The Monthly Reel by Michelle Keenan The films I reviewed this month all shared a common denominator; people placed in dire and near hopeless situations. All is lost for Robert Redford; Sandra Bullock and George Clooney are lost in space; and, Tom Hanks stars in a pirate movie that willContinue Reading
Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: The Red Pony (1949) For years The Red Pony has only been available in washed out, substandard prints first on VHS and then later on budget line DVDs. This new version from Olive Films looks and sounds gorgeous. The sound is as important as the picture becauseContinue Reading
The Three Lost 1970’s Titles by Chip Kaufmann Two years ago in a previous edition of Reel Takes, I wrote an article on England’s legendary Hammer Films to celebrate the company’s rebirth and the upcoming release of The Woman in Black with Daniel Radcliffe. That film opened in February 2012Continue Reading
Aint Them Bodies Saints **** Short Take: After a robbery gone wrong, a man takes the rap for shooting a cop and is robbed of a life of with the woman he loves. Reel Take: David Lowery’s Aint Them Bodies Saints is tailor made for the art house circuit. TheContinue Reading
by Michelle Keenan October already?!? I confess I am stymied and mystified by the rapid passage of time of late. With the pace most of us are keeping these days, time is precious. When I watch a movie that wastes my time, you can be sure I’m going to letContinue Reading
Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: Twins of Evil (1971) Now that the three missing Hammer Films titles from the early 1970s have finally arrived on Blu-Ray/DVD (see related article in this issue), I have chosen one of them, Twins of Evil, as my October pick. After all a movie about vampires makesContinue Reading
2 Guns ***1/2 Short Take: Old school buddy movie benefits from above average plotting, crisp action scenes, and winning performances from Denzel Washington and Mark Wahlberg. Reel Take: August seems to be the month of retreads as opposed to remakes as far as my movie going is concerned. All threeContinue Reading
The Monthly Reel by Michelle Keenan Whether renting a DVD or looking for new titles at the theatre, there’s plenty from which to choose this month. At the theatre you’ll notice the race to the Oscar’s has already begun. Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine has a distinct l’eau d’Oscar, and LeeContinue Reading
Chip Kaufmann’s Pick: Charley Varrick (1973) Since I have referenced director Don Siegel in two of my reviews this month (2 Guns, Paranoia), it seems only fitting that my DVD pick be one of his films. After some deliberation, I chose his 1973 crime caper film Charley Varrick. Siegel isContinue Reading
