tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-48996342734423233332012-02-15T22:28:52.845-08:00Join me as I delve into the world of cinema, television and literature - part review, part analysis, looking at the brain (cervello) power behind movies (cinema), etc.Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.comBlogger2531100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-3656249898565181982011-10-06T20:29:00.000-07:002011-10-07T18:44:40.083-07:00

WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful reading these, as there will be series spoilers. 3.01: A Tale of Two CitiesFor all the criticisms the beginning of Season Three gets (pretty much deserved, I'll say), it's a great

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-492417980899765862011-09-18T18:46:00.000-07:002011-09-18T18:47:51.288-07:00

Sometimes a film truly surprises you. Like the tortoise besting the hare in a race, an easy-to-overlook film you're not expecting much from brings more enjoyment than that one trying its best to win as many Oscars as it can.And maybe lower expectations help “Sky High” shine, but director Mike Mitchell's film brings a lot of laughs and some endearing moments. And that should not be overlooked. In

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-83902585606946459222011-09-07T23:42:00.000-07:002011-09-07T23:46:00.765-07:00

Well, sorry, it's been so long. Real life gets in the way, but I finally just decided to group the rest of Season Two into one super-long post, so here it is... WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful reading these, as there

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-75231250756858233932011-04-16T22:42:00.000-07:002011-04-16T22:44:56.002-07:00

It's been a long time coming, but here it is (as promised) – my final thoughts on “Deep Space Nine.”It's a great series, one of my favorites ever. It's right up there with “Lost” and “Battlestar Galactica” (and has a better ending than either of those). As I've said before, though, I think DS9 was too ahead of its time. It should be a post-9/11 show, but at the time it wrapped, worries were just

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-28209525314611501262011-03-06T11:54:00.000-08:002011-03-06T12:04:59.761-08:00

I can't have unconditional love for “Unconditional Love.” I can't even love it. I'm not even sure I can like it. But the good news: I can't hate it either.Much of the problem lies in an unfocused screenplay by Jocelyn Moorhouse and director P.J. Hogan. The story itself has potential to be something quite charming: After her husband leaves her, Grace Beasley (Kathy Bates) spontaneously travels to

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-60860700225668220112011-02-20T01:41:00.000-08:002011-02-20T01:43:41.329-08:00

So I've fallen behind some in my film reviews. I've seen quite a few movies but haven't written a full film review in awhile. So, as a way, to quickly (and mostly) catch up, I decided to do one review roundup of most (6) of the films I've seen thus far in 2011. I've only written a few sentences about each, so here's my brief thoughts on “The Kids are All Right,” “Shattered Glass,” “Red,” “Easy A,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-18327857952035880522011-02-13T13:16:00.000-08:002011-02-13T13:21:51.483-08:00

“Dragons of Autumn Twilight” by Margraret Weis and Tracy Hickman surpassed the first novel of the “Dragonlance Chronicles” (“Dragons of Autumn Twilight”) in almost every way – making the journey even more satisfying that the enjoyable “Autumn Twilight.”“Winter Night”does what any good second of a trilogy should – makes one really want – or need – to move onto the third. At one point, while

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-90860247956539882062011-02-11T21:54:00.000-08:002011-02-13T13:20:01.604-08:00

Back again for more “Lost.” And, let's say, so far, Season Two's seeming slower than I remembered (probably part of the reason it's taking me awhile to do these posts). WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful reading these,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-41090271219070287782011-02-06T12:28:00.000-08:002011-02-06T21:17:13.814-08:00

On Sept. 29, I began my “Deep Space Nine” quest. Just over four months later – on Jan. 31 – I saw the final shot (and what an excellent one it is) as my binge watch of the series came to a close. And, while I'm somewhat sorry I missed this show when it was first on, I'm glad to have been able to see it all over four months – instead of over seven years.WARNING: Some big spoilers lie ahead.

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-47799329825253790922011-01-29T12:13:00.000-08:002011-01-29T12:24:16.720-08:00

So, it's come again. Oscars nominations came out recently, so it's time for me to give my input. Here I'll share my hopes (rather than my predictions) for this year's Oscars. Some of these will be left-field choices, but hey, I'm allowed to dream, aren't I? And, considering I've only seen three of the 10 Best Picture nominations (“Inception,” “The Kids are All Right” and “Toy Story 3”), my

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-3917916732736834482011-01-29T01:22:00.000-08:002011-01-29T01:28:58.931-08:00

Never fear, my friends, the “Lost” rewatch continues as we move onto Season Two. There's some great stuff and some forgettable stuff in this first disc, but “Lost” really takes a turn toward sci-fi here – and it's a turn I really enjoyed. WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-87302388738573626502011-01-22T12:19:00.000-08:002011-01-22T12:32:12.044-08:00

So, we're nearing the end of my “Deep Space Nine” journey. Hopefully, it's been fun for you too.It's the penultimate season of DS9 and despite having my least favorite episode of the series so far, this season so far is my favorite. The good (or great) far outweighs the bad (or terrible). WARNING: Some big spoilers lie ahead. Proceed with caution. It's probably best to not read this unless you've

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-90532358574406144452011-01-16T02:25:00.000-08:002011-01-16T02:27:25.933-08:00

In many ways Orson Scott Card's “Ender's Shadow” is better than its parallel novel, “Ender's Game,” the book that first introduced readers to Andrew “Ender” Wiggin, but that's mainly because “Ender's Shadow” seems more aimed at an older, adult audience.This novel follows the same basic course of events as “Ender's Game,” but here readers get Bean's perspective (one of my favorites from the

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-20454317385495652472011-01-10T01:01:00.000-08:002011-02-07T02:14:20.210-08:00

What images come to your mind when you hear the word “fantasy”? Magic? Dragons? Elves? Dwarfs? Goblins? War? Swordplay? Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman's “Dragons of Autumn Twilight” includes all of these elements, making it a quintessential fantasy novel that's both fun and intriguing. “Autumn Twilight” is the first Dragonlance novel (and there's more than 90 in this series) and the first of the

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-70665382681766000012011-01-07T23:59:00.000-08:002011-01-08T00:08:24.391-08:00

So, it's the new year, and it's time to look back at last year and remember the best from it. That's right; it's Cinema Cervello's Best Films of 2010 list. Once again... these are films I saw for the first time in 2010, not necessarily films that came out in 2010. (Basically, I don't get out to the theater much, so I have to expand the candidates if I'm going to come up with a worthwhile list).

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-47671164573008652272011-01-02T12:14:00.000-08:002011-01-02T12:20:00.697-08:00

Director Ron Howard's firefighting film “Backdraft” suffers from an inferno of cliches, predictability and unbelievability.But it's not all bad, but the scattered few good moments never meld together well enough to make a good film. The problems start with Gregory Widen's script. Two firefighter brothers Stephen (Kurt Russell) and Brian (William Baldwin) McCaffrey, who always butt heads, have to

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-50096929922816241392010-12-31T02:57:00.000-08:002011-04-10T20:29:36.675-07:00

Wow! There's now much more behind me than ahead of me in my journey through “Deep Space Nine.”Season Five is great, but I still think I'd give the edge to Season Four as to the best season so far.But things are getting scarier and more desperate, as by season's end, the Dominion threat turns to an all-out war. So, the show's upping the ante without going so wacky as to jump the shark. WARNING:

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-82385199741925758382010-12-21T01:41:00.000-08:002010-12-21T01:44:03.793-08:00

Director David Yates – ever since 2007's “Order of the Phoenix” – has brought excellence to the Harry Potter film franchise, and the first half of the final chapter – while maybe not his best (partially because it's incomplete) – is certainly no exception.It would be Harry Potter's (Daniel Radcliffe) seventh and final year at Hogwarts. Only he's not going to school this year. He's got super-evil

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-48709596755664430312010-12-17T23:27:00.000-08:002010-12-18T00:59:23.464-08:00

Season One certainly is a good season. It's what first got me hooked, but I seriously doubt this season will ever be considered my favorite. But in this rewatch, some episodes were better than I remembered, but alas, some episodes were worse. So, here's some Season One stats discovered in this rewatch: Season One average: 7.13 (average rating of all episodes in Season One; this number will be

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-14628227374915679352010-12-15T19:26:00.000-08:002010-12-15T19:28:54.592-08:00

Gregory Maguire re-imagines the world of Oz in his parallel novel, “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West.” His work's an interesting and unique – if sometimes tedious – look at the fantastical world created by L. Frank Baum.With “Wicked,” Maguire gives readers new insight into the Wicked Witch of the West and into the concept of evil in general. Maguire's biggest problem is

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-52470304238427855272010-12-11T21:40:00.000-08:002010-12-13T22:10:59.453-08:00

So we continue our journey through “Deep Space Nine.” Season Four is the best so far; even the “worst” episodes actually have quite a bit to offer, plus the overall story surges forward, as the threat deepens and darkens. An ongoing theme I enjoy in DS9 that's certainly examined in Season Four is the fragility of paradise. With the “Star Trek” universe, Gene Roddenberry created a utopia-like

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-51315340424340003012010-12-10T00:33:00.000-08:002010-12-10T00:37:17.654-08:00

So we come to the end of the first season in the rewatch. I apologize for the long delay between discs five and six, but I had some trouble with my disc six. As a whole, the ending of Season One isn't as great as I remembered it, but it certainly has some wonderful moments and a nice buildup. So, in this write-up we get “The Greater Good,” “Born to Run,” “Exodus, Part I” and “Exodus, Part 2.”

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-72788837182701221152010-11-27T12:45:00.000-08:002010-11-27T12:49:10.466-08:00

Reading some of the critics' blurbs on Daniel Quinn's “Ishmael” makes one believe that reading this novel will change one's life. I've now read it. My life hasn't changed (except that now I've read this novel).But “Ishmael” isn't bad – in fact, it's quite good at parts – it's just that it didn't quite live up to the hype … and ultimately it felt like a book I should've read for a class in college

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-31465047528827946452010-11-20T15:40:00.000-08:002010-11-20T21:40:37.947-08:00

So, the “Deep Space Nine” journey continues, and it still proves to be exciting, emotional and intriguing (though, of course, it still has its mediocre to bad moments). As a whole, though, I'd say, quality-wise, Season Three is on about the same level as Season Two, with probably a slight preference to Season Two (mainly because the best episodes of Season Two are better than the best episodes of

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-65198363076501698902010-11-14T12:14:00.000-08:002010-11-14T12:18:09.968-08:00

Mostly due to his rich characters, Kazuo Ishiguro tells a compelling story with his novel, “Never Let Me Go.”Kathy, Ruth and Tommy became friends at Hailsham, an exclusive boarding school – with its cliques, odd rules, and the students constantly being told they're special. Now as Kathy's a young woman looking back at their time at Hailsham – with Ruth and Tommy having re-entered her life – a new

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-13554661757055073282010-11-07T12:33:00.000-08:002010-11-07T14:09:48.343-08:00

OK. Back to some better episodes here, as Season One really begins to pick up. This write-up includes the S1 episodes: “... In Translation,” “Numbers,” “Deus Ex Machina” and “Do No Harm.” WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-2613613399042528042010-11-06T10:34:00.000-07:002010-11-06T10:36:32.944-07:00

One running joke/theme in director Doug Liman’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” is how in a marriage couples can often get bored with each other and need something to spice up their relationship. Unfortunately, Simon Kinberg’s script is sometimes like that – bland and in need of spice.Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie play the title characters as a bored married couple who are both (unbeknownst to them, at first

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-34088779251689865212010-11-03T17:02:00.000-07:002010-11-03T17:16:37.716-07:00

So the “Deep Space Nine” binge continues. And although the middle of Season Two had a bit of a lull, as a whole, this season’s better than the first, and S2 includes my favorite DS9 episode so far (which earns it an extra plus).WARNING: Some spoilers may be ahead. Proceed with caution. Season Two expands on the characters introduced in Season One – bringing them more depth – and it also starts

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-10393857222885739132010-11-02T14:31:00.000-07:002010-11-02T14:33:46.018-07:00

“The Opposite of Sex” proves that being blunt can sometimes be downright funny.Writer and director Don Roos shows how people can have warped perceptions of other people’s lifestyles, as 16-year-old Dede Truitt (Christina Ricci) moves in with her gay half-brother, Bill (Martin Donovan) and seduces his live-in boyfriend, Matt (Ivan Sergei) – turning all their worlds upside down. Roos brings up the

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-46531187970169153012010-10-29T22:33:00.000-07:002010-10-29T22:51:58.745-07:00

OK, so prior to a few weeks ago, I’d only seen three “Star Trek” films: the 2009 reboot, “The Final Frontier” and “Generations.” But then a rewatch of 2009’s “Star Trek” inspired a “Star Trek” binge, and I eventually came to see all the films (including rewatching the ones I hadn’t seen for years and thus didn’t remember much).And so I wanted to rank the “Star Trek” films by preference, but I

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-31687870512403866772010-10-27T20:27:00.000-07:002010-10-27T20:29:03.067-07:00

It’s nice to see a cartoon that can appeal to both adults and children, however it should be noted that with its PG-rating, “How to Train Your Dragon” is not meant for the youngest of kids.But it does tell a great story that’s humorous, fun, exciting and endearing. Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) wants to be like other Vikings – aspiring to slay dragons – but he seems to lack the might and prowess for

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-71048516622263281392010-10-26T20:47:00.000-07:002010-10-26T20:52:28.939-07:00

Not a great disc overall (I’m guessing it’s the weakest disc of the first season), but it ends on a good note. Here we get “Hearts and Minds,” “Special,” “Homecoming” and “Outlaws.” WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-21725800581411497162010-10-23T12:27:00.000-07:002010-10-23T12:46:54.538-07:00

I never had a whole lot of exposure to the “Star Trek” universe growing up. I’d seen a couple of the films, but most of my “Trek” experience came from my semi-regular viewing of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” episodes. And I’d never seen much – if any – of the “Deep Space Nine” series. It seemed odd to me to have a space series set on a space station, rather than a spaceship; plus, I probably

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-20013163160713836932010-10-20T21:23:00.000-07:002010-10-22T23:33:46.404-07:00

It’s time for the next four episodes of the “LOST” rewatch. Today we get Solitary, Raised by Another, All the Best Cowboys Have Daddy Issues, and Whatever the Case May Be. WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful reading

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-23903356822613145872010-10-16T11:36:00.000-07:002010-10-16T11:38:58.088-07:00

Who wouldn’t want to survive the zombie apocalypse? It’d be nice to boast to friends about how many zombies you took out – or just the clever tactics you took to escape them. However, wouldn’t the horror of living through it – with the painful memories involved – cheapen the survival some, as if the ones who died early were the truly lucky ones?This is just one concept Max Brooks tackles in his

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-36329129078111319472010-10-13T22:44:00.000-07:002010-10-14T00:37:05.964-07:00

Today’s post brings us Jack’s first full episode (“White Rabbit”), Sun’s first episode (“House of the Rising Sun”), Charlie’s first full episode (“The Moth”) and Sawyer’s first episode (“Confidence Man”).WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-60916681155899823502010-10-09T11:44:00.000-07:002010-10-09T11:46:50.227-07:00

Once again, Charles de Lint proves to be a master of urban fantasy with “Someplace to be Flying,” and in some ways, this novel is superior to “Forests of the Heart,” but in other ways, it comes up short. Overall, though, it’s probably a slightly better tale.The story’s certainly intriguing. Photojournalist Lily goes out looking for “animal people” for a project she’s doing, but she gets caught up

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-2459633732141532332010-10-06T20:01:00.000-07:002010-10-06T22:26:13.780-07:00

So, I have all my “LOST” DVDs and enough time has passed (really I couldn’t stay away for too long), so that means, it’s time to begin Cinema Cervello’s “LOST” rewatch!WARNING: These “LOST” write-ups are a REWATCH. As such, they are written with the end in mind (the end of the series, not the end of the episode). So, if you’ve not seen the end of the series, you should be careful reading these,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-8826396842045242572010-10-02T11:27:00.000-07:002010-10-02T12:52:18.033-07:00

To say that “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” is infinitely boring would be a tad cruel and unfair. But to say it’s a film that offers little to no substance wouldn’t.It’s a simple – and perhaps clichéd – story, but one that could’ve offered some great character moments with a more solid script. But Lorene Scafaria’s (based on the novel by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan) feels undeveloped, as

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-52261102843418030492010-09-28T01:43:00.000-07:002010-09-28T02:47:16.065-07:00

Like many of his films, “Mighty Aphrodite” could’ve been a lot better if Woody Allen didn’t insist on starring in it. But it’s not completely annoying, and there’s even some laughter to be had. Most of the funny lines are delivered from characters other than Allen’s, though he brings in at least a few chuckles himself.Allen’s script certainly has a good set-up for lots of comedy. When Lenny (

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-63641756015426476302010-09-26T12:14:00.000-07:002010-09-26T12:18:05.786-07:00

Sometimes 20 years or so can put new perspective on a movie, making you appreciate it more. Even if it’s just a bit.I first saw “Close Encounters of the Third Kind” when I was pretty young … maybe when I was about 10. Probably too young. The film just bored me. And for being a movie about aliens, there was a serious lack of aliens, my young mind thought. I finally decided to give “Close

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-90574236682930492622010-09-18T13:03:00.000-07:002010-09-18T13:06:21.118-07:00

The filmmakers of “Brothers” gain a slight bonus for finally casting Jake Gyllenhaal and Tobey Maguire as siblings, as they certainly have a strong resemblance. And perhaps the casting’s the best part of this movie, for the story itself comes up a tad short.Written by David Benioff, “Brothers” attempts to be about how war can tear apart a family. When Capt. Sam Cahill (Maguire) is presumed dead

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-34606054131635212822010-09-15T00:20:00.000-07:002010-09-16T19:02:04.543-07:00

With “The Human Stain,” novelist Philip Roth awakens a memory in me – a memory of a time when the nation watched the impeachment of a president; a president who lied about his sexual relationship with a White House intern, and as such, sex rose to the forefront of people’s minds, became an everyday dinner conversation.It changed the nation – and changed people’s thoughts – and Roth does a great

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-76422462937335088652010-09-10T20:46:00.000-07:002010-09-10T20:48:34.491-07:00

So, you thought “LOST” was over, right? Well, now it is (tear). For those of you who haven’t heard, “LOST” has an epilogue – an 11-minute special that takes place after the events of the series finale that was released with the Season Six/Complete Series DVD sets. So, now I want to say a few words about it. But ultimately, it was good but not great … gave a few more answers, but it still left me

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-31670410788658498062010-09-05T00:53:00.000-07:002010-09-05T00:55:28.754-07:00

Director David Cronenberg certainly does odd and creepy well, and sometimes – such as the awful “Videodrome” – it simply feels like a bunch of nonsense, and sometimes – like here with “Dead Ringers” – it helps make for an intriguing escape from reality.In Cronenberg and Norman Snider’s screenplay, twin gynecologists Beverly and Elliot Mantle (Jeremy Irons) find their lives spiraling out of

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-42254905467942542312010-08-29T23:33:00.000-07:002010-08-31T12:51:54.417-07:00

“Doctor Who” certainly steps it up a notch in Season Two. Sure, it’s still got its low points (and actually the worst episode of Season Two might be my least favorite so far), but it also has far many more moments of greatness.WARNING: This review will contain spoilers, so if you haven’t seen the second season of “Doctor Who” (the 2005 relaunch series), you may want to stay away, unless you don’t

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-43092388008625221132010-08-21T12:22:00.000-07:002010-08-21T12:28:15.776-07:00

Perhaps it’s fitting, but Roman Polanski’s “The Ghost Writer” could’ve benefitted from hiring someone to polish up some of the script, though that’s not to say Polanski’s script (based on the novel by Robert Harris) is poor. In fact, it’s got great strengths – but it’s also got its kinks.But the task that lies before the title character proves far greater than ironing out a few kinks. Called

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-80007993657538157482010-08-16T23:38:00.000-07:002010-08-16T23:39:47.078-07:00

Yes, it’s true, even though you won’t believe it, but I’d never seen “Stand by Me” until nearly two weeks ago, though its soundtrack was a big part of my growing up, singing along to its songs with my siblings and cousins.But finally – long after those childhood “performances” – I decided to correct this oversight, and my, I’d been missing out. Sure, the film’s not without its flaws, but it’s

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-5743056321523600532010-08-02T00:33:00.000-07:002010-08-02T00:35:19.106-07:00

Tradition and political image collide in director Stephen Frears’ engrossing “The Queen.”With a screenplay by Peter Morgan, the film follows the days after Princess Diana’s death as Queen Elizabeth II (Helen Mirren) and newly elected Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) discuss how to handle the mourning and memorial of a much beloved woman who was no longer a member of the royal family at

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-77694610808370235432010-07-27T01:21:00.000-07:002010-07-27T01:27:06.786-07:00

Perhaps “An American Werewolf in London” was quite good in its day, but maybe its day has long passed.It’s not that the film fails miserably today – in fact, writer and director John Landis includes some great moments that still work very well nearly 30 years later – but, as a whole, it seems to have lost a lot of its freshness. Now, it’s more hokey than fun; more dull than unique. (WARNING: ONE

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-64702030761675586842010-07-24T12:49:00.000-07:002010-07-24T13:21:39.485-07:00

When will people get it: Some series are best left as a trilogy. With “Children of the Mind,” Orson Scott Card completes his Ender quartet rather weakly. Perhaps Card should’ve edited “Xenocide” a bit more, found a nice conclusion and kept it as a trilogy.In this sci-fi series’ fourth novel, Card putters about in a journey that’s more about philosophizing than storytelling or developing

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-43547098657884274612010-07-23T23:38:00.000-07:002010-07-23T23:39:54.855-07:00

“Paprika” – a stylistic work of anime – makes dreams and reality collide in an imaginative, fun and visually stunning way. I’m not a big fan of anime, but this one didn’t bore me, and that’s a nice plus.It’s an intriguing story, with screenplay by Seishi Minakami and Satoshi Kan and based on the novel by Yasutaka Tsutsui. When the D.C. Mini – a device that allows therapists to record, watch and

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-72985900379231602652010-07-20T13:34:00.000-07:002010-07-20T13:45:38.520-07:00

Writer and director Steven Soderbergh accomplished something great with “sex, lies and videotape” by giving independent films their due exposure. Just look at how far the “genre” has come in these past two decades.And here, in his breakthrough film, Soderbergh proves that a simple story – one without glitz, glamour and car chases – can still be quite compelling, especially when a few provocative

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-39173039734660176002010-07-13T00:42:00.000-07:002010-07-13T00:46:57.748-07:00

Ah, “The Wonder Years,” those years of pain, confusion and uncertainty. And that’s not referring to the Vietnam War; it’s referring to adolescence. “The Wonder Years” was a great show about a kid going through adolescence during a period of time when the country was going through its own adolescence of sorts. What a fitting combination.This is a revisit or rewatch of “The Wonder Years,” as I

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-16908186273196853032010-07-09T21:15:00.000-07:002010-07-09T21:17:13.275-07:00

Well, the Emmy nominations came out earlier this week (I'd completely forgotten about them), and I just wanted to make a few brief comments on them. But most of the categories I don't care a lot about, so whatever happens, happens.First of all, a big congratulations to Michael Giacchino, who earned a nomination for his composing work on “Lost.” Bravo! He certainly deserves it. He's always done

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-63091893245131825872010-07-07T19:40:00.000-07:002010-07-07T20:03:11.977-07:00

A portal through time opens up – perhaps somewhere around the Bermuda Triangle – and several dinosaurs come out, invading our modern world and causing destruction to our cities, stomping and eating cars. The nations of the world unite, declaring war on these new beasts.This was just one of the scenarios I’d come up with – many a year ago – when I’d combine some of my favorite toys: Definitely

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-13450925671973881552010-06-30T18:44:00.001-07:002010-07-23T02:11:13.563-07:00

Charles de Lint has a way of making magic seem real. He’s like a master of urban fantasy, infusing mysticism into our otherwise stark reality. Thus, he creates a world that’s both imaginative and familiar.His “Forests of the Heart” shows de Lint’s talent of making the place seem like another character of the novel. The wintry arts colony Kellygnow becomes vividly alive, as does the Southwestern

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-5903585206840832182010-06-29T19:30:00.000-07:002010-06-29T19:32:31.590-07:00

Love can be awkward all on its own. Add to that equation a socially awkward adult male, and the trouble is compounded.That’s “Adam.” Funny. Sweet. Tender. Sad. And Hugh Dancy as title role combines nicely charm with abrasiveness to create a believable – and not necessarily over-the-top – role as an adult male with Asperger’s syndrome. For that’s the heart of writer and director Max Mayer’s story

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-40612659951371329492010-06-28T00:28:00.000-07:002010-06-28T00:30:47.803-07:00

“Doctor Who” is a science-fiction icon, and I’d never heard of the character – or the series – until recent years. So – with a newfound appreciation for sci-fi (which probably can be owed a lot to “Lost”) – I decided to take the plunge and try out “Doctor Who.” However, for better or worse, I started with the 2005 relaunch of the series (so that’s what I mean when I say Season One; the 2005

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-28207502567595859312010-06-23T13:26:00.000-07:002010-06-23T13:31:17.922-07:00

Sometimes science fiction takes us to intriguing places, making us look at an aspect of society or life in a new light. And sometimes sci-fi takes absurd turns, forcing us to gag … or perhaps inappropriately laugh. Director Vincenzo Natali manages both with “Splice.”It’s a timely story – written by Natali, Antoinette Terry Bryant and Doug Taylor – that focuses on DNA and stem-cell research. Elsa

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-51126651423160302932010-06-19T11:52:00.000-07:002010-06-28T15:53:59.841-07:00

Director David Finchner takes viewers on a slow – yet somehow still thrilling – ride with “Zodiac.”At a runtime of 157 minutes, is “Zodiac” too long? Certainly a case could be made for that, as the film takes a dawdling, methodical pace. But it’s also hard to imagine what should be cut, as each piece adds to the great puzzle that is the Zodiac case – a story too complex to be summed up well in a

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-12353358545627871462010-06-16T22:38:00.000-07:002010-06-16T22:39:50.836-07:00

I was very weary of “Iron Man” before I saw it (didn’t even want to see it) and ended up being pleasantly surprised. Yet I was still unsure if I wanted to see a sequel, but I did; and once again, “Iron Man 2” left me pleasantly surprised. (OK… I’m just going to do a shorty review, as “Iron Man 2” reviews have been done to death … and then some, but I still wanted to write something about it). It

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-48441830067187838362010-06-11T20:18:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:58:23.176-07:00

Besides missing the mark in several ways – including casting Russell Crowe as the title character – director Ridley Scott does hit the target a few times in this latest adaptation of “Robin Hood.”The story – written by Brian Helgeland – is akin to “Batman Begins,” showing viewers an origin story to this legendary hero who robs from the rich to give to the poor, and delving into the political

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-21048323983061329832010-06-05T11:51:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:37:17.576-07:00

Are you a current or recovering nerd, geek or dork? If so, you may find enjoyment and laugh a little (perhaps at yourself) in the little-heard-of “The Gamers: Dorkness Rising.” Writer and director Matt Vancil presents a simple tale that leaves room for much laughter: Kevin Lodge (Nathan Rice) wants his gaming group to finish his Dungeons and Dragons campaign, so they make some changes, including

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-70983783754711032202010-06-04T21:55:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:58:42.452-07:00

What did I think of the Season One finale of “V”? Well, it’s still a fun show. It’s still not a very deep show. It’s still somewhat cheesy and unbelievable, but hey it’s a show about an alien invasion. The finale wasn’t the best episode of the show, but it did have its excitement, and it did carry the story ahead. And it makes me want to watch Season Two … I think.NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-19576015018511812372010-05-31T23:45:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:54:03.413-07:00

It’s not the most original title ever (although maybe it is, because who else really calls the final episode of a TV show, “The End”?), but I guess it’s fitting. Still, I was expecting a better title for our final episode from our writers who usually give us clever titles (yes, I’m choosing to momentarily forget about “Eggtown.”)WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-67623687827673211442010-05-26T23:50:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:59:05.885-07:00

Writer and director John Sayles, who nicely created a vision of 1919 America’s fascination with baseball in “Eight Men Out,” delivers viewers another piece of Americana, depicting a small town’s attachment to a legend with 1996’s “Lone Star.”Sayles’ story seems basic, but it delves deeper as Sheriff Sam Deeds (Chris Cooper) investigates a decades-old crime when a skeleton is unearthed, and

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-17578273419302819002010-05-26T01:01:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:59:56.868-07:00

I never had to read George Orwell's “1984” (for me it was Aldous Huxley's “Brave New World”) in school as many were required to. And maybe that's for the better, because I may not have liked it as much had it been an assignment.Plus, having read it at this point in my life – with some events in recent history and a mass communication education twirling around in my brain – I'm now able to enjoy

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-65275724647716819782010-05-21T01:25:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:54:59.596-07:00

For those of you who haven’t been paying attention, my favorite TV show is LOST. Now, what some of you may not realize is my favorite word is “penultimate.” So what happens when LOST has its penultimate episode? Apparently, some great stuff (better than “Across the Sea” anyway).WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-28272076514303727092010-05-17T23:07:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:00:20.329-07:00

I’m still liking “V,” because it’s a show that provides some fun. But it should be warned: It’s no LOST; it’s kind of a mindless, popcorn fun. “Fruition” is about par for the course… still has a lot of fun, but there’s also some areas that could’ve used improvement.NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it, it's best to stay

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-23354817489375282282010-05-17T00:47:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:55:31.403-07:00

After seeing this episode, I couldn't decide if I liked it or not. Now I think I have to wait until LOST finishes (which is in less than a week!) before I cast my final judgment on “Across the Sea.”WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond that, it's your own

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-22065364739506715952010-05-14T22:22:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:00:43.413-07:00

Watching “The Hangover” is certainly more fun than having one. But that doesn't mean the film is a nonstop laugh riot.It's a story of debauchery that could've been either an overdone bore or a wacky ride, as friends Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Stu Price (Ed Helms) and Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis) take their pal Doug Billings (Justin Bartha) to Las Vegas for a bachelor party not to be

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-23493612961074216382010-05-11T16:59:00.001-07:002010-06-13T02:01:12.256-07:00

No quasi-incest in this “Hearts and Minds” (unlike LOST's Season One episode “Hearts and Minds,” which showed Boone and Shannon getting quite close). It's another great episode of “V.”NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it, it's best to stay away, unless you don't mind being majorly spoiled. TERRORISM 101“Either we value

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-24164194682795827642010-05-10T21:21:00.000-07:002010-06-13T01:56:16.118-07:00

It's coming to an end! Here we get another really good (maybe great?) episode. It doesn't quite rise to the level of my favorite of the season (as I think I've heard others claim), but it's certainly gaining momentum for the season.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-55027791378405954412010-05-04T16:35:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:01:40.553-07:00

Sorry this episode write-up was a little late, been kind of busy. I thought “Heretic's Fork” was pretty good … not great … but I'm thrilled about the direction the show's headed, even if I had some minor complaints about things that happened here.NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it, it's best to stay away, unless you

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-26498182478661989642010-04-30T23:44:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:02:01.115-07:00

Published in 1962, “One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest” by Ken Kesey has become a startling classic, which was adapted into a film that became one of only three to sweep the top five Academy Awards (film, director, actor, actress, writing). (The other two films, if you were wondering, are “It Happened One Night” and “Silence of the Lambs”).Kesey shows he has a way with words, creating a whole –

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-9154702347069817052010-04-26T01:23:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:02:23.805-07:00

If we are to believe this episode title (and the line from whence it comes), there is no hope. Luckily, though, there's hope for “V.” “We Can't Win” isn't the strongest episode, but there's still some nice promise – and some ideas being offered for what's to come. It may not be moving as quickly as some (including me) would like, but it hasn't lost all its glory either.NOTE OF WARNING: These

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-7051844400337233332010-04-24T00:05:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:02:47.803-07:00

As this great show is nearing its end, LOST is setting up for the finale. And that's what “The Last Recruit” primarily is: a set-up episode. But it's quite good for being primarily about setting things in motion. And it's making me (even more) eager to see how it all plays out (a must for set-up episodes).WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-10573425842233933042010-04-21T20:35:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:03:14.464-07:00

Sometimes you just got to find out for yourself. In talking with three different people whose movie opinions I value greatly about Pixar's 10th feature-length film, two expressed a great distaste for it, but the third was quite fond of it. Curiosity drove me to see it, for I wanted to know, once and for all: Would it be three versus one in the anti-“Up” camp or a two-on-two battle?Well, folks,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-74513320141179754462010-04-19T00:34:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:03:38.938-07:00

Truth be told, “John May” isn't exactly a bad episode of “V,” but it's a disappointment for a couple of reasons, one being that it was just a bit of a plummet from last week's “Pound of Flesh.” The other reason I'll get into during the episode write-up. Still, though, there's certainly good stuff here.NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-87785901919117931662010-04-17T01:39:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:04:00.788-07:00

So, it's another good (great?) episode of LOST, but this one's not without its (major?) frustrations.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond that, it's your own decision. But it will contain spoilers. It begins in darkness with Pierre Chang's distinct

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-32565022468708327382010-04-14T02:53:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:04:25.335-07:00

Always willing to give a performance his all, Philip Seymour Hoffman outdoes even himself as the title character in “Capote.”Written by Dan Futterman and directed by Bennett Miller, this biopic shows how biopics can be done well, by concentrating on an aspect or time period of a person's life instead of trying to encompass one's whole life story. Here, we see journalist and author Truman Capote (

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-38223772970127565572010-04-11T01:52:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:48:53.167-07:00

Christoph Waltz's stunning and chilling award-winning performance may be reason enough to see “Inglourious Basterds.” Luckily, though, a few more reasons surface in writer and director Quentin Tarantino's latest film.Tarantino steps a bit out of his comfort zone here, and as such, stumbles big time at the start. But after “Inglourious Basterds” finds its footing (sadly, about the halfway mark),

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-86927609783993851712010-04-09T19:02:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:05:30.731-07:00

“Pound of Flesh” proves to be one of the best episodes of “V,” because it delves deeply into a number of the characters as well as moves the plot along a good deal. Let's see more like this as the season wraps to a close!NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it, it's best to stay away, unless you don't mind being majorly

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-19092848343495013702010-04-08T23:07:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:05:53.460-07:00

So, it looks like “Ab Aeterno” only held the top spot for Cinema Cervello's favorite episode of Season Six for two weeks. “Happily Ever After” now takes that spot, though the two are probably still neck and neck.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond that,

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-48222224636378831642010-04-07T13:10:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:06:14.996-07:00

Dennis Lehane's novel “Shutter Island” proves yet again that a twist for the sake of a twist does not great storytelling make.There's no sense giving away the twist here, but be warned: It may seem to come out of nowhere, and it may frustrate readers as they think back on all they've read up to that point. The story follows U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels as he's called out to Shutter Island, which

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-78116380674488737492010-04-04T23:14:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:42:04.939-07:00

Remember “V”? No? Hiatus too long? Yeah, that may be a problem. “Welcome to the War” – the fifth episode of the re-imagined TV series, “V” and the first of 2010 – was decent, but not as good as I remember previous episodes being. Hopefully, things will pick up again, after we get sucked back in.NOTE OF WARNING: These write-ups are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-52950834233574682092010-04-03T20:19:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:42:52.020-07:00

Before I ever saw writer/director James Cameron's CGI triumph “Avatar,” I had my judgments, based on reviews, perceptions and what other people had told me. It didn't deserve an Oscar for Best Picture, and neither did Cameron deserve one for Best Director, I said (again before seeing the film). Now, I've seen it, so the question surfaces: Was I too harsh on “Avatar”?Hardly. I was too kind.

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-20355676307330372952010-04-02T15:42:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:08:01.425-07:00

After an excellent episode of LOST like “Ab Aeterno,” it's probably bound to be that the next one won't be as thrilling. Indeed, “The Package” is a bit of a breather – not bad, not great, but an average episode of LOST, which means it's still better than most of what's on TV.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-86470418648269444872010-03-30T01:06:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:43:03.593-07:00

Lois Lowry's target audience in “The Giver” is kids or young adults, but that doesn't mean adults (like say a 31-year-old male reading it for the first time) can't find their own enjoyment in it.It's a story of a futuristic society that is first presented as utopian – the people of the community seem quite content, and there doesn't appear to be war, violence or misery – but as readers delve

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-7790666286677853902010-03-28T23:34:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:08:24.742-07:00

I think a new episode has taken the spot of Cinema Cervello's favorite (thus far?) of the final season of LOST. “Ab Aeterno” is easily one of the stronger episodes of recent years especially.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond that, it's your own

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-13369720943797070802010-03-23T12:08:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:43:30.434-07:00

Like its predecessor “Before Sunrise,” Richard Linklater's “Before Sunset” acts as another (and perhaps better?) tribute to conversation.WARNING: If you have not seen “Before Sunset,” do yourself and me a favor, and don't click on “Keep on Reading...” I mean it. This isn't your typical spoiler warning. Just knowing of this movie's existence is a spoiler in and of itself, so it's best not to know

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-26631152059204900302010-03-22T01:28:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:43:41.960-07:00

It's hard for me to decide whether “Xenocide,” the third novel in Orson Scott Card's Ender series, or “Speaker for the Dead,” the previous novel, is better. It's a close one, but I'm leaning toward "Xenocide" for the ideas and themes it offers up, though its pace is quite a bit slower than "Speaker." So, it's good to see that this series (so far) gets better with each novel. I'm told not to hold

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-72468906133984366942010-03-21T00:23:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:08:59.331-07:00

There's some good stuff in “Recon,” but all in all, it's more of a lackluster episode for me. I enjoyed it, but there's been much better (though there's also been much worse) in this season and the series as a whole.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-29363485438546761012010-03-19T17:07:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:48:13.774-07:00

If you're looking for a good horror film, look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a nice, humorous action flick, director Ruben Fleischer's “Zombieland” may be for you.It's an adventure that's both fun and funny, as two men – who go by where they're from rather than names; it's less personal that way, in case one has to be slain – Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) and Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson)

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-4408864191677322222010-03-17T00:47:00.000-07:002010-06-13T12:44:26.764-07:00

Richard Linklater's “Before Sunrise” shines as a realistic romance, showing – unlike most films about couples – how love usually blossoms: conversation.And that's the basis of Linklater and Kim Krizan's excellent screenplay. It's heavy on the talk, but that just makes it all the more intimate, all the more beautiful. The story is simple, but that doesn't diminish its greatness. American tourist

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-25192167576417106422010-03-14T13:04:00.000-07:002010-06-13T02:09:28.396-07:00

LOST offers more good stuff in “Dr. Linus,” including some nice character moments. It's not the best episode of the season, but it's still quite great.WARNING: These reviews are meant for people who have already seen the episode. If you haven't seen it yet, it's best to skip the review and come back when you've seen it. But beyond that, it's your own decision. But it will contain spoilers. A

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-10377550272993223892010-03-12T23:11:00.000-08:002010-06-13T12:44:56.302-07:00

Recently I wrote about how sometimes classics hold up over time. “The Graduate” is a case of the opposite: There's some good stuff here, but as a whole, the movie feels outdated, unrealistic and distant.SPOILER WARNING: I will be spoiling certain moments of “The Graduate.” I'm doing for two main reasons: 1) Most people who are going to see “The Graduate” have already done so, and 2) it's hard to

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-44142502655697870202010-03-11T23:33:00.000-08:002010-06-13T12:45:10.501-07:00

Writer/director Kenneth Johnson packs in a lot of campy fun in “V,” the original two-part miniseries that first aired in 1983 and has become a cult classic of sorts among the science-fiction crowd.And while cheesiness certainly abounds, Johnson's vision does show some nice depth that acts a Holocaust allegory. This miniseries – while not necessarily great – renews my hope in ABC's reboot of “V”

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4899634273442323333.post-550130940069636782010-03-08T23:17:00.000-08:002010-06-13T12:45:36.579-07:00

75 percent. Not too shabby.When looking at my predictions for the Oscars (versus what I wanted), I wound up getting 6 out of 8 of the top categories correct. My heart is a little more bruised though. When looking at what I wanted (from that same post), I scored a measly 25 percent, or 2 out of 8. But I should be used to a bruised heart from the Academy by now (shouldn't we all?). So “The Hurt

Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12805615171516263065noreply@blogger.com1