“National Treasure” – Ever since the last “Indiana Jones” movie 15 years ago, Hollywood has floundered in attempts to recapture the adventurous spirit with the likes of “The Mummy” and “Tomb Raider.” The Jerry Bruckheimer-produced […]
“Garden State” – It’s a great romance film precisely because it doesn’t seem like a romance. It stars Zach Braff (who also directed and compiled the Shins-heavy soundtrack) as a bright 20-something wandering aimlessly through […]
“Friday Night Lights” – The film expertly pares down the book, but H.G. Bissinger’s story, as sweeping as the west Texas oil country where it’s set, is too big for a two-hour movie. Still, the […]
“Shattered Glass” – I had already respected Hayden Christensen for his work on “Life as a House” and TV’s “Higher Ground” (and yes, even “Star Wars”), but his portrayal as Stephen Glass, an endearing psychopath […]
John’s “Pieces of April” flashback review, Nov. 26, 2020 “Pieces of April” – This indie charmer has two main plotlines. Well-intentioned bad cook April (Katie Holmes) fumbles her way through preparation of a Thanksgiving meal […]
“Matchstick Men” – Nicolas Cage and Alison Lohman are oddly likable as a father-and-daughter con team. The cleverest plotting of the year plays out atop director Ridley Scott’s soothing, beige backdrop. It’s another entry in […]
John’s Throwback Thursday review, March 25, 2021 “Lost in Translation” – Director Sophia Coppola portrays Tokyo in all its unnerving, otherworldly glory, softly illuminating the desperate yet perfect friendship (or is it love?) between lost […]
“Freaky Friday” – If you’ve seen their previous work, you’ll know that Jamie Lee Curtis as a teenager trapped in an adult’s body and Lindsay Lohan as an adult trapped in a teenager’s body isn’t […]
John’s “Anything Else” flashback review, Aug. 18, 2021 “Anything Else” – The first moment Jerry (Jason Biggs) lays eyes on Amanda (Christina Ricci), we’re yelling at the screen for him to stay away. But if he […]
“28 Days Later” – This new British horror classic starts with a killer premise — a guy wakes up in a hospital to discover he’s (seemingly) the last man on Earth. It eventually turns into […]