Melissa McCarthy has accomplished more than offering up a light comedy this summer, much more than a silly spy spoof. She’s headlining a continuation of a recent trend of feminism and female empowerment in film via her latest comedy vehicle, in Paul Freig’s SPY (2015). After screening SPY, I wasn’t surprised at all to hear that the same writer/director who brought us BRIDESMAIDS (2011) and … Continue reading SPY (2015) is the Gal Pal, Snort Fest
I’m a sucker for an over-the-top, blockbuster disaster movie. The mega budget versions of this film genre seemed to initiate in popularity in the 70’s with films like AIRPORT (1970), THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972), THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974), and EARTHQUAKE (1974). Then they kicked off again in the 90s and transitioned into the 21st century with films like TWISTER (1996), INDEPENDENCE DAY (1996), THE DAY … Continue reading Finding No Faults in SAN ANDREAS (2015)
I was all set to take a couple of my kiddos to the summer disaster flick SAN ANDREAS because it seemed to be a movie of commercial and mass appeal across multiple ages. But we soon realized my true mistake was in accidentally picking the 3D version (which simply won’t do for my vertigo affected eighteen year-old) so with time constraints, we opted for Cameron … Continue reading ALOHA (2015) means hello and goodbye
Imagine this. This bubbly optimist who enjoys all sorts of cinema- from the silents right up to the latest blockbuster- goes to see the latest entry of Mad Max. I’ll fully admit that a bleak dystopian view of the future is generally not my cup of tea. But I kept my mind open this Memorial Day weekend upon screening George Miller’s MAD MAX FURY ROAD … Continue reading MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (2015)
My favorite holiday is upon us. ST. PATRICK’S DAY. Don’t get me wrong, I’m a nut for Christmas like nobody’s business. Mainly because of the songs, old TV specials and films. Furthermore, I’m truly a nut because for me, I could sing those holiday songs all year long (…the very opposite reaction for most folks.) But I’ve always felt St. Patrick’s Day was MY holiday. … Continue reading The Secret Of Roan Inish, the Legend of the Selkie, and How my Husband Caught One
Watching the Red Carpet for The Oscars, enjoying all of Hollywood’s excellence glamming it up under umbrellas and tents as the rain trickles down, so what a better time to review all the Academy Awards nominees in the main categories. I’ll add my two cents of who I believe will likely be the winners, along with who I WISH would be winners. (Yes, sometimes I … Continue reading The Oscar Picks
The 87th annual Academy Awards, or The Oscars as it has been coined since 2013, broadcasts just hours from now. Many say this year’s line-up of nominees have all but secured the winners for the main categories. For Best Picture, initially buzz suggested BOYHOOD will be the clear winner. Based on ticket sales some main streamers are vying for AMERICAN SNIPER. But most recently BIRDMAN … Continue reading Breaking Codes and Keeping Secrets in THE IMITATION GAME (2014)
If you’re an American citizen, the events that occured during the Civil Rights movement and the leader of the non-violent stride towards freedom, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., should be very familiar. By 1965, the right to vote was a legal right. But for countless African-Americans, in predominantly deeply southern states, it was the local law that ensured that right was never protected. Director Ava … Continue reading The Lessons of SELMA (2014)
We all know of him, one way or another. Thin, folded into a wheelchair, ‘speaks’ via an automated robotic voice, and is considered one of the most brilliant men of our lifetime. Stephen Hawkings became a household name partly due to his genuis level intelligence, certainly due to his groundbreaking ways to look at our universe and beyond, but also out of novel curiousity of … Continue reading The Theory of Everything (2014)
Those disproportionately large and creepy eyed children with those vacant expressions staring out from the canvas. We all know the art even if you’re not familiar with the artist’s name. Never considered high art, but it was quite popular at the time and certainly unique enough to influence a ‘look’ that became a commercial success. Tim Burton’s BIG EYES (2014) takes a look at the … Continue reading A Little Peek at BIG EYES (2014)
Outspoken & Freckled 