THE GREAT GATSBY - REVIEW

Ever since reading “The Great Gatsby” and viewing its multiple film adaptations I’ve wondered if the book could ever be filmed. There have been a couple Gatsbys already, Alan Ladd and Robert Redford, and neither of them got anywhere close to a living portrayal of the books mysterious, titular character. Yet, it isn’t the story or even the fact that Gatsby exists mostly as a creation of the book’s narrator that makes “The Great Gatsby,” in my mind, unfilmable.

Outside the Envelope - "Pain & Gain" Discussion

This time on Outside the Envelope (subscribe to us on iTunes) Brian, Rick, and I discuss the controversial film Pain & Gain, from director Michael Bay (Transformers, The Rock).  We really cover every feeling that can be had about this film, love to hate.  Michael Bay's work is always a source of feelings that are intense, rightfully so.  Join us below for our discussion.

JOHN DIES AT THE END - STREAM MY REELS

"Stream My Reels" is a weekly column that will feature one recommended streaming title from many different sources (Netflix, OnDemand, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.).

The term batshit suggests a level of insanity that words alone cannot justify.  It would be a disservice to this week's film, John Dies at the End, to describe it with even the word batshit.  That should come as no surprise to film fans as this is director Don Coscarelli's follow-up this his cult favorite Bubba Ho-Tep, a film where Elvis and JFK, both somehow alive and in a retirement home, fight an Egyptian Mummy that is feasting on the souls of their fellow residents.  If that sounds at all enticing to you, John Dies at the End will be right up your alley.

IRON MAN THREE - REVIEW

It isn't until after the credits roll that we first get to read the full title of the newest installment in the ongoing Iron Man series. However, something is not quite right. Instead of the usual title followed by its numerical signifier, we are presented with the title Iron Man Three, spelled-out quite differently than all of the promotional items leading up to the film's release. Perhaps if the filmmakers had spent less time spelling-out the title and more time spelling-out the machinations of the newest Marvel film I would have enjoyed it more.

CERTIFIED COPY - STREAM MY REELS

"Stream My Reels" is a weekly column that will feature one recommended streaming title from many different sources (Netflix, OnDemand, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.).

This week's film Certified Copy comes from the acclaimed Iranian director, Abbas Kiarostami.  If you haven't seen any of his work yet, you are missing out.  Even today, his film Close-Up received many nominations as the best film of the past 25 years at Criticwire.  As much as I love that film, my favorite of his work continues to be Certified Copy, starring the lovely Juliette Benoche and William Shimell.  For fans of the spectacular Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, this film should be right up your alley.

KUMARÉ - STREAM MY REELS

"Stream My Reels" is a weekly column that will feature one recommended streaming title from many different sources (Netflix, OnDemand, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc.).

This week's film is one that follows in the recent trend of what I like to call "involvumentaries"... or documentary films wherein the filmmakers are conducting a social experiment that they are very much involved in.  Other entries in this genre are films like Super Size Me, Borat (to some extent), and Religulous.  This growing trend in documentary cinema has been a refreshing one, allowing viewers to follow along with the action instead of witnessing a dissertation (of sorts) long after the events have transpired.

THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES - REVIEW

There is a tendency when assessing the value of something to confuse the amount of effort involved in trying to accomplish something with the actual results.  The old adage of "the journey is better than the destination" is a great motto to live ones' life by, but it also implies that eventually one will - at some point - arrive at some kind of conclusion.  Just imagine how frustrating it would be to journey to nowhere.