“Parker directs with a nimble touch that never weighs down the effervescent plot…” Oscar Wilde described his last play, The Importance of Being Earnest, as a “delicate bubble of fancy.” Director Oliver Parker clearly kept this in mind while adapting it for the screen. As with his previous film, An Ideal Husband, Parker directs … Continue reading
“If Baz Luhrman made a documentary, it would look an awful lot like The Kid Stays in the Picture…” If Baz Lurhmann made a documentary, it would look an awful lot like The Kid Stays in the Picture. That said, even if you’re not a fan of documentaries, even if you’ve never heard of Robert … Continue reading
“What’s amazing is how little has changed in porn over the years. Naughty’s shorts feature nearly all the hallmarks of today’s hardcore videos: Bad lighting, horrible sets, terrible acting, and ridiculous story lines…” It’s easy to think that, here in the 21st Century, we’re pushing sexual boundaries as never before. Au contraire, mon frere! Lest … Continue reading
“What about Dick? What is Dick’s appeal? Why are there so many Dick enthusiasts?” The press notes for The Gospel According to Philip K. Dick, a new documentary on the popular science-fiction writer, reveal that his fans – of which there are multitudes – refer to themselves as “dickheads” (probably because it hurts less than … Continue reading
Bombay Schemes Sex and spirituality collide in The Guru In India’s distinctive Bollywood movie-extravaganzas, musical numbers abound and happy endings are always a foregone conclusion. So it is with The Guru, a merry – if quirky – romantic comedy that pokes gentle fun at Bollywood even as it gleefully embraces every corny convention of the … Continue reading
After moving to New York in search of fame and fortune, an Indian dance teacher (Jimi Mistry) is mistaken for an enlightened sexual advisor by a flaky socialite (Marisa Tomei). He’s aided in the charade by an unwitting porn actress (Heather Graham), who shares her philosophies on sex with him because she believes he’s training … Continue reading
“Though many thought it impossible, Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, postgay masterpiece The Hours has been transformed into a heartbreaking film of staggering genius…” Though many thought it impossible, Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning, postgay masterpiece The Hours has been transformed into a heartbreaking film of staggering genius. The novel, a complex, intertwining story of three unrelated … Continue reading
This extraordinary adaptation of Michael Cunningham’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel depicts a single, defining day in the lives of three unrelated women who are linked by a literary masterpiece. In 1923 England, Virginia Woolf (Nicole Kidman) battles mounting depression as she begins work on her first great novel, “Mrs. Dalloway,” the very book a discontented housewife … Continue reading
Off Track Despite the star power in The Hunted, there’s no thrill in this chase What happened to William Friedkin? Early in his career, he gained notoriety by directing acclaimed hits like The Boys in the Band, The French Connection and The Exorcist. But for the past several years, when he hasn’t been devoting himself … Continue reading
“In an early scene in The Life of David Gale, Kevin Spacey, as the titular philosophy professor and future death row inmate, gives an impassioned classroom lecture in front of a blackboard emblazoned with the words “Deus Ex Machina.” A term used to describe a resolution to a plot problem which is too convenient for … Continue reading
Mike Rucker Writes 