You can almost hear the cynical studio logic behind this film. “Hey, Tyler Perry has shown that black people will go the movies if you put his name on something——literally, anything, so why not give them a black version of Meet the Parents?” And this film could easily be called the black version of Meet…
Category: Mindless Mondays
Movie Review: The Iceman
This is based on the true story of a psychotic mafia hit man who killed dozens of people in the 60’s and 70’s. I wish I could say the film was great, but it’s just so-so. Still, there is a great performance at the center of it. What Works: In two words: Michael Shannon. As the titular…
Movie Review: The Company You Keep
A movie I really wanted to like more than I wound up liking. Susan Sarandon plays a former member of The Weather Underground who’s been in hiding for decades, but gives herself up. When she does, an ambitious journalist (Shia Lebouf) puts a lot of her old friends at risk by digging into their backgrounds….
Movie Review: Olympus Has Fallen
Okay, seriously Alabama Liberal what is up with all these reviews for movies that no one cares about anymore? Don’t worry, the newer reviews truly are coming. Have a little faith. What Works: Not much. This White-House-in-peril thriller may have defied all box office expectations but it’s still pretty bad. On the plus side, Gerard…
Movie Review: Pain and Gain
Another late April movie I’m just now getting to, but don’t worry, this is just one of many new reviews coming out today. Plus, this film is actually really good and it’d be a shame for you to miss out on it. What Works: This film about three bodybuilders who enter a life of crime…
Movie Review: 42
This film came out more than a month ago, and I’m sure everyone who cared about seeing a biopic of Jackie Robinson already has, but don’t worry, this is just the first review of many today. What Works: I think this is a solid film, but not a great one. There are some great scenes…
TV Review: Behind the Candelabra
Tonight is the Super Bowl of gay television as it was not only the series finale of NBC’s Smash, but the premiere of this above-average TV movie about Liberace. HBO continued their winning streak of biopics for unconventional icons (Al Pacino in You Don’t Know Jack and The Phil Spector Story) with this film, which…
Pop Culture Battle 3, Book of the Summer: “The Interestings” vs. “Reconstructing Amelia”
What’s the book of the Summer? Both of these books have been mentioned on countless lists, and it’s time to settle this… The Interestings by Meg Wolitzer…About: A group of six creative kids goes to a summer camp for artists in the 70’s and make friendships that last a lifetime, even as some of them…
Pop Culture Battle, Part 2: Netflix’s House of Cards vs. the BBC’s House of Cards
Netflix is hustling to get in the original content game (this month’s Arrested Development return is probably their biggest coup to date), and their nasty political drama, “House of Cards,” truly is as good as anything on most cable networks. [I still don’t think it touches most dramas on AMC or HBO.] It’s smart, well-made, and excellently…
Pop Culture Battle…Bates Motel vs. The Following vs. Hannibal
Three shows enter, only one show shall leave (the first of three pop culture battles today). What’s the best serial killer show on TV? Bates Motel…Going for it: Is the show better than I thought it would be? Yes, but that’s not saying much. The cast is strong, particularly Vera Farminga as the infamous Mother…
More Book Reviews: The Teleportation Accident, What the Family Needed
Two literary novels with a sci-fi angle that are more interesting than truly successful… The Teleportation Accident by Ned Beauman…This book has already been described as a “cult hit,” which means that most people probably won’t like it very much. Sadly, I’m in that category. It is occasionally brilliant (a man in 30’s Germany wonders about…
Book Reviews: Ghost Man, Dinner, 12 Tribes of Hattie, Bringing Up the Bodies
Ready for a round-up of books that came out last year or a few months ago? No…well, too bad… Bringing Up the Bodies by Hillary Mantel…This book came out last year and pretty much everyone who was going to read it already has, but I thought I would weigh in briefly on this (slightly)…
Movie Review: “Mud,” a Quietly Triumphant, Romantic Film
A slow-building, completely charming indie about two boys in the waaaay rural South (think Mississippi Delta) who travel out to an island and discover a fugitive (Matthew McConaughey, continuing his career resurgence) who needs their help. One of the boys is having some personal problems (his parents are getting divorced…his “girlfriend” barely acknowledges him when…