Despite the comic talents of Tina Fey and Steve Carell, Date Night is sorely lacking in the laugh department. It is not funny enough to be a good comedy, and not interesting enough to compensate for the lack of truly funny moments. The charm of the stars and the strong supporting performances cannot make up for the poor script. [Read more →]
I have and will always love The Lemonheads album It’s A Shame About Ray. Came out in 1992 and yet I still listen to it on an almost weekly basis. It was a simpler time then — Kurt Cobain was still alive, mix tapes were literally cassettes, and the only person I knew with a cellphone was Zach Morris. Every song on the album is so good, and it brings me back to my days of stressing over girls and being almost solely responsible for keeping Oxy Cream’s stock up. Ahh, my teenage years! [Read more →]
I’ve been a fan of David Cross since the late 1990s when his sketch comedy show, Mr. Show with Bob and David, aired on HBO. He is a harsh, vulgar, and insightful comic who calls attention to serious issues through exaggerations so extreme most people are instantly offended. I remember one sketch that assaulted America’s public schools by juxtaposing Hitler and Anne Frank — brilliance. So, when I saw his book, I Drink for a Reason, I was psyched to download the audio book from iTunes and give it a listen. Wow! Does it suck! The comedy takes a turn for the worse about two hours in; it moves quickly from amusing social critique to the trite ramblings of a tired comedian.
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According to nerdy Dave Lizewski (Aaron Johnson) a superhero is a “perfect combination of optimism and naiveté.” Of course, skill with lethal weapons and a fearless nature are also required. In Kick-Ass, however, the powerless become unlikely superheroes. The film is a parody of superhero movies, but I was still invested in the characters and story. And most of all, Kick-Ass is a hoot. [Read more →]
“Stealth marketing” sounds like a good idea. In fact it might work, which makes the idea behind Derrick Borte’s satire on American consumerism almost believable. But while the performances are good, the plot clever and the dialogue fun, the predictable ending and lack of depth makes The Joneses mildly enjoyable, but ultimately of little consequence. [Read more →]
I am totally digging my new chicken recipe. I use Wegmans Parmesan Italian Dressing and Weber’s Garlic and Herb spice. Cooking is a pretty macho things these days, think about it — look at the guys on TV — Bobby Flay, Emeril, Guy Fieri, and Alton Brown. Well, 3 out of 4 ain’t bad. I would like to think I am a pretty decent cook — and love cooking on the grill. Since the weather has turned, I have grilled practically every night. So I got this stuff from Wegmans and added in the spice — then rubbed it all over the chicken and basted it while it was cooking. Wow, was it good. The local potheads came floating towards my house like zombies when they smelled the amazing aromas coming off of my overworked grill. Most importantly, the girlfriend gave it the seal of approval. Sadly, the potheads are all still milling around in my backyard waiting for me to make the chicken again. [Read more →]
Introducing RTB: RottenTomatoBot, the hero who does everything within his power to protect the cinematic art form from moronic film critics!
Yes, The Square has an adulterous affair, a bag of money, a construction site and teeming rain — all the de rigueur components for noir thrillers. But Aussie filmmaker (and former stunt man) Nash Edgerton directs his first full length feature with crisp pacing, effectively placed shocks and just the right amount of humor. [Read more →]
“I’m trying to do nothing for a while,” Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) tells his ex-girlfriend Beth (Jennifer Jason Leigh) at an L.A. party. Greenberg does not have to try very hard. But Noah Baumbach’s character–driven film about an inactive and neurotic guy is both compelling and funny. Its strengths are the pair of strong lead performances and Baumbach’s subtle and witty script. [Read more →]
This week I am digging Starburst jelly beans. We are making a basket for our two year old son Jack, which means we are picking out candy we like since he can’t really have much of it. I was happy to find my favorite Easter candy- the elusive Starburst jelly beans. The Holy Grail of beans made of hardened jelly. Each year is different, sometimes you can’t find them, sometimes they seem to be raining from the sky. (At least in my dreams) The O’Connor house is on bag number three and they may be the reason I have had trouble sleeping lately. [Read more →]
Sometimes you sit in the dark and think, “Why can’t it always be like this?” Well, that is what happened to me when I watched the delightful gift that is City Island. This film is funny, smart, moving, packed with great performances and set in a fascinating place. [Read more →]
Forrest Gump — 1994
“My mom always told me life was like chocolate. Chocolate box. Wait…no, that wasn’t it. What the heck did she say? It was a box… chocolate… uhm… hang on, let me call my mom.”
The Wizard Of Oz — 1939
“Toto… where the heck are we?”
Frankenstein — 1931
“Whoa… hang on… hey Igor… is that thing… wait… is that thing alive? That is so weird. [Read more →]
First of all, check this out: Movie ticket prices are going up.
Many movie theaters across the country plan to raise ticket prices this weekend, particularly for premium-priced 3D tickets, The Wall Street Journal reported today (Thursday). It noted that 3D IMAX tickets in Boston for How to Train Your Dragon will rise to $14.50 versus $11.50, the price charged last weekend in the same theaters for Alice in Wonderland. Ticket prices for the 2D version of the movie will rise 3 to 4 percent.
Wow. That is a big jump. Three bucks for 3-D tickets. I’m not much of a mathematician, but that is at least, um, a 20% increase. This is coming at a time when movie studios are increasing their 3-D movie output. Warner Bros, for instance, is releasing all of its “tentpole” releases in 3-D. [Read more →]
I am currently digging Say Anything — the 1989 Cameron Crowe movie starring John Cusack. If you live under a rock and never saw it, surely you have seen the image of Cusack holding the boombox over his head. Cusack stars as Lloyd Dobler, the most unrealistically cool, laid back, and interesting teenage boy that ever lived. Since I was the heavyweight champion of having crushes on girls in high school, it’s good to see that Lloyd gets the girl. But beyond all that — the soundtrack is ridiculous. Cameron Crowe never goes wrong — Singles is in my opinion the best movie soundtrack ever, and even Elizabethtown is a rather legit soundtrack. I have been driving my girlfriend insane with all my Say Anything references and recently serenaded her Cusack-style and adapted to the times by holding my ipod over my head. She didn’t think it was as funny as I did.
Roman Polanski’s moody political thriller features a great cast and plenty of pointed political allusions. Although the pace is more leisurely than some action films, the writing is smart and the twists keep you guessing. It is not in the same class as some of Polanski’s other films (The Pianist , Chinatown , Rosemary’s Baby), but it is not a bad way to spend 128 minutes. [Read more →]
In the exciting opening scene of Brooklyn’s Finest, bad guy Carlo (Vincent D’Onofrio, in an effective but too brief performance) explains to Sal (Ethan Hawke) his philosophy about “righter and wronger.” Issues of moral relativism drive this taut cop thriller, and it is sometimes hard to tell the cops from the criminals. Crisp direction from Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), compelling characters and a trio of excellent lead performances kept me completely engaged in a film from a genre I usually avoid. The film is a bit of a downer but it is exciting and enjoyable. [Read more →]
“Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast,” says Alice (Mia Wasikowska) to the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp). So have I. I believed that it would be impossible for Tim Burton to make a film of Alice in Wonderland that is: 1) not funny, 2) not dark, 3) not adult, 4) dull, even with the help of 3D effects, 5) heavy handed and 6) lacking in imagination. But, curiouser and curiouser, I was wrong. [Read more →]
10. “Is Sandra Bullock nominated for All About Steve?”
9. “I’m glad they made it ten Best Picture nominees; before, the show never seemed to drag enough.”
8. “Who’s up for Best Boy?”
7. “I’d like to see those District 9 aliens and those Avatar aliens in a steel cage match.”
6. “I thought Mo’Nique was u’Nique.”
5. “They gotta be fixed; I mean, Paul Blart: Mall Cop deserved something!”
4. “I never realized that the Oscar is just chocolate wrapped in tinfoil.”
3. “I hear that Stanley Tucci is all hands.”
2. “Who cares about Best Picture? My favorite is Best Sound Mixing!”
1. “It’s too bad they don’t have televisions on Pandora.”
Bob Sullivan’s Top Ten Everything appears every Monday.
I am a Julia Child fanatic. I feel so cheated that she died before I had the chance to meet her and become her best friend (oh trust me, it would have happened!). Generally I couldn’t care less about the Oscars, but this year Julia is involved (albeit against her wishes). I will be preparing Julia’s Classic Roast Chicken to munch on while we watch the Oscars, followed by her most famous dessert, the Apple Tarte Tatin. Here are a few more of my favorite J.C. menu combinations and recipes.
Enjoy the Oscars tonight and Bon Appetit!
Hollywood is not fair. Anyone who tells you that Hollywood is like a giant engine and the fuel is ideas, and the best ideas are like premium gasoline and if you have a great idea you can charge $3.45 a gallon is lying to you. I know he’s lying to you on account of I’ve seen Hollywood’s dark, rotting underbelly. I’ve seen it, and it’s just revolting.
