Pootie and Bosko’s high school reunion

  Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion (1997) Embarrassed with the current state of their lives, Romy (Mira Sorvino) and Michelle (Lisa Kudrow) create a fictional backstory as successful business women when they attend their ten-year high school reunion. I’ve loved Mira Sorvino since Mighty Aphrodite (1995), but Lisa Kudrow has never been able to convince me… Continue reading Pootie and Bosko’s high school reunion

Night falls on Bosko in Rock Vegas

  Before Night Falls (2000) Cuban writer Reinaldo Arenas (Javier Bardem) was an early supporter of the Castro revolution, but his homosexuality led to his imprisonment and exile. This was Bardem’s first major success, but he’s at his best playing cold-hearted killer’s like Anton Chigurh or Raoul Silva.  Jonny Depp is good in the dual roles of Bon Bon and… Continue reading Night falls on Bosko in Rock Vegas

Trains, zombies, and racist cartoons

  Resident Evil (2002) I’m old enough to fondly remember the original Resident Evil video game, it’s hard to believe it spawned such a successful film series. Alice (Mila Jovovich) wakes up in the middle of the apocalypse.  Sometimes this dramatic device works, but in this film it leads to a great deal of confusion. I’m still not… Continue reading Trains, zombies, and racist cartoons

The myth of the farmer’s big wedding

  The Big Wedding (2013) Alejandro convinces his divorced, adoptive parents Don (Robert Deniro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton) to pretend they’re still married to appease his birth mother’s Catholic faith when she comes to his wedding. During their pretend reunion, Don and Ellie rekindle their relationship with a sexual liaison which forces long-buried family secrets into… Continue reading The myth of the farmer’s big wedding

The Muppets cleaned up and went to a party at Gummo’s house

  Gummo (1997) Tummler and Solomon supply dead cats to a grocer who then sells them to a local restaurant.  When a rival poaches their cats, they break into his house, discover his catatonic grandmother, and turn off her life support. This film about the people director Havey Korrine grew up with in Nashville is a… Continue reading The Muppets cleaned up and went to a party at Gummo’s house

The women can’t see nothin’ because of the darkness

  Post Tenebras Lux (2012) The director, Carlos Reygada, is well-regarded, especially for his earlier film Luz Silencosia (2007). Maybe his other films are better than this, but I’m not inclined to believe it. This “impressionistic film,” emulates the work of artists like Monet and Degas and has some well composed shots, but the pervasive attitude of the… Continue reading The women can’t see nothin’ because of the darkness

Hijacking love birds

  Love Birds (2011) Doug (Rhys Darby) is dumped by his longtime girlfriend and falls into a tailspin of depression. When he finds an injured duck and nurses it to health, he emerges from his depression and falls in love with veterinarian Holly (Sally Hawkins).  This New Zealand romantic comedy is not very imaginative, but Rhys… Continue reading Hijacking love birds

Stalking a serial killer in the wild west

  Stalker (1979) The eponymous stalker guides The Writer and The Professor to The Room, a magical place in the middle of a heavily restricted area known as The Zone, where your innermost desire becomes reality. The Writer is afraid he’s lost his inspiration and wants to use The Room as a muse. Initially reluctant to… Continue reading Stalking a serial killer in the wild west

Dreaming of the end

  This is the End (2013) Jay Baruchel and Seth Rogen were best friends growing up in Canada, but since Seth became a major star, their friendship has strained. When both of them go to a huge party at James Franco’s house, the apocalypse happens. You wouldn’t think the end of the world would be fertile ground for comedy,… Continue reading Dreaming of the end

Hello, I loved you, but not anymore

  The Doors (1991) Unlike the standard musical biopic, this movie makes no effort to portray Jim Morrison as a redeemable character.  When your protagonist is a selfish asshole who likes drugs, your film is at a disadvantage.  When you spend considerable amounts of time recreating one acid trip after another, your movie becomes tedious. Val Kilmer… Continue reading Hello, I loved you, but not anymore