The prequel to Gettysburg, Gods and Generals is well intentioned. Director Ronald F. Maxwell’s dedication to the era is unquestionable. Unfortunately, his love for the subject has led to a bloated project that feels like a mediocre mini-series rather than…
For much of the 1990’s, John Grisham’s novels dominated bestsellers lists. A Time to Kill, The Pelican Brief, The Client, and The Firm are considered among his best. While all four were adapted into successful films, The Firm is by…
The Hustler is no more about pool then than Martin Scorsese’s Raging Bull is about boxing. At first glance, you might disagree. After all, most of The Hustler takes place in billiard rooms and pool halls. However, if the lead…
The story of Romeo & Juliet has been told a lot, but never quite like this. Imagine Shakespeare’s classic told by a group of garden gnomes, scored to the music of Elton John. How about a voice cast that includes…
Based on the Pulitzer Prize winning novel The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara, Gettysburg tells the story of four hot days in the summer of 1863, that changed the tide of the Civil War. A densely packed 271-minutes, and featuring…
Based on a book by John O’Brien, Leaving Las Vegas isn’t typical Hollywood fare. Most love stories are relentless in their optimism, and happy ending is mandatory. Therefore, it’s very unusual when a romance develops and stays entangled in the…
1986’s Platoon is a semi-autobiographical film. Writer/director Oliver Stone, who served as an infantryman in Vietnam, integrated several of his own experiences into the film. The main characters are based on people Stone served with. The lead and narrator, Chris…
Renowned for his use of visual humor, Charlie Chaplin was slow to embrace sound in motion pictures. His early forays into sound like City Lights (1931) and Modern Times (1936) continued to be mostly devoid of dialogue. Instead, he relied…
I’ve seen a lot of films about auto racing in my time; to this day, 1966’s Grand Prix is still at the top of the list. Part race car movie, part soap opera, Grand Prix manages to place the viewer…
Written by the playwright Arthur Miller for his wife Marilyn Monroe—whom he would divorce before the film was released, The Misfits has perhaps become more famous for what went on behind the scenes than what happened on it. Monroe delivers…