Frank and Ava movie interview: Frank Sinatra portrayer Rico Simonini discusses the indie drama about singer’s turbulent marriage with Ava Gardner.
Real-Life-Based Movies
-
Barry (movie 2016): Former U.S. President Barack Obama and the author have a number of things in common, as discussed in this film commentary. Devon Terrell stars.
-
Sully (movie 2016) review: Tom Hanks personifies the ‘all-American hero’ as idealized by director Clint Eastwood in this drama that distorts real-life events. Laura Linney costars.
-
Truth (movie 2015) review: Cate Blanchett delivers a great star turn in this engrossing but less than objective docudrama. Robert Redford costars.
-
Captain Phillips (movie 2013) review: Tom Hanks’ American seaman is the wrong central character in Paul Greengrass’ unsatisfying political thriller. Barkhad Abdi costars.
-
The Fifth Estate (movie 2013) review: Benedict Cumberbatch creates a fuzzy Julian Assange in Bill Condon’s two-dimensional WikiLeaks’ drama.
-
Warren Beatty in Dick Tracy with Madonna. June 22 update: Warren Beatty used to be known as a Ladies’ Man. Before Annette Bening, there were stories about Natalie Wood, Leslie…
-
The Way Back movie box office: Peter Weir’s ‘inspirational’ adventure tale has turned out to be a commercial fiasco. Jim Sturgess stars.
-
The King’s Speech with Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter The King’s Speech (movie 2010) review I can’t imagine what it must be like to be born into royalty. That kind…
-
The Fighter movie (2010): ‘Smart’ (as in Marketable) Hollywood product with impressive Oscar winners Melissa Leo and Christian Bale.
-
Conviction movie box office: Starring Hilary Swank, Tony Goldwyn’s real-life-based legal drama is on its way to becoming a sizable commercial dud.
-
Secretariat movie box office: Starring Diane Lane, the racehorse drama has failed to match the popularity of the similarly themed Seabiscuit.
-
The Social Network box office: David Fincher’s Facebook drama is a rare critically acclaimed and adult-oriented hit. Jesse Eisenberg stars.
-
The Honeymoon Killers (movie 1970) review: Leonard Kastle’s crime tale rivals better-known fare partly thanks to Shirley Stoler and Tony Lo Bianco’s charismatic performances.
-
Charlie Wilson’s War box office: Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts have failed to lure audiences to Mike Nichols’ political comedy-drama. Amy Adams and Philip Seymour Hoffman costar.
-
Breach (movie 2007) review: Ryan Phillippe and Chris Cooper deliver first-rate performances in Billy Ray’s mature spy thriller based on the FBI’s infamous Robert Hanssen case.
-
Hotel Rwanda Movie: Facts or fiction in Rwandan genocide drama featuring Oskar-Schindler-like hero – Paul Rusebagina now himself a controversial figure.
-
The Sea Inside (movie 2004) review: Javier Bardem is an inadequate lead in Alejandro Amenábar’s pro-euthanasia melodrama. But the supporting cast is first-rate.
-
J.M. Barrie and Peter Pan origins: Marc Forster’s Finding Neverland opts for crowd-pleasing myths instead of a depiction of a darker, more complex reality.
-
Music of the Heart (movie 1999) review: Meryl Streep is an ‘inspirational’ presence in Wes Craven’s unusually sentimental real-life-based drama. Angela Bassett costars.
-
The Hurricane (movie 1999) review: Featuring a superficial Denzel Washington as jailed U.S. boxer Rubin Carter, Norman Jewison’s contrived real-life-based drama is probably his worst.
-
National Board of Review Awards: The J.M. Barrie movie Finding Neverland was named the year’s best release. Annette Bening and Laura Linney were among the other winners.
Jersey Boys (movie 2014) review: Clint Eastwood prosaically tracks the humdrum rise and fall of Frankie Valli (John Lloyd Young) and the Four Seasons.
Soul Surfer movie box office: Despite its relatively low budget, this ‘inspirational’ Christian drama may be unable to recover its production costs. AnnaSophia Robb and Dennis Quaid star.
For Colored Girls box office: The latest Tyler Perry drama has been a major commercial disappointment despite its stellar cast (Kerry Washington et al.).
Stardust Memories (movie 1980) review: Contemplative Woody Allen comedy is one of the most profound films ever made. Charlotte Rampling and Jessica Harper costar.
Running with Scissors (movie 2006) review: Ryan Murphy’s movie version of Augusten Burroughs’ memoirs is a dramatic mess. Annette Bening is its sole redeeming feature.
Finding Neverland (movie 2004) review: Johnny Depp is a lifeless, Disneyfied version of Peter Pan author J.M. Barrie in Marc Forster’s feel-good family tragedy.