http://pittcountynow.com Tue, 7 Sep 2010 05:16:35 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/357/4/the-extra-man.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/357/4/the-extra-man.html This Eccentric Comedy Will Find an Audience

I just was not that impressed, however, there were moments when the picture almost worked for me. This film directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, with the screenplay written by Robert Pulcini, Shari Springer Berman and Jonathan Ames, who wrote the novel that the screenplay was adapted from, made inroads; however unsuccessful, into the inane events within the life of confused literary novice, and frustrated private school instructor... Read More]]> Fri, 6 Aug 2010 16:41:11 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/255/4/the-blind-side.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/255/4/the-blind-side.html Christian Charity in a Strong Willed Southern Woman

Memphis native Leigh Anne Tuohy exemplified the best of both attributes and it made a huge difference in the true-life story of one young man - Michael Oher. Michael Oher was a large bodied, athletic, young black man, with the sweet spirit of an untainted child, who received an athletic scholarship to attend Wingate (actually, the private school is known as Briarcrest in Memphis circles) Christian School.

Wingate was a private school for... Read More]]> Thu, 20 May 2010 10:08:55 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/203/4/food-inc.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/203/4/food-inc.html Information is the Key

Robert Kenner, Magnolia Pictures Participant Media and River Road Entertainment deliver an amazing glimpse beneath the veil of our nation's food production system with their documentary Food, Inc. Food, Inc. contains all the elements of a great documentary: the exposure of a great "social wrong" in this case, the entire system of food production; profiles of greedy villains who fight to maintain the status quo to protect financial interests at the expense of workers an... Read More]]> Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:38:02 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/198/4/up.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/198/4/up.html Pixar Scores Again

Those crazy kids at Disney’s Pixar Animation Studios have done it again. After giving us the much celebrated Finding Nemo and the much less celebrated, Monsters, Inc., they really outdid themselves with their latest offering, delivered to us in the form of the highly entertaining, funny and surprisingly touching, Up.

The Brainchild of Peter Docter, Bob Peterson and Tom McCarthy, Up is a poignant parody on the adventure of life. It begins with an episodic glimpse ... Read More]]> Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:27:10 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/192/4/the-hurt-locker.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/192/4/the-hurt-locker.html For Love of Country or Love of the Rush?

Does it really matter? Staff Sergeant William James is still an American Hero - almost along the order of Audie Murphy. Sergeant Audie Murphy saved the lives of many American soldiers by killing hundreds of well armed Nazis. Staff Sergeant William James saved the lives of many American soldiers by dismantling hundreds of IED's in war torn urban Iraq.

The Staff Sergeant, portrayed by virtually unknown actor Jeremy Renner, had just disarmed a very... Read More]]> Thu, 18 Mar 2010 13:48:13 EDT http://pittcountynow.com/post/119/4/funny-people.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/119/4/funny-people.html The Return of Adam Sandler

If you like really good, side splitting comedies, and you have considered that Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen were dependable comedy staples, you’ve been sadly disappointed of late - unless, of course, you believe that formula, safe, but vulgar comedies are great and funny art. If you have followed any of my previous recent reviews of these two actors, you would know, I don’t.

Funny People is a return of sorts to a better written, better conceived comedy... Read More]]> Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:16:32 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/118/4/julie-julia.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/118/4/julie-julia.html This Dude Really Enjoyed the Ladies

"Julie & Julia" takes two outstanding actresses, who are entirely comfortable within their own skin and with each other (having worked very well together in the very fine film, "Doubt"), and makes a female buddy picture. The oddity here is that these two women: Julie Powell, portrayed by Amy Adams and Julia Child, played by the magnificently talented Meryl Streep, actually live in different time periods and are very different people, and yet one is drawn... Read More]]> Thu, 11 Feb 2010 11:13:40 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/102/4/extract.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/102/4/extract.html Mike Judge ... He's an Acquired Taste

At least that has been my history with this creative genius that when he hits, he knocks it out of the park, and when fails - it's a veritable a belly-flop. "Extract," a short 92 minute community inspired morality play, is no dinger. It is full frontal assault upon one's funny bone that just doesn't let up. But then that's just my subjective opinion.

My ongoing Mike Judge opinion: "Beavis and Butthead" - makes fun of heavy metal fanatics / idiots - di... Read More]]> Thu, 28 Jan 2010 10:30:37 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/90/4/inglourious-basterds.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/90/4/inglourious-basterds.html Outrageous Jewish Fantasy Film Reveals the Nexus of Nazi Horror
(And Consequently, Serves Up Ample Portions from the Sumptuous Buffet of Revenge)

Only Soviet Russia suffered an equal measure of destruction and the loss human potential, as did Nazi Germany in the world’s most horrific war. Nazi Germany suffered the loss over 5.5 million soldiers, millions of civilians, their industrial infrastructure and cities laid to ruin by over 1.44 million bomber sorties (combined United St... Read More]]> Mon, 18 Jan 2010 13:02:53 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/89/4/the-hangover.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/89/4/the-hangover.html Comedy That Works ... But Send the Chirldren to Bed

Who would have thought that in the highly evolved, intellectually advanced world of 2009, a sophomoric film called The Hangover would bring in $700 million (and counting) to become the highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time?

Definitely not Warner Bros., who welcomed the film's better-than-expected earnings as a 'hangover cure' for a less-than-stellar year. The surprise earnings from The Hangover easily helped Warner Bros.' parent compa... Read More]]> Mon, 18 Jan 2010 12:54:30 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/83/4/angels-and-demons.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/83/4/angels-and-demons.html Suspense and Intrigue to the Embattled End, "Angels and Demons" Kept on the Edge of my Seat

Tom Hanks returns as Harvard professor Robert Langdon in Ron Howard’s cinematic rendition of Dan Brown’s best selling novel Angels and Demons. The result is a suspenseful, fast paced thriller that will keep viewers with a steady pulse on the edge of their seats for the duration of this worthy follow-up to the international blockbuster The Da Vinci Code.

Set in Vatican City (Rome, Italy),... Read More]]> Tue, 5 Jan 2010 14:07:26 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/80/4/a-christmas-story.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/80/4/a-christmas-story.html Year after Year "A Christmas Story" Continues Like the Energizer Bunny ...

The major difference: it is nowhere near as annoying and actually it is reasonably entertaining as it drones on and on from Christmas Eve through most of Christmas Day on TBS. "A Christmas Story" is lifted from the satirical novel, "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash" written by humorist Jean Shepherd. Shepherd also shared in the credit on the screenplay with Director Bob Clark, and Leigh Brown. He also narrated t... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 14:00:10 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/79/4/inkheart.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/79/4/inkheart.html A Fairy Tale about Fairy Tales is a Pleasant Surprise

I wasn’t especially titillated by the thought of watching this film. The thought of Brendan Frasier’s last film, “Journey to the Center of the Earth” was still so very fresh in my past, and as many of you know, I do not suffer the wasting of my time gladly. “Inkheart,” surprisingly, is a good little film that has the good right to take itself seriously, and entertain its audience.

I was entertained ... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:59:06 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/78/4/john-adams.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/78/4/john-adams.html “John Adams” Survives … and Will Endure for the Ages.

John Adams on his death bed stated as his last words, “Thomas Jefferson survives.” What he could have never known is that Thomas Jefferson had passed away just a few hours earlier on his deathbed at Monticello on July 4, 1826 - on the 50 anniversary of their nation’s independence. The deep symbolic friendship between Adams and Jefferson is allegorical proof that this nation would survive the many trial... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:58:23 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/76/4/public-enemies.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/76/4/public-enemies.html Compelling Theme and Great Actors Cannot Save this Muddled Movie

An enemy of my enemy is my friend. Perhaps that was the logic behind the American people’s support of the killers, bank robbers and selfish philanderers who won hero status during the first years of the Great Depression. Public Enemies, a fictional movie based on fact, set infamous bank robbers such as John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson against a backdrop of public distrust of the government and banks.

The government nam... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:55:45 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/69/4/x-men-origins-wolverine.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/69/4/x-men-origins-wolverine.html Wolverine Howls for Redemption and Finds None

The prequel to the X-Men series, X-Men Origins: Wolverine affords us some insight into the origins of Wolverine, portrayed by a very buff Hugh Jackman, the preeminent character from the three previous X-Men films conceptually created by Marvel Comics impresario Stan Lee. This prequel was written David Benioff and Skip Woods, with Gavin Hood directing this action / adventure picture that sprints to conclusion that is more dynamic than it is surpris... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:38:33 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/68/4/the-proposal.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/68/4/the-proposal.html Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock Have a Rare Chemistry

And it makes "The Proposal" work as a film. It's actors, excellent in their individual roles, serve as its steady, competent vehicle. Along with a believable script, it is essential that the actors maintain a chemistry within their interactive personalities that is both credible while palpable.

Sandra Bullock portrays Margaret Tate, a high octane, upper echelon manager of a New York City book publishing concern, with a dedicat... Read More]]> Fri, 1 Jan 2010 13:35:53 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/45/4/coraline.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/45/4/coraline.html Narrative Pushes “Coraline” to the Head of the Pack

Director Henry Selick, who is best known for the animated features: “Nightmare Before Christmas,” “James and the Giant Peach” and “Monkeybone,” combined the flexibility of digital animation with stop motion animation to produce the characters that provided a rich, revealing picture upon the foundation of a fine story in “Coraline.” Henry Selick also wrote the screenplay of the Ne... Read More]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 16:25:37 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/36/4/camille.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/36/4/camille.html Camille Saw a White Knight in a Bad Boy

The sweetest, and possibly the most naïve girl in Kentucky is getting married. Her name is Camille, and we, the audience, are invited to the wedding, and possibly, to witness the rest of her life.

Camille, played by Sienna Miller, wants the one, and only man, Silas, played by James Franco, she ever loved, and sadly, he’s just plain trouble. He’s lazy, he’s a petty thief, he has a number of rather inarticulate tattoos traversing... Read More]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:09:22 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/34/4/the-merry-gentleman.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/34/4/the-merry-gentleman.html Goodness Prevails in a Complicated World

The self loathing complex is an honest portrayal of any murderer, who has any shred of conscience. Every time Frank Logan introduces a new client to the hereafter, he considers the one thing he knows that he is really good at - killing another human being. In every instance that human being is himself.

Actor Michael Keaton, became Director Michael Keaton, and his freshman effort is a spare compilation of the social facets of the broad spectrum of l... Read More]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:04:59 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/23/4/cadillac-records.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/23/4/cadillac-records.html Always Been a Sucker for the Music

The biopic “Cadillac Records” is a continuation of my personal theme of always considering the music as an integral component of any good picture. This film is about the music of an era that was the fertile breeding grounds for soul (which is basically a blend of rock ‘n’ roll and old Negro gospel) and rock ‘n’ roll. Muddy Waters once said, “Country Music and The Blues had a baby, and they named it Rock ‘nR... Read More]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 14:25:45 EST http://pittcountynow.com/post/10/4/sunshine-cleaning.html http://pittcountynow.com/post/10/4/sunshine-cleaning.html In All Legal Endeavors There is Honor

“Sunshine Cleaning,” the low budget drama about the human condition, is a robust success as a small film that showcases the best within beaten down people, who struggle to clench a measure of dignity, as they grasp for a crumb from the table of the American Dream. This thoughtful, well paced and wonderfully acted film told a real story of regular people, by giving the audience a glimpse into their work lives, as it peeled back the layers of th... Read More]]> Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:25:10 EST