After 23 previous films in the franchise, Bond films have a certain rhythm to them, a formula that involves breathtaking action sequences, seduction scenes and a light dialog that offers a wink to the viewer that it’s all ultimately in fun: there’s peril and danger, but it’s James Bond, he’s not going to really get killed at any point. Some directors have balanced these elements in their films perfectly, like Skyfall, and others have ended up…Read More
Review: The Gunman
It’s no surprise that the blockbuster The Bourne Identity has inspired more than one subsequent tough guy action thriller. While The Gunman isn’t a complete rip-off, there are definitely a number of aspects of the story that are inspired by the exploits of Jason Bourne. The title character of The Gunman is Jim Terrier (Sean Penn), a sniper who assassinates the Minister of Mining in the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo, and is then immediately whisked…Read More
Review: Cowboys & Aliens
There’s something timeless about a good Western, even if the genre has generally fallen out of favor with modern filmgoers. Sprinkle in some scary aliens, stunning special effects, and a terrific cast and the mashup film Cowboys & Aliensturns out to be a terrific and highly entertaining summer tentpole adventure. Set in sparsely populated New Mexico around 1875, the film starts with bad hombre Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) waking up in the middle of nowhere,…Read More