Netflix and Beyond

Hollywood loves Joel and Ethan Coen, and the more they ridicule, parody, negate the bubble-like milieu, their lovability balloons. “Hail, Caesar” is an anemic, bland slam of the “old”, bygone era where pretense supersedes reality, stars’ foibles are masked, protected by the “studio”. “Eddie Mannix” (based upon an MGM executive of the same name) is stunningly depicted by Josh Brolin; …

Animation has never appealed to me; even as a child I wanted the “real deal”; there are exceptions and “Zootopia” falls into that category;  a welcome hiatus from the limbo of mediocrity film lovers wallow in between the Academy Awards and the summer movie blitz. “Zootopia” is a contemporary, mammal metropolis reminiscent of any “people-populated” city; disparate neighborhoods, anthropomorphic animals, …

Squeamishly, creepily compelling, producer J.J. Adams and director Dan Trachtenberg delve into the realm of “Howard”, a man lusting and prepared for a post-apocalyptic world; his underground technologically secure bunker is stock -piled with food, films, games and all the essential accoutrements for a year of closeted living. “Howard” (a staggering, weird, corpulent John Goodman) has two roommates: “Emmett” (likeable, …

Based on the book, “The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days in Afghanistan and Pakistan” by Kim Baker, a war –correspondent,   2002-2007. I admit that having seen only tidbits of “30 Rock”, (or “Saturday Night Live”) I cannot separate Tina Fey from her doppelganger, Sarah Palin.  Fey’s  innate comedic timing lends itself perfectly to television, less so in film (“Admission” “This is …

Chris Rock soared as the host of one of the most controversial award ceremonies to date; his barbs were delivered with aplomb, levity and fairness; humorous aphorisms eliminated the “sting” of elimination. Possibly too repetitious but universally tempered with a benign sensitivity and awareness that never again will the Academy Awards be as colorless as the 88th! The two major …

Thanks for participating in the Peneflix Oscar contest.  There were no winners this year as no one selected all the categories correctly.  Better luck next year! Recap of the awards show to follow soon on Peneflix.com.

There have been some remarkable war films; my favorites include: “The Longest Day”, “Apocalypse Now”, “Saving Private Ryan” and HBO’s “Band of Brothers”. Danish director Tobias Lindholm’s “A War”  brilliantly, falls into this rarefied category, as one the finest films revolving around the chaos, cacophony, catastrophic milieu of battle and its equally devastating aftermath. Danish peacekeepers in war-torn Afghanistan, led …

For those with limited time or attention, read no further; this pathetic imitation of filmic entertainment earned zero stars. A murky scenario with a plethora of unlikeable characters: crooked cops (Chiwetel Ejiofor, Anthony Mackie, Clifton Collins, Jr.) a clueless neophyte (Casey Affleck), a somewhat savvy detective (predictably, woefully typecast, Woody Harrelson), a Russian/Israeli mobster, (Kate Winslet must have suffered a …

To enter: 1)   You must be a subscriber to Peneflix.com 2)   You may only enter once. 3)   ALL  ENTRIES MUST BE SUBMITTED BY FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26TH, MIDNIGHT. $150.00 TO THE WINNER. HAVE TO ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS CORRECTLY. Best Supporting Actress: PENEFLIX PICK: ROONEY MARA “CAROL” Best Supporting Actor: PENEFLIX PICK: TOM HARDY “THE REVENANT” Best Actress: PENEFLIX PICK: BRIE …

Jesse Owens, (1913-1980) whose legendary reputation is a beacon of inspiration today, eighty years after his Olympiad triumphs in the 1936 Games in Berlin, Germany; with the fleetness of Hermes he garnished, in track and field, four Gold Medals, embarrassing Hitler’s “master race” hypothesis. Stephan James is superb as Owens in director Stephen Hopkins creatively-crafted tribute to a man among …