Oscar-winning filmmaker Alexander Payne reteams with Oscar-nominated actor Paul Giamatti in his newest film, The Holdovers. Barton Academy adjunct professor Paul Hunham (Paul Giamatti) has the unfortunate luck of having to stay on campus during winter break in 1970. He doesn’t really want to be there but he doesn’t have much of a choice. Hunham failed a wealthy father’s son and now has to look over students with nowhere to go. Students should have put…
"The Holdovers: Alexander Payne Reteams With Paul Giamatti"Tag: Paul Giamatti
The U.S. and the Holocaust is an essential documentary on the Shoah and the documentary’s 2022 airing is as timely and relevant as ever. Every viewer is going to respond differently to this film. The imagery can be graphic at times but this was what life was like for Jews under Nazi rule. The recent rise of antisemitism–and especially from celebrities of late–is a reason why people should watch this film. We now live in…
"The U.S. and the Holocaust: Essential, Timely, and Relevant"
The award-winning John Adams limited series, starring Paul Giamatti as the former president, is solid viewing for Presidents Day. I’m not going to dive into the plot of every part of the miniseries. If you know the story of John Adams, you already know what’s going to happen. Well, maybe. They certainly play with the history to an extent! What I will tell you right now is that the book is better. I originally watched…
"John Adams: A Presidential Miniseries"
Big Fat Liar, directed by Shawn Levy and starring Frankie Muniz, Paul Giamatti, and Amanda Bynes, marks 20 years since its 2002 release. What makes this rewatch so interesting is all the change in Hollywood since its release. Marty Wolf (Paul Giamatti) would not be able to get away with his antics today. It is beyond impossible. Hell, he even uses the R word, which is an absolute no. Dan Schneider penned the script with…
"Big Fat Liar Turns 20 Years Old"
Amy Koppelman adapts her 2003 novel of the same name, A Mouthful of Air, into a feature film starring Amanda Seyfried and Finn Wittrock. In any other year, Amanda Seyfried would be in the conversation for Best Actress in a Leading Role. However, the studio didn’t really push the film ahead of its theatrical release in late October. Case in point: there were barely over twenty critic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes as of the other…
"A Mouthful of Air Arrives on Home Video"
Take a journey along the Backside of Water as this summer’s action-adventure, Jungle Cruise, comes home on home video. Fans of the attraction will certainly be pleased. Dwayne Johnson is no stranger to the wonderful world of Disney and his performance in the film does right by anyone who has ever skippered the Disney attraction. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the ride, let me suggest tuning to Behind the Attraction on Disney+.…
"Jungle Cruise Is Now On Home Video"
The Ides of March, the political thriller starring Ryan Gosling and George Clooney, marks its tenth anniversary since its 2011 release. This film, based on Farrugut North by Beau Willimon, takes a behind-the-scenes look at political campaign drama. However, in as much as it is inside baseball, the film also focuses on Pennsylvania Governor Mike Morris’s sexual affair and how it nearly ends his presidential campaign. Politics can be an ugly event and this film…
"The Ides of March: Political Thriller Marks 10 Years" Jungle Cruise takes audiences on a journey to the Backside of Water as the Disney ride comes to the big screen in this action-adventure. Fans of the attraction will certainly be pleased. Dwayne Johnson is no stranger to the wonderful world of Disney and his performance in the film does right by anyone who has ever skippered the Disney attraction. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the ride, let me suggest tuning to…
"Jungle Cruise: A Journey to the Backside of Water"
Gunpowder Milkshake is a stylish female-driven Tarantino-esque genre-blending thriller that provides a new approach to the assassin genre. Sam (Karen Gillan) has known nothing but life with The Firm since her elite assassin mother, Scarlet (Lena Headey) abandoned her when she was 12 years old. To no surprise, Sam has followed in her mother’s footsteps and she’s become something of an assassin in her own right. Trust me when I say that you do not…
"Gunpowder Milkshake: A Stylish Genre-Blender"
Inspired by true events, Saving Mr. Banks is a film that takes us behind the scenes of how Mary Poppins came to the big screen. The art of filmmaking is a painstaking process. This is something I’ve learned not just through watching bonus features but reading biographies about classic Hollywood. On paper, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the film. It’s only when you dig deeper into the actual story where the film has its faults. …
"Saving Mr. Banks Goes Behind The Scenes"