Can
movies do service to 'The Road'?
When
Entertainment Weekly sat down last year to compile the best
25 novels of the last 25 years, there was surprisingly
little dissent when the magazine listed Cormac McCarthy’s
"The Road" in the top slot.
'2012'
fits the bill for film lovers
of mass destruction
Well,
here’s my guilty pleasure of 2009. If there ever was a disaster movie, "2012" is it.
The
world ends again in ‘2012,’
as in 5 other apocalyptothrillers
Feeling down
about the Great Recession? Hollywood has your answer: An
all-out apocalypse.
'Silent
Light' a change of pace
Here is a moving,
heartbreaking story, about souls trapped on Earth while they
think only of the heavens. It’s a story about a crisis of
faith, a crisis of love and how fear and guilt can render
men insane.
Heslov
confuses with 'Goats'
It’s
a war movie and a hippie flick. A paranormal thriller and a
black comedy. At the end of the line, it’s apparent that
"The Men Who Stare At Goats" has tried to be a
few too many things, but that sloppiness and unpredictability
is part of what makes this hodgepodge so much fun.
'The
Narrows' earns little fanfare
Every year, there
a good number of movies that go directly to cable or DVD.
'Food
Inc.' exposes dangers of food supply
At the center of
"Food Inc." is a shocking – and haunting –
scene that captures in an instant just how out of balance
our food supply has become.
Skiing
goes extreme at Times Cinema
Back in 2007, William Kerig helped
to produce a movie named "Steep" - a soaring,
awe-inspiring documentary about the past and present of
extreme skiing.
One
final look at 'A Farewell to Arms'
This is the last
in a six-part TimeOut series on "A Farewell to
Arms."
Michael
Jackson's final bow:
'This Is It' feels right
It's
hard today to remember what it felt like in the hours and days
immediately following Michael Jackson's death.
Halloween
survival guide:
6 ways to kill a zombie
Zombies and
vampires are in this year, thanks to the likes of
"Twilight" and this month’s horror film "Zombieland."
'Examined
Life' a philosophical trip
For those who don’t
know, I got married two weeks ago, and as I was preparing
for my honeymoon - stocking up on music and books for my
relaxed trip out west, off the grid - I found myself
reflecting on what’s been lost in our go-go, tech-heavy
culture, among all that’s been gained.
One
great book, two very different movies
Rarely has a book
been adapted into a film twice, to such different ends.
|
Graham
shifts from serious
side with new theater production
I first
encountered the work of Bruce Graham when I saw "Coyote
on a Fence" several years ago.
Four
separate stories
add edginess to play
It is rare for a
small theater in Milwaukee to get the rights to a play that
is presently showing in New York at the Lincoln Center
Theatre.
'The
Seagull’ superbly staged
Anton Chekhov, who
was certainly one of the most prominent Russian writers,
established his reputation as a creator of short stories
before he tried his hand at playwriting.
'Duck
Hunter Shoots Angel'
worth seeing
Mitch Albom, a prolific writer, is probably most known for his ‘Tuesdays
with Morrie" and "The Five People You Meet in
Heaven," but there are lesser works that are just as
intriguing, as Albom typically combines playful satire,
fantasy and thought-provoking challenges to his audience.
'Traveling
Light' named for Jesus
"Traveling
Light" is a clever name for a show about Jesus and his
followers.
First
Stage's 'Junie' generates interest
Junie
is an outspoken, self-centered, rambunctious, spunky
5-year-old girl, who delights us with her honesty and unique
perspective.
Another
mystery with twists
This is the
weekend of mysteries in Waukesha County.
'And
Then There Were None '
will keep you guessing
As the characters
drift into the beautifully appointed island mansion, each
one gives off a certain aura. We immediately start forming
our impressions. They are all strangers to us, as well as to
each other except for the butler and his wife. But they,
too, are new to this job and to the arriving guests. There’s
already lots of mysteries, and many more to come.
Inge's
plays still make
for fine entertainment
William
Inge was a prolific writer who enjoyed great success with
several of his plays, but he has fallen out of favor a bit,
which is a shame.
'The
Year of Magical Thinking'
doesn’t strike emotional cord
I
was prepared to be shaken by Joan Didion’s one-woman
rendition of her bestselling memoir, “The Year of Magical
Thinking.”
'Clarence
Darrow' profiles
feats of famed historian
Clarence
Darrow was a talented lawyer and champion of human rights.
In his lengthy career he fought for labor unions, human
rights for the oppressed and the abolition of the death
penalty. He is best known for his defense of Scopes in the
famous evolution trial and for Leopold and Loeb in their
murder of Bobby Franks.
|