America Betrayed
on Nov 18, 2009 in US Army Corps of Engineers Director Leslie Cardé USACE First Run Features America Betrayed United States of America government Hurricane Katrina Disaster Capitalism Hurricane Katrina was a tragedy in every possible sense and meaning of the word that you can imagine. Perhaps the biggest of it all, was the total failure of the United States of America’s government to prevent the catastrophe and provide relieve a...

The Exiles
on Nov 10, 2009 in Native Americans Sherman Alexie and Sean Axmaker Dodger Stadium Milestone Film and Video director Kent Mackenzie Eric Gonzalez Grand Central Market Chavez Ravine Greg Kimble Kent Mackenzie “The Exiles” is another cinematic gem rescued from oblivion by the good folks at Milestone Film and Video. Directed by the late Kent Mackenzie, not long after he graduated from the University of Southern California, the film give us a rare glance...

The Taking of Pelham 123
on Nov 4, 2009 in Columbia Pictures writer Brian Helgeland Eric Gonzalez Denzel Washington John Travolta producer Todd Black director Tony Scott Reviewing remakes of films that where well-received in their original release is quite a challenge. It is also a daunting idea to remake a movie that was well-made in its first treatment. Any way you look at it, it can be a trap for any party involve...

Nothing like the Holidays
on Nov 2, 2009 in Elizabeth Peña Overture Films Vanessa Ferlito Debra Messing John Leguizamo Robert Teitel Luis Guzmán Freddy Rodriguez Alfred Molina Jay Hernández Anchor Bay Ent Alfredo De Villa Holidays will always provide for good reasons to make movies – not only because of their entertainment values, but also because the say a lot about our culture and our times. Because most films about Christmas, Thanksgiving and other special occasi...

Whatever Works
on Oct 27, 2009 in Sony Pictures Classics Larry David Eric Gonzalez Woody Allen Evan Rachel Wood Patricia Clarkson Woody Allen has been a very lucky director in the history of Cinema. I can’t think of any other director – with the exception, maybe, of Spielberg – that can still do “his” movies, even if they don’t continuously make money. Indeed, with...

Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
on Oct 27, 2009 in Disney Minister of Autumn Eric Gonzalez Pixie Hollow Blue Moon Queen Clarion Blue Ray Ever since I watched “Tinker Bell” last year, I kept asking myself why this animated feature didn’t make it to the big screen. It is certainly well made, and I’m sure it would have found an audience. After all, there are thousands of little g...

William Castle Film Collection
on Oct 21, 2009 in Orson Welles Chaney Columbia Pictures B-movies Karloff Lugosi Jeffrey Schwarz Eric Gonzalez William Schloss (1914-1977) Roman Polanki AFI FEST 2007 William Schloss (1914-1977), known in the artistic world as William Castle (schloss means castle, in German), was a prolific director, writer and producer, who at one time was assistant director to Orson Welles, and producer of Roman Polanki’s “R...

The Proposal
on Oct 14, 2009 in Ryan Reynolds writer Peter Chiarelli Touchstone Sandra Bullock Mary Steenburgen Alaska Betty White Erick Gonzalez director Anne Fletcher Craig T. Nelson Sandra Bullock is a talented actress that is always a pleasure to watch. She can be funny and she can also do good drama. Unfortunately, her film choices have not always been the best. This may not be the case with “The Proposal,” a charming and...

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
on Oct 6, 2009 in Disney Doc Sneezy Bashful Toby Bluth Grumpy Sleepy 1937 Happy Dopey This is it. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” which is referred to as “the one that started it all,” is finally available in a sensational Blue Ray / DVD set that shall please both fans and collectors alike. And it has to be this way, becaus...

Away We Go
on Sep 28, 2009 in Jeff Daniels director Sam Mendes Maya Rudolph John Krasinski Catherine O’Hara Dave Eggers Vendela Vida Universal Maggie Gyllenhaal Allison Janney Jim Gaffigan What a delightful surprise this movie was! It seems that director Sam Mendes can’t do any wrong. Having helmed the critically acclaimed “American Beauty” (1999), “Road to Perdition” (2002), “Jarhead” (2005), and “Revolutionary Road”...