Alec Baldwin) employs him as a “cooler,” someone who’s mere presence makes winning tables go cold. Bernie has been working off a large gambling debt to Shelly byContinue Reading
Pixar has made some of my favorite animated films. Toy Story, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and Cars are all top-notch family entertainment and each of them provides humor suitable for children with plenty of adult-oriented references to keep parents from dismissing them as simple kiddie flicks. So, I was preparedContinue Reading
The year is 1900 and a magician is enchanting Vienna. His name is Eisenheim (Edward Norton) and his tricks are like those of no other illusionist before him. His act attracts the attention of Crown Prince Leopold (Rufus Sewel), who attends a performance with his fiancee, Sophie (Jessica Biel). LeopoldContinue Reading
When I was a young boy, one of the first albums that ever caught my interest was Live at Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash. Along with albums by The Beatles and Elvis Presley that I’d “borrowed” from my parents’ collection, that one spent a lot of time on my turntable.Continue Reading
Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis (Heath Ledger) are two young men who take a rather thankless job herding sheep through Wyoming during the summer of 1963. The job requires them to be out in the wilderness making sure as many sheep as possible make it through the summer without gettingContinue Reading