By: Addison Wylie It was inevitable that Rock of Ages, the rollicking hit stage play celebrating hair bands and other 80’s rock-and-roll, would become a movie. But, as someone who has seen the play, I wonder, “would this be possible?” The stage play has a power over people whether it’s a nostalgic force or simple unadulterated joy. Would that energy translate well to a different medium? The cast in the play also refer to the…
By: Addison Wylie It’s not as easy to make a movie that’s “so bad, it’s good”. Isn’t that right John Gulager? Gulager is the director of Piranha 3DD, the earth-shattering awful sequel to the peoples’ guilty pleasure Piranha 3D and, boy, does he have a lot to learn. Not only in regards to how to create a film movie goers could laugh at and laugh with but he has to figure out the basic understanding…
By: Addison Wylie The story behind The Intouchables is touching but it’s not earth shattering. It was a moving event in the lives of down-and-out Driss (played by Omar Sy in a fantastic debut) and for the classy, wheelchair-bound Philippe (played with equal greatness by François Cluzet) but it hasn’t had any impact on society nor are these two opposites household names because of the outcome their relationship has had. But, that doesn’t mean this…
By: Addison Wylie Barry Sonnenfeld’s third instalment to the popular and bizarre Men in Black series is a perfect way to cut the ribbon on the summer movie season. It also helps that this exciting slice of entertainment is a solid chapter for these characters. After a decade of fighting the intergalactic scum of the Earth, Agent J (played by Will Smith) and Agent K (played by Tommy Lee Jones) reach a crossroad in their…
By: Addison Wylie People hear statistics about how frequent bullying is in the school system but, for the most part, it’s remained a problem that’s been sitting on the back burner. However, after the recent extremes bullying has caused (including youth suicides), Filmmaker Lee Hirsch has made Bully, a documentary that gives audiences an intimate look at how the issue is handled in schools located in Georgia, Iowa, Mississippi, and Oklahoma as well as the…
By: Addison Wylie After much anticipation, The Avengers, a big budget superhero collaboration project featuring a versatile and talented cast, has come to fruition. Marvel has been taking their time for a little over half a decade to build towards this grand display of the supernatural and superhuman and the company both in front and behind the camera have done a fantastic job doing so. Mind you, some credit goes to the minds who helped build…
By: Addison Wylie Comedian/Writer/Director Bobcat Goldthwait has this incredible ability to use film as a way to call out an elephant in the room. When he does, no one lifts a finger to interject. It’s because with World’s Greatest Dad and now with his latest angry opus God Bless America, he’s writing about topics and nitpicks that have crossed out minds but the subjects are either too awkward or too nitpicky that we end up…
By: Addison Wylie There are many scenes in The Five-Year Engagement where it’ll be hard for movie goers to separate themselves from the movie without being reminded of being in similar situations. For instance, a quick scene where Tom Solomon (played by Jason Segel) is having a disagreement with his friend Alex (played by Chriss Pratt) about flirting vs. being friendly especially rang true because I’ve been on Tom’s side before when talking to my…
By: Addison Wylie Jason Statham’s latest action vehicle is just that – safe. It’s an underwhelming, by-the-numbers romp that plays action cliché after action cliché as if it was reading off a grocery list. However, writer/director Boaz Yakin can’t even come through on those common denominators. Safe wouldn’t even work as a guilty pleasure on DVD. It’s an awkward and annoying flub of a film for many reasons but mostly because it feels like we’re…
By: Addison Wylie *NOTE: The review for Crispin Glover’s What Is It won’t be like the average review you’ve seen on this site. However, given that the subject and the subject’s film at hand aren’t like anyone or anything else, it feels appropriate to be writing this way. Anyways, carry on.* Crispin Glover established himself as an actor with his early work in Back to the Future and River’s Edge. Lately, audiences have seen Glover…