'The Harder They Come' Growing up on Maui, there was no escaping the rhythmic pull and verbal richness of the music of Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff. The latter is my favorite reggae artist, but that’s like saying The Beatles are better than The Rolling Stones, isn’t it? There is a distinction, however, that gives Cliff the edge over Marley, and that’s The Harder They Come. If … [Read more...] about Barry’s Streaming Cinema: A five-star review and more
Film Critique
THE HOBBIT DESOLATION OF SMAUG New Movie Review
It’s been 10 years since Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won the Best Picture Academy Award and his original fantasy film trilogy concluded. It seems that Hobbit Mania peaked a decade ago, with Jackson’s second prequel trilogy receiving mixed to indifferent responses so far, even from most die-hard Ring fans. I find myself in a strange position, as … [Read more...] about THE HOBBIT DESOLATION OF SMAUG New Movie Review
OUT OF THE FURNACE New Movie Review
Here’s the story of two brothers living in West Virginia. One is a hard working factory man named Russell, played by Christian Bale. The other is Rodney, a younger, directionless knucklehead, played by Casey Affleck. While the wise brother is aiming for a future with his girlfriend (Zoe Saldana), Rodney takes up amateur boxing. After walking away with a tenderized face and a … [Read more...] about OUT OF THE FURNACE New Movie Review
DALLAS BUYERS CLUB New Movie Review
During my days in acting school and the many theater classes that followed, my classmates and I moaned about the lack of great roles in movies. Like many whiny, Stanislavski-fueled Brando-wannabees, we’d say, “They don’t make movies like Midnight Cowboy anymore,” “Why can’t every movie be as good as Heat?” and/or “Will there ever be a movie as good as The Godfather again?” I … [Read more...] about DALLAS BUYERS CLUB New Movie Review
HUNGER GAMES CATCHING FIRE New Movie Review
The new Hunger Games won me over immediately, with an opening that not only sets the scene but addresses a problem I had with the previous film. We begin with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence), survivor of the kill-or-be-killed “games,” hunting in the woods. She kills an animal with her bow and, for a moment, hallucinates that she’s killed a person instead. It’s a shocking moment, … [Read more...] about HUNGER GAMES CATCHING FIRE New Movie Review