In 1971 psychologist Philip Zimbardo embarked on a frighteningly eye-opening, ethically dubious experiment in the basement of the Stanford psychology building. In the study, randomly chosen undergraduate students were assigned either the role of prison guard or…
I’m not sure to what audience this film was directed, but Swing Vote is sure to insult anyone who watches it. The plot is downright silly (and not in a lackadaisical, fun way). The actors’ performances are…
What do you get when you put Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, Kay Thompson, and director Stanley Donen together? You get a mediocre musical that somehow gains the title “classic” by old critics that feel nostalgic when watching…
The last thing the viewer sees before the credits of Louis C.K.’s Chewed Up is the phrase “Dedicated to George Carlin.” This is sort of inevitable. One imagines that just about every comedian who has the opportunity…
And so the queen of the Sundance prom comes to DVD. Director Nanette Burstein, winner of the 2008 fest’s documentary directing award, told the New York Post of her inspired American Teen flick, “All the wonderful and…
Francis Ford Coppola is one of those names that exudes a sort of cinematic paragon. And why not? The Godfather trilogy and Apocalypse Now are four films that would cement anyone’s reputation. Still, as far as eternally…
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” first appeared in 1921 as a short story. F. Scott Fitzgerald (American “Jazz Age” writer of The Great Gatsby fame) wrote it as a comic farse. The 2008 film adaptation of…
In 1961, before realistic acting was the Hollywood norm and nearing the end of a notion that spontaneous musical numbers were a realistic portrayal of post-war society, there was the untamed classic, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Director Blake…
A show like Dexter has the potential to be worth anyone’s time. Ultimately, it’s about a serial killer doing his absolute best to do two things: first, not look like a serial killer to everyone around him,…
Clint Eastwood’s new movie, Gran Torino, is a gritty argument for redemption. It is spiritually and emotionally compelling, and vividly demonstrates both the darkness and brightness of the human soul. Opening January 9, the film will remind…