Tom Hanks

The Best and Worst of 2017…Thus Far

August 29, 2017 — Leave a comment

Welcome to 2017!

This year promises to be a very fulfilling year for cinema, especially given that 2016 was such a monumental year for the medium, I mean, just look at what happened at The Academy Awards earlier this year? Two Best Picture winners? While I truly believed that Moonlight championed its rival in 2016, both Moonlight and La La Land will always be, famously and unanimously associated with one another.

Luckily for us, no matter how many years pass, cinema always seems to be evolving, for better, or for worse, depending how you see it [depending on how much of an optimist or pessimist you are]. Whether it be the forum of the medium, the medium itself, its format or just the way stories are told and presented, cinema is a child constantly growing up.  Continue reading

Review: Saving Mr. Banks

December 20, 2013 — 3 Comments

The fact that I have never seen Mary Poppins should not compromise the extent of happiness that I experienced as a youngster. Yes, it may seem a bit bizarre that I never indulged in Julie Andrew’s Oscar winning performance and one of the most iconic screen roles of all time, but the fact of the matter is, Mary Poppins is a definite Disney film classic whether or not I have seen it. And although I may be in the minority of film critics who have never had the opportunity to see Poppins, I can assure you that it would have not changed my mind on the overall result of John Lee Hancock‘s cookie-cutter retelling film Saving Mr. Banks. Formulaic, emotionally manipulating and typical in Disney’s ugly duckling to sparkling swan narrative arc, Mr.Banks needs a lot more saving than it thinks.  Continue reading

Review: Captain Phillips

October 11, 2013 — 8 Comments

I’m not sure if there is some sort of unwritten rule in Hollywood to pump out glorified films of American icons or a quota for the “Based On A True Story: American Hero” genre. With the likes of Olympus Has Fallen, White House Down, and G.I Joe: Retaliation, there is only one way to distinguish these films from the likes of Captain Phillips, and that’s the talent behind, and in front of the screen. Continue reading