clock … watching time, the only true currency

I caught an early preview of Defiance a few weeks ago. Shortly after seeing Daniel Craig as James Bond in Quantum of Solace, the quiet Brit plays Tuvia Bielski, leader of a Jewish resistance group in World War II. One more story I never knew, and well told. The most amazing part? The Bielski brothers [...]

[Read more →]

Quantum of Solace… hmmm… not sure about that title. After Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace stumbles slightly. The 2006 re-imagination of Bond employed Daniel Craig to remove the camp and some of the set pieces from the franchise. Quantum of Solace continues the new attitude and Craig, marvelous choices that don’t save the weaker story. [...]

[Read more →]

Children of Men darkens your life for watching it. But it’s not because the movie tells a poor story or tell its story poorly. Instead, the utter mundanity and recognizable degradation of a near future where the human race is now infertile (for reasons unknown) just saddens you. When a crying baby is a beacon [...]

[Read more →]

Millions was a total surprise in the Netflix queue, thanks to the wife. Wonderful blend of the mundane and imaginary, Millions shimmers with a distinct look. The story stays true to the world of one little boy who’s learning to deal with a new world, one with his mother no longer in it. Throw in [...]

[Read more →]

If you see The Duchess, marvel at the scenery and the flip side of aristocracy. The ruling class in late 18th century England controlled everything, except their personal lives and privacy. I suppose the tradeoffs worked for many. But Keira Knightley’s Duchess showed the ups and downs, and all the personal crises happened in front [...]

[Read more →]

Google doesn’t lie. The official site for the new Coen brothers movie Burn After Reading is part of the Focus Features website. But if you search for burn after reading you are offered the official site at this URL: http://www.burnafterreading.com–live.com/#/home. That is the official site, launched as a pop-up (ugh) from the Focus Features site [...]

[Read more →]

The Dark Knight is still packing the IMAX theater here in San Francisco. We finally made it to the film. Big, long, full, and bold. The “excursion” to Hong Kong was a bit Jason Bourne-ish (which I like, but not in character) but otherwise, quite a headlong story. Whomever has to play the Joker in [...]

[Read more →]

I have not cancelled my Netflix account, so I was able to watch Pan’s Labyrinth, the DVD I’ve had out for months. (I missed the shipping fun by just a few days.) The mélange of history and fantasy shines. The division between the saturated color of the imagination and the stark faded light of Franco’s [...]

[Read more →]

Saw Wall•E last night, just a few hours after the rest of the family. With a 94 on Metacritic, Wall•E is in the top 15 of all time so far. Hmmm… maybe I’d heard too many hosannahs before seeing it. Fun film, but not ready to dub it an all-time favorite just yet. After the [...]

[Read more →]

Kung Fu Panda was today’s film. After a sick boy missed Saturday’s outing to see this animated movie, I accompanied him to an early evening showing. The boy hasn’t learned to restrain his reactions, so there was some shouting at the screen, some tears, and some outright laughter. I didn’t enjoy it much, but the [...]

[Read more →]