Film

HOLLYWOOD—This is the summer of the blockbusters. However, blockbusters, aren't for everybody. This summer, you have "Transformers: The Last Knight, "Spider-Man: Homecoming" and "War for the Planet of the Apes." You'll also have the animated sequel "Cars 3," animated threequel "Despicable Me 3," and Christopher Nolan's war epic "Dunkirk." But what if you don't really care for blockbusters. Not...

SAN FRANCISCO—Marvel Studios released the first teaser trailer for "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" on Sunday, April 19. The film was partially shot in San Francisco and the city is featured heavily in the first teaser for the movie.  The film shut down production back in March 2020, while filming was taking place in Australia due to...

HOLLYWOOD—Yeppers, we’re less than 2 weeks away from the Academy Awards and two of the most decisive races are Best Director and Best Picture. Right now, I would make the argument that both races have clear front-runners, but with an awards season full of unpredictability in these races it’s still anyone’s game. Remember 2010 when it was “The Kings...

HOLLYWOOD—It was absolutely the best movie I saw in 2019. I am referring to the spine-tingling “A Quiet Place.” I cannot recall being so unnerved in a movie theater, where I was afraid to make a sound in the theater thinking I would be the cause of those creatures that hunt through sound attacking one of the protagonists in...

SANTA MONICA─For those thinking indie flicks are not important, think again. They tend to have a big say come award season, and if the nominees for the 2020 Independent Spirit Awards are any indication, there should be some fierce competition. The nominees were revealed on Thursday, November 21, with the dramas “Uncut Gems” and “The Lighthouse” each picking up...

HOLLYWOOD—I will be the first to admit that whenever I hear that a movie has been delayed that is never a good sign. It’s a term in Hollywood known as development hell. “Rings” which was slated to be released back in 2016, but had its released date pushed back on more than one occasion; finally saw the light of...

HOLLYWOOD—So it’s been a bit of time since the Oscar nominations were announced, which gives us plenty of time to finally decipher what took place on last Thursday. So first up both “Birdman” and “The Grand Budapest Hotel” lead this year’s pack of nominees with nine apiece. Bit of a surprise considering “Birdman” is a comedy and “Hotel” is...

HOLLYWOOD—Hmm, have you ever wondered precisely what happened in 2008 when the housing market crashed in the United States? Still trying to pinpoint precisely what the banks were secretly doing where they were able to give out those massive loans to people who didn’t qualify for them. Well, just like Hollywood, we now have a movie that attempts to...

HOLLYWOOD─So I will be the first to say I was damn entertained by the 2017 remake of “Jumanji.” It was hilarious and just had a story that clicked. Now we all know in Hollywood if you strike magic at the box-office, you should be prepared for a sequel, and we now have “Jumanji: The Next Level.” So the question...

HOLLYWOOD—It had to be one of the most talked about movies this holiday season, “The Interview.” This was not a flick on my list to see, but all the buzz surrounding the film peaked my interest. I mean it resulted in the hack of Sony Pictures Entertainment and a film being pulled from theaters, to eventually return amidst outrage. So...