Scott Garfield/Columbia Pictures
MOVIE REVIEW
The Equalizer (2014)
Proponents of above-average 1980s TV shows may recall a gruff and mysterious Edward Woodward in a stellar turn as shady agency-type Robert McCall meting out deserved vengeance on all manner of ne’er-do-wells. Its premise revolved around McCall — haunted by his past life — offering to put things right by helping those in need against forces of evil, in effect equalizing rights and wrongs. It was an interesting concept, legitimizing violent revenge by instilling its hero with a fierce moral compass. No wonder then that the show has been afforded a big screen adaptation, bought into the 21st century by “Training Day” tag team Antoine Fuqua and Denzel Washington.
Continue reading “The Help” »
MOVIE REVIEW
Surveillance (2008)
Magnet Releasing
To say that Jennifer Lynch’s “Surveillance” is a chip off the old Lynchian block is alternately misleading and accurate. Whereas the films orchestrated by her auteur father, David, disturb by turning the viewer’s brain into a battered punching bag, “Surveillance” achieves a similar feeling of psychological unease in a much more coherent manner. The film is a deviant surprise, an unwavering hell ride from the mind of a once left-for-dead filmmaker. After the critical drubbing and box-office tanking of her 1993 debut, “Boxing Helena,” Ms. Lynch hadn’t exactly put her name on the list of tomorrow’s best filmmakers. In fact, her name had become somewhat of an afterthought, one of the many examples of unsuccessful nepotism. “Surveillance’s” paralyzing tone and controlled ultra-violence, however, show that Ms. Lynch has emerged from Hollywood’s time-out corner with a vengeance.
Continue reading “Uncovering Clues on the Lost Highway” »
MOVIE REVIEW
Bottle Shock (2008)
Freestyle Releasing
Part oenological feast and part jingoistic underdog story, Randall Miller’s “Bottle Shock” uncovers some original territory amidst a clichéd outline. Mostly, it’s a loving tribute to wine aficionados and to a good old-fashioned American butt-whipping of the French, with period detail and dysfunctional family drama sprinkled in. Shot amidst the golden-hued, sweeping valleys of California’s wine country, it also serves as a visual treat and proof of Bill Pullman’s unexpectedly strong dramatic chops.
Continue reading “Grapes of Wrath Enliven Napa Valley” »
