No Country for Old Men: all the right stuff and still not a great movie
Joel Cohen, “No Country for Old Men” (2007) Is it possible for a movie to have all the “right stuff” – you know, good acting performances,…
Hollywood Films
Dark City (dir. Alex Proyas): thought-provoking ideas and issues trapped in a prison
Alex Proyas, “Dark City” (1998) An attractive film that combines elements of film noir, mystery, science fiction and (regrettably) action thriller, “Dark City” is a quest…
Easy Rider: film holds a mirror to mainstream US society in 1969 – and beyond
Stripped of the hype that has grown around it over the years, “Easy Rider” is a well-made if loose low-budget flick about two drug dealers Wyatt…
Citizen Kane: interesting film but it privileges style over substance
Orson Welles, “Citizen Kane” (1941) Notwithstanding its tag as America’s greatest film or the world’s greatest film – usually bestowed by American film critics, of course!…
To Catch A Thief: there’s fluff and then there’s fluff, Hitchcock-style
Alfred Hitchcock, “To Catch A Thief” (1955) A clever light-hearted comedy crime caper set in southern France, this was one of Grace Kelly’s last films before…
Fair Game: Naomi Watts wastes her time as an unappealing good-girl CIA agent
Doug Liman, “Fair Game” (2010) Picture Source: Melinda Sue Gordon for Warner Bros Pictures, www.hollywoodchicago.com A few weeks ago (early December 2010), I went to a…
The Kite Runner: tear-jerker with weak plot and unappealing hero
Marc Forster, “The Kite Runner” (2006) Based on a best-selling novel by Afghan writer Khaled Hosseini, this is a picturesque film of childhood friendship that for…
Rear Window: clever Hitchcock suspense film turns the tables on viewers as passive spectators
Alfred Hitchcock, “Rear Window” (1954) From the days when Hollywood occasionally made films that featured rich sub-text and challenged audiences to question their role as viewers comes this…
Let Me In: Reeves “lets the right one in” to smother his version’s potential
Matt Reeves, “Let Me In”, Hammer Films / Overture Films (2010) Once upon a time about 25 years ago in a small town somewhere in Reagan-era America, there was…
Rosemary’s Baby: does it reflect women’s oppression by modern life?
Roman Polanski, “Rosemary’s Baby” (1968) Who doesn’t envy young couples these days who dream of having a nice 3-bedroom house or apartment in the city close to…