Film

SANTA MONICA─The prizes for the 35th Annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were handed out inside a tent near the Santa Monica Pier on Saturday, February 8. Indie films do not always get the highlights they should receive, but it’s important because these movies tend to be some of the best of the bunch. “Uncut Gems” and “The Lighthouse” were heavy...

HOLLYWOOD─It is a daunting task to deliver a musical drama that works without moving in multiple directions. I had high hopes for “The High Note,” but it totally falters in my opinion. It is not a bad movie, but it’s a movie that is not certain of which trajectory it wants to take. The movie stars Tracee Ellis-Ross, Dakota...

HOLLYWOOD—The pandemic has totally screwed up the world of film and cinema. There were to be some major blockbusters to hit theaters in 2020, but they’ve all and I mean almost all of them have been pushed back until 2021 if not 2020. I cannot even remember what movies were to hit theaters this year, but one that was...

HOLLYWOOD—Growing up I was quite fond of the video game for the Super Nintendo gaming system, “Mortal Kombat.” It was a game unlike any other that was notable for its fighting style, its violence and its fatalities. The popular game was so big it spawned two movies, “Mortal Kombat” (1995) and “Mortal Kombat: Annihilation” (1997). Both films failed to...

HOLLYWOOD—Well it is official we are in the month of October, it is getting darker outside earlier, the leaves are falling, it’s raining a bit more, candy is in abundance, costumes are out and all things scary are in the forefront. So October is all about horror and things spooky and scary. If you haven’t already started looking at...

HOLLYWOOD—Yeah, the notion of remaking a classic, with a direct sequel to the classic is starting to annoy me quite a bit America. Why? The films are not clicking the same way that the filmmakers are expecting them to. I mean we had “Halloween,” three versions at this point 1978 (the original), 2007 (the remake) and then the 2018...

HOLLYWOOD—I have been waiting for any news on the upcoming sixth chapter in the “Scream” franchise ever since it was announced months ago a new installment was headed to theaters in March 2023. Well, “Scream” fans the sixth chapter, amply titled “Scream VI” has unleashed its first footage to audience on Wednesday, December 14. Talk about a tease that...

HOLLYWOOD—I don’t care what other critics say, but “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” entertained me thoroughly. I saw the first “Ant-Man” starring Paul Rudd and I loved it. It was a different take on a superhero who was not always the golden boy. We got someone who made mistakes and was given a second chance. I loved this notion...

HOLLYWOOD—I totally might be in the minority here, but I thoroughly enjoyed the animated feature “Elemental.” I know it has been panned by critics, but I suspect some of the critics failed to realize this is an animated flick. It is NOT supposed to make sense because animation is something outside the realm of reality. The flick is made...

BEVERLY HILLS—On Wednesday, January 10, the nominees for the 2024 Directors Guild of America Awards were announced. The DGA are huge predictors of who could be nominated for the highest accolade in the entertainment industry: The Academy Award or as most people call it the Oscar. Who would make the cut and who would not? Well Christopher Nolan picked up...