In keeping with the theme of Favorite Fun Futon Films for February (FFFFfF), we are reviewing classics — old and new — that ring true for us. These are carefully selected from the grand archives of film, and we wish to respectfully grace them with our reviews as fans.

We could write about any number of favorite films for home viewing, but a month isn’t long enough to hit more than a handful. We are focusing on the ones we have time to address thoroughly at the risk of appearing like nutty fans for these films. But, hey, if you aren’t nutty about something, then you have never lived!

So…

Unfortunately the bulk of the picture is cut together like a beer commercial on poorly lit cheap video without much panache. Unless primary colors with a gauzy halo is panache. Can’t be sure. Nor can you be sure if Sly is wearing tons of lipstick in some shots. (It’s really, really bad video.)

There’s a place for “Bullet to the Head” and that’s on Superstation at 3 AM when you stumble home from the bar and have enough sense not to start drunk dialing. In 1993.

So, not great then? Just guessing, it’s hard to tell from the tone of this piece…

Father Parker, as we are introduced to him during his first robbery of the movie, is quite a devout criminal… with principles.

“Don’t steal from people that can’t afford it,” Parker tells us. “Don’t hurt people that don’t deserve it. …Most importantly, if you say you will do something and you don’t, I will make sure you regret it.”

What seems like a heavy-handed spin of the good-bad guy theme that’s popular in cult action films these days only get’s more ridiculous when Parker dawns a white ten-gallon cowboy hat and chases down the thugs that left him for dead to steal back what was…

Rory Jansen (played by Bradley Cooper) is a writer who has it all: a loving wife (played by Zoe Saldana), critical acclaim by the bucket-loads, and a best-selling novel.

Problem is, he didn’t write it.

Now, in the aftermath of his success, the young author’s theft returns to haunt him. Secrets he thought were safe come to light. “There’s more than one way to take a life,” we’re told, and the truth of that statement hits Rory like a freight train. His sin has found him out.

An Underwhelming Acheivement

If you’re intrigued by this story, I don’t blame you. It intrigued me, too. The…

The general moviegoing audience pays a great deal of respect to the The Oscars and what it determines deserves adulation for a year’s films. I agree that the Academy is noteworthy, but it’s far from a perfect judgment. In fact, there are no perfect award ceremonies. Moviemakers that judge for The Oscars and others like them reflect a great deal of skewing biases. They are greatly subjective.

But, if you overview the top three (or so) award ceremonies together (the Oscars, SAGA, and the Golden Globes) then you have a better representation of films’ and their makers’ credibility. More…

There’s nothing especially awesome here to scream about, but for what it’s worth, The Last Stand carries on a mild amount of amusement for undemanding Schwarzenegger fans.

People that watch Arnold Schwarzenegger movies probably don’t bother to read movie reviews. That said, I’ve watched several films of Arnold’s, and here I am reading and writing reviews all the time. With that in mind, I’ll imagine that Arnold’s fans are the good folks reading this review, and I’ll let them know how this film compares to his others.

First, note that Arnold is getting up in years, and The Last Stand…

Broken City’s thinly sketched, formulaic script offers meager rewards for all but the least demanding noir aficionados.—RT

Have you ever wanted to watch a modern detective story set in New York starring some great actors? So have I, but Broken City isn’t that film we dream of. I went into the movie theater hopeful, and came away yawning, and asking myself, “Why? What were they thinking?”

Broken City is based on a spec script and is the directorial debut for Allen Hughes by an untested production company.¹ With that in mind, it’s no wonder that Broken City doesn’t meet the mark.

Why…

Promised Land was swept under the enormous blockbusters’ success of December, so little has been said about the film starring Matt Damon, Frances McDormand, and John Krasinski. For a simple drama set in the heartland of America, one that was written by the dynamic talents of Gus Van Sant and Damon, it seems the film would have met bigger acclaim for its themes and entertainment value. Or at least, the film should have lived up to someone’s expectations (films usually do). Why are audiences and critics bashing Promised Land?

TJ and I are reviewing the movie this week on The MovieByte…

Riots. Famine. War. Politics. Scandal. And Shakespeare.

Ralph Fiennes works both sides of the camera in a stunning directorial debut that reimagines one of the Bard’s lesser known works in a 21st century setting. Coriolanus is the answer to those who wonder if Shakespeare still matters.

A Remarkable Reimagining


Fiennes stars as Caius Martius “Coriolanus”, a proud and illustrious Roman general suddenly pitted against his own people. Rebelling against the schemes of his manipulative mother, Volumnia (Vanessa Redgrave), and banished by the republic he has protected at all costs,…