"It's the latest freak show out there," explains Frankie Dunn (Clint Eastwood), for why he refuses to train a female boxer and why she shouldn't have any trouble finding someone else who will.The fact that he believes the 31-year-old Maggie Fitzgerald (Hilary Swank) is too old for the sport ...
Before John Carpenter became a cinematic brand name thanks to his 1978 horror classic "Halloween," he made a sparse thriller called "Assault on Precinct 13." Modestly budgeted at $100,000 and featuring no movie stars, the 1976 gem gained a cult following due to its intense, unrelenting ...
In the grand scheme of things, Elektra doesn't rank in the top 50 Marvel Comics superheroes deserving of their own big-budget feature. She probably sits in the 100s, somewhere between Nighthawk and the Scarlet Witch.But Elektra, and specifically Jennifer Garner who plays her, proved popular ...
The dead no longer communicate through such antiquated items as a Ouija board.Nowadays, the spirits from beyond are traveling more high-tech paths, using HDTVs, cell phones and personal computers.At least that's the idea behind "White Noise," a sullen horror-mystery flick that explores the ...
From "Anchorman" to "Catwoman," from "Hellboy" to "Jersey Girl," from "Before Sunset" to "After the Sunset," from "The Passion of the Christ" to "The Seed of Chucky," 2004 had its cinematic share of ups and downs.But in this article I'm here to honor the highlights -- of which there were ...
I picture Wes Anderson when he was a kid getting a Rubik's Cube for Christmas.He'd twist it into all sorts of colorful patterns, unique in their design, and he'd snicker at his own cleverness. He'd show a few of his friends, and maybe they'd laugh, too.But he'd never solve the thing. That would ...
Contemporary comedy has learned how to profit from the discomfort of others.It's becoming more common to see how many humiliating situations a hero can be subjected to, with the audience sharing in the pain/humor. Perhaps TV's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" does this best. But some great modern ...
Animated birds chirp and a happy elf prances about a fertile countryside. A choir sings a tune called "Loverly Spring." This cheerful intro plays like a lost Rankin-Bass stop-motion piece from yesteryear.Then the viewer is abruptly told, "I'm sorry to say, this is NOT the movie you'll be ...
The comedy/heist caper "Ocean's Twelve" comes across like the European remake of "Ocean's Eleven."Set across the pond, the film is slower, artsier and has fancier cinematography. Yet, ultimately, it's more incoherent and less satisfying.Not exactly a surprise. The modern "Ocean's Eleven" was ...
There are no fight scenes. No criminal activity. No fatalities. There isn't even any sex.But in its own way, "Closer" is one of the edgiest movies of the year.The film is pretty much all talk -- very frank and often explicit talk -- that concerns two couples in London whose relationships start ...