He’s been a natty and impressively businesslike 007; he’s dutifully played supporting parts in stuff like Mrs. Doubtfire and The Mirror Has Two Faces; and he’s been superb in a couple of leading roles, notably The Tailor of Panama. He even carries the distinction, in a cast full of embarrassments, of having given the most [...]
The story of Jackie Robinson has been told in the movies before, notably in a low-budget 1950 effort called, reasonably enough, The Jackie Robinson Story. The title role in that film was played by Jackie Robinson himself—rather woodenly, it must be said, but with a dignified presence. Number one at the box office its opening [...]
42nd Street, a memorable tap-dancing musical based on the novel by Bradford Ropes, will be presented March 6 through 9 by members of the Marcos de Niza High School Theatre group. With lyrics by Al Dubin and music by Harry Warren, the production represents the quintessential Broadway fairytale of a young dancer who arrives in [...]
The word “Greater” in Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival isn’t there for nothing. The event, which runs Feb. 10 through 24, is spread out all over the greater Phoenix area—although, ironically, not in Phoenix proper. Shows are slated at Harkins Camelview 5 in Scottsdale; in the wilds of the West Valley at Harkins Arrowhead 18 [...]
Much as I would like to avoid any weary reference to his famous Terminator catchphrase: He’s back. After a 10-year hiatus from starring roles so that he could do some temporary state government job, Arnold Schwarzenegger has returned with The Last Stand, a simplistic, bloody action picture which is, like Arnie himself, very much of [...]
A small town in southwestern Pennsylvania is the setting of Promised Land. It’s not exactly flowing with milk and honey—it’s a broke, fading farm community. But it’s sitting on oceans of natural gas, so two corporate agents, Steve (Matt Damon) and Sue (Frances MacDormand) descend on the all-too-eager locals, offering what seems like a fortune [...]
Literalism is the joke behind the 2011 computer-animated feature Arthur Christmas. It’s right there in the poster: “Ever wonder how 2 Billion presents get delivered in 1 night?” 2 billion kids have wondered the same thing, and also how reindeer can fly, and how Santa gets down the chimney, etc. According to Arthur Christmas, nowadays [...]
It’s claimed that Larry Hagman despised I Dream of Jeannie, the hit show in which he starred from 1965 to 1970. It’s a shame if so, because Hagman, who died last weekend at 81, was really good on it. He was likable as Major Anthony “Tony” Nelson, an astronaut who finds a genie in a [...]
There are countless well-loved Christmas movies, but Thanksgiving movies are a rarity. I’m not much of a fan of 1995’s Home for the Holidays, but I often steer people toward What’s Cooking? (2000), Gurinder Chadha’s delightful, too-little-known multi-cultural Turkey Day comedy. In case you’ve already seen it, though, here are a few more Thanksgiving titles: [...]
When your name is Wreck-It Ralph and you no longer want to wreck things—well, what you got there is an existential drama. The title character in Disney’s computer-animated feature is a burly thug in bibs, with two huge fists which he uses, spitefully, to inflict damage on a building. His counterpart is an insufferably chipper [...]
