For Your Consideration is a rock solid satire of Hollywood’s awards season and holds up over 15 years after its 2006 theatrical release. I knew this was a funny film when I saw it for the first time in 2010. However, my only knowledge of awards season at the time was through what I saw on TV and read in magazines. Since this time, however, I’ve become an awards voter myself. I have a first-hand…
"For Your Consideration: An Awards Season Satire"Category: Movie Reviews
Sex Appeal marks the fifth American High film for Hulu as The Shabbos Goy filmmaker Talia Osteen directs her first narrative feature. Behind the camera, filmmaker Talia Osteen is no stranger to comedy. I know that I’m supposed to be talking about Sex Appeal but I must stress that The Shabbos Goy is one of the funniest short films I have ever seen. Honestly, I want to see a feature film made from the short…
"Sex Appeal: Teen Comedy Film Launching On Hulu"
Arsenic and Old Lace, a black comedy directed by Frank Capra and starring Cary Grant, is just as funny now as it was in 1944. Shot over the course of eight weeks in late 1941, the film wouldn’t see the light of day until 1944. Broadway plays are always a great source material for films. However, Broadway producers were always worried that movies would impact their attendance. At least, this was the case during the…
"Arsenic and Old Lace: A Hysterical Classic"
Orange County, the Jake Kasdan comedy starring Colin Hanks and Jack Black, marks its 20th anniversary since the 2002 theatrical release. When best friend Lonnie (Bret Harrison) is killed in a surfing accident, Shaun Brumder (Colin Hanks) starts rethinking his life. Until then, Shaun didn’t really value his education. He was the type to surf, drink, and party–so basically, he was your average high school student! Throw Marcus Skinner’s (Kevin Kline) novel into the equation…
"Orange County Turns 20 Years Old"
While a number of comedians discuss the joke in The Aristocrats, it is the late Bob Saget who draws the most laughs in telling his version. At first glance, comedians repeating the same joke and its origins is something that will probably get old really quick. Thanks to the direction of both Penn Jillette and Paul Provenza, who also edited the film with comedian Emery Emery, this doesn’t happen. A number of comedians appearing in…
"The Aristocrats: Bob Saget Told The Best Version"
Directed by Bob Saget, Benjamin is a dysfunctional family comedy that does its best to tackle the subject of drug addictions. If you’re looking to pay tribute to the late Bob Saget, there are probably better films or TV series to watch. Full House, The Aristocrats, you name it. However, I saw the comedian directed a film a few years ago so I had to watch. It’s not a bad film at all. If you’re…
"Benjamin: The Final Bob Saget-Directed Film"
Co-written with novelist Larry McMurtry, Peter Bogdanovich’s The Last Picture Show is a coming-of-age tribute to a bygone era of time. “Nobody wants to come to shows no more. Kid baseball in the summer, television all the time.” — Miss Mosey (Jessie Lee Fulton) to Duane Jackson (Jeff Bridges). Over fifty years later, these lines hit harder. Because of the pandemic, many theaters are fighting for their life. Movie palaces are especially fighting for their…
"The Last Picture Show: A Peter Bogdanovich Classic"
In the Heat of the Night, starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger as very different officers of the law, is one of the best movies ever made. “They call me Mister Tibbs!” – Officer Virgil Tibbs (Sidney Poitier) tells Bill Gillespie (Rod Steiger) when asked what he’s called in Philadelphia. Officer Tibbs is waiting at a train depot to make his journey back to Philadelphia when he’s suddenly accused of killing industrialist Phillip Colbert. Tibbs…
"In the Heat of the Night: The Best Picture of 1967"
Stanley Kramer’s Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner features a masterclass in acting from Spencer Tracy, Sidney Poitier, and Katharine Hepburn. When the film first came out in late 1967, it couldn’t have been more controversial for the era. After all, so few films depicted an interracial marriage in a positive manner. A Black person and a white person couldn’t be married to each other in 17 states during the time of filming. It wasn’t until…
"Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner: A Masterclass"
January is a month that studios typically use as a dumping ground for the not-good films and The 355 is no exception to the rule. The 355 is billed as a fast-paced espionage thriller but it didn’t feel fast-paced nor much of a thriller. This film takes us to the likes of Paris, Morocco, and Shanghai. There’s a star-studded cast but unfortunately, they can’t elevate the material no matter how much they try. The gist…
"The 355: The First Dud of 2022"