For a time in the late 70s it seemed the only films Australia could produce were sumptuous period pieces. It was a cliché for a reason, with local filmmakers having pumped out “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “The Getting of Wisdom” and “My Brilliant Career” in quick succession. It’s this synoptic relationship between Australian cinema and
An underling’s ultimate revenge fantasy comes to life in George Huang’s caustic look behind the scenes at the functioning of Hollywood’s inner machinery. Based on his own time spent groveling for minute snatches of progress up the slippery totem pole at Columbia, Swimming for Sharks (1994) is essentially a satirical black comedy. Though it has
It’s reached a point with modern film releases where local actors are hardly given a special mention when they appear in big budget American films. There are so many fine performers from this country making a success of themselves in Hollywood that the Australian media has become inured to the their ubiquitous presence. Almost an
Since its original run as a Tony-winning play in the early 1980s, “Glengarry Glen Ross” has often been mentioned in the same breath as Arthur Miller’s “Death of a Salesman.” It’s a slightly reductive comparison, based purely on the fact that both works feature desperate peddlers running fast out of options. “Glengarry Glen Ross” is
Like a group therapy session with no psychologist in sight (unless that scary principal counts), The Breakfast Club is often considered the Most Meaningful of all the John Hughes teen movies. And while that very well might be the case, that doesn’t necessarily make it the best of those movies; that prize would most likely
The story of Bridget Jones’s Diary tracks our title character during the 32nd year of her life, one dominated by menial work, too much drinking/smoking/eating, and most notably, the lack of a meaningful relationship. Renée Zellweger has clearly and bravely gained the 20 requisite pounds to play the chubby-cheeked Bridget, who repeated resolves to get
Renée Zellweger has lost all 25 pounds of her Bridget Jones weight, vamped her way through Chicago, chunked up again for Cold Mountain, waifed away for Down with Love, and finally put all that weight back on for her long-awaited return to the role of an insecure Brit one which she swore she’d never perform
There’s a point about 35 minutes into Bring It On where you suddenly realize you’re sitting in a movie theater, watching Bring It On, wondering exactly how the hell the events in your life conspired to put your ass in an uncomfortable movie theater seat to watch Bring It On. But soon you give up,
More than a decade after Steve Martin lost control of his own home in Housesitter, another of his patented Poor Sap characters is in similar trouble. This time, instead of a spunky, conniving Goldie Hawn acting as unwanted tenant, a sassy, street-smart, badass Queen Latifah is movin’ on up. Thankfully, Martin and Latifah make for
They say every dog has his day but not Bernie Lootz (William H. Macy), the unluckiest man in Vegas. He always loses, no matter what the odds. For starters, his wife divorced him, both his son and his cat ran away, the plants in his apartment are all dead, and he can never sleep because
