“Brilliantly encapsulates those amazing times when two mismatched people, brought together by unusual circumstances, make a connection that might not last, but leaves an indelible impression on each of them. Situations like those, though rare, are strange and wonderful things. Bittersweet and beautiful, Lost in Translation is strange and wonderful, too.” Big in Japan Bill Murray, Scarlett … Continue reading
“If Gollum is the soul of The Two Towers, its heart is the awesome battle at Helm’s Deep, which consumes nearly all of the film’s final hour…a breathtaking spectacle that builds slowly and ominously, adding layer upon layer of tension and gloom before exploding into an awe-inspiring pageant of bloody chaos.” I realize I’m the only … Continue reading
The second cinematic installment in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is superior to its spectacular predecessor in every regard, thanks largely to a trio of spellbinding storylines. As the forces of evil grow stronger throughout Middle Earth, a now-separated fellowship of adventurers struggles to restore peace. While ring-bearer Frodo (Elijah Wood) and his … Continue reading
Good Grief Philip Seymour Hoffman sniffs away the pain in Love Liza Critically acclaimed character actor Philip Seymour Hoffman has found himself the perfect leading role in Love Liza’s Wilson Joel, a dough-faced schlub struggling to overcome the pain caused by his wife’s recent suicide. Of course, it’s hardly a coincidence that Hoffman’s exceptional talent … Continue reading
In the strangely appealing Love Liza, critically acclaimed character actor Philip Seymour Hoffman puts his basset hound persona to excellent use as a leading man. His tour-de-force performance as Wilson, a loveable schlump who resorts to huffing gasoline to escape the pain of his wife’s suicide, is perfectly matched by Kathy Bates as his wife’s … Continue reading
With Lovely and Amazing, writer-director Nicole Holofcener revisits the themes and personalities she deftly examined in her feature debut, Walking and Talking, this time turning her sharp eye on how parental neurosis can affect the lives of children long after they’ve left the nest. In this case, the screwed-up parent is Jane (Brenda Blethyn), a … Continue reading
Call me stupid, but I had kind of a hard time following the plot of Mad Love, which concerns the stormy relationship between Joan of Castile and her husband, Philip the Handsome. It’s not my fault, though. Watching it requires more than a cursory knowledge of the sort of Spanish/Germanic history and geography that my … Continue reading
In Maid in Manhattan, Jennifer Lopez plays the most radiantly beautiful housekeeper to ever grace the silver screen. Despite a dowdy gray uniform and sensible shoes, her beat and brushed mug screams Rodeo Drive, even though her character is supposedly just another girl on the IRT. Of course, it always takes a certain suspension of … Continue reading
In this heavy-handed reworking of the Cinderella story, Jennifer Lopez attempts to keep it real by playing Marisa, a housekeeper at a luxury hotel who dreams of being promoted to assistant manager. After illicitly trying on some designer duds she finds in a room she’s cleaning, Marisa is mistaken for a well-heeled socialite by a … Continue reading
“Drag diva extraordinaire Varla Jean Merman headlines TWEED’s latest Fractured Classick, The Mailman Always Comes Twice, but the real stars of the show are her enormous, pendulous breasts. Like two rubber bowling balls bouncing and bobbing beneath her gauzy negligee, the remarkably lifelike bosoms appear to have a life of their own, and together they garner … Continue reading
Mike Rucker Writes 