Touchez pas au Grisbi
August 9, 2005
Based on Albert Simonin’s famous French crime novel of the same name, Touchez pas au Grisbi (1954) concerns the friendship between two aging gangsters, Max (Gabin) and Riton (Dary). They have been friends for a long time as is evident from the familiar...
When Will I Be Loved
August 4, 2005
James Toback is a filmmaker that polarizes critics and audiences alike. He has been called a brave and daring filmmaker willing to take chances and also a pretentious hack. His new film, When Will I Be Loved (2004), will not bring these two sides together...
Leon, The Professional: Deluxe Edition
August 2, 2005
Fresh from the international success of La Femme Nikita (1990), Luc Besson attempted to conquer America with Leon (1994). Trimmed of a few minutes for a potentially uncomfortable scene involving a little girl proclaiming her love for a hitman and renamed...
October Sky: Special Edition
August 1, 2005
Based on Homer Hickam, Jr.’s childhood memoirs, Rocket Boys, October Sky (1999) was a surprise sleeper hit and gave actor Jake Gyllenhaal his first of many substantial roles. October Sky is one of those rare family films that isn’t condescending to...
Confessions of an American Girl
July 30, 2005
One of the hardest obstacles for independent films to overcome is distribution. Some films are relegated to obscurity by bad timing, lack of funds or, simply, they just aren’t that good. Such is the case with Confessions of an American Girl (2002),...
The Terminal
July 29, 2005
When you’re Steven Spielberg you can make any movie you like, so when a small independent-spirited true story about one man stuck in an airport comes along, he has the power to build an entire working terminal set around it. Such is the attention...
Troy
July 19, 2005
Since the surprise success of Gladiator (2000) there have been several sword and sandal epics that have tried to replicate its glory. None have come close. One of Hollywood’s most recent attempts has been Troy (2004), a fast and loose adaptation of...
Walking Tall
July 16, 2005
Now before I start, don’t think I’m one of those people who just wants to bash the Rock; analy spouting how he has no part in film and should have stuck to his spandex wearing, ring prancing antics. Quite the opposite in fact, I’m a...
Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 5
July 7, 2005
Buffy the Vampire Slayer has always been a dark show. However, the arrival of Season Five saw the series take an even darker turn as two major characters died and a seemingly unstoppable villain threatened to destroy Sunnydale and the rest of the world....
The Village
July 4, 2005
The Village (2004) is an evolution, of sorts, for the M. Night Shyamalan formula. Instead of focusing on one protagonist as he has done in his previous films, he has shifted the focus to an ensemble drama. It is also his first period drama in which the...
