Hollywood

After seeing “The Kings of Summer” a terrific “coming of age” flick, I decided to skip “The Way Way Back” a repetitive version of the same theme. Fortunately, I listened to major enthusiasts whose approbation infected and inspired my curiosity, I am in their debt. “The Way Way Back” is poignantly, intelligently written, sensitively well-acted, realistic in its tale of …

There is nothing more salubrious than divorcing oneself from one’s vocation, avocation; fleeing normalcy and tasting the exotic flavors of another world; China, and its explosive economic phenomena, emerging contemporary art market was my harmonic choice. For two challenging, mind-bending, vastly illuminating weeks my friend and I delved into the escalating, enthralling, exponentially expanding sphere of living  Chinese artists, their …

Going with zero expectations I was pleasantly surprised that “The Lone Ranger” was more than minimally entertaining; primarily because of Johnny Depp’s characterization of “Tonto”, the reluctant Indian sidekick of “John Reid” aka “The Lone Ranger”. Armie Hammer, adequately morphs, from an  Eastern -educated, pristine, nerdy lawyer (John Reid) into the “masked man” after his lawman brother “Dan” ( tough, …

Written in 1558, William Shakespeare perpetually inspires with stinging, titillating wit, sagacious repartee and timeless wisdom. The film (a true masterpiece by director Joss Whedon) is a dazzling, scintillating comedic tale, touching every element of the human condition: love, betrayal, intrigue, manipulation; portrayed in a contemporary milieu (Whedon’s home, Santa Monica, CA.) by overwhelmingly gifted actors. One does not have …

“The Heat” is simple, non-threatening entertainment; a light-hearted hiatus from dark, disturbing, alien, neck-chomping, aerial creatures; traumatic, post- apocalyptic fare that has invaded, monopolized today’s movie houses. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy have an on-screen chemistry that has bled into their off-screen relationship (female version, reminiscent of Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson partnership); they depict FBI agent “Sarah Ashburn” (Bullock) and Boston …

“The Heat” is simple, non-threatening entertainment; a light-hearted hiatus from dark, disturbing, alien, neck-chomping, aerial creatures; traumatic, post- apocalyptic fare that has invaded, monopolized today’s movie houses. Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy have an on-screen chemistry that has bled into their off-screen relationship (female version, reminiscent of Vince Vaughn/Owen Wilson partnership); they depict FBI agent “Sarah Ashburn” (Bullock) and Boston …

This is an instance of “never say never”, which,  when it comes to zombie movies (“Dawn of the Dead”, “Zombieland”, “Death Becomes Her”,) I have stated emphatically “never again” countless times. Truthfully, I went to see another film, had an hour to kill,  ventured into a packed theatre of “World War Z”, remained seated for the entirety; expecting zilch, I …

Doubtful if many of you have heard of this movie; in the theatres for a week, it slipped into the limitless limbo of unwatched mediocrity, praying for Netflix, On Demand to ignite a passive public’s interest in two teenage assassins, disguised as nuns, delivering pizza. Of the myriad of films I see but never review, “Violet & Daisy” resided comfortably …

Doubtful if many of you have heard of this movie; in the theatres for a week, it slipped into the limitless limbo of unwatched mediocrity, praying for Netflix, On Demand to ignite a passive public’s interest in two teenage assassins, disguised as nuns, delivering pizza. Of the myriad of films I see but never review, “Violet & Daisy” resided comfortably …

Are there any clean ones? All documentaries are imbued with a certain dose of subjectivity and “Dirty Wars” (based on the book of same title by Jeremy Scahill) is no exception; the difference lies in the conscience of reporter Jeremy Scahill and brilliant direction by Richard Rowley. They tackle the tactics of counterterrorism since 9/11: erasing boundaries, acceptance of collateral …