Josh Reviews American Hustle
There’s no question in my mind that David O. Russell is a terrifically skilled director, and it’s been interesting seeing how his recent films have been able to blend his idiosyncratic sensibilities with a slightly more mainstream approach. I had some problems with Silve
“Who the hell is Julius Caesar? You know I don’t follow the NBA!” Josh Reviews Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Comedy sequels are incredibly hard. Don’t believe me? Name your top five favorite comedy sequels. Go. Having trouble coming up with five? Having trouble coming up with ONE great comedy sequel? I rest my case. (For the record, I have some love for Ghostbusters 2, Th
Josh Reviews The Wolf of Wall Street
At seventy-one years old, Martin Scorsese has unleashed upon us a work of towering ambition and accomplishment, with a rabble-rousing energy and anger that far outstrips most films made by filmmakers half his age. The Wolf of Wall Street is a three hour epic, fiercely entertaining a
Josh Reviews About Time
When he turns 21, a nice British boy named Tim is told the family secret by his father: all the men in their family can travel in time. I’m not generally a big fan of romantic comedies, but I was quite taken by the lovely, sweet trailer for About Time, and certainly writer/dire
From The DVD Shelf: Your Sister’s Sister (2011)
I have been really enjoying, recently, the work of Mark Duplass, both in front of and behind the camera. As a writer/director, working with his brother Jay Duplass, he’s helmed some great films. I thought Cyrus was good (click here for my review) and I thought Jeff, Who Live
Josh Reviews The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The years during which we saw the release of Peter Jackson’s three-film adaptation J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of The Rings remains one of the best cinematic experiences of my lifetime, and I don’t expect that to be equaled any-time soon. Those three films are magnif
From the DVD Shelf: A Good Day to Die Hard (2013)
OK, here’s a quick summary of my thoughts on the Die Hard series. I think the first Die Hard is one of the best action movies ever made, a practically perfect combination of a wonderful cast, a sharp script, and incredible directing (by John McTiernan). I have a fond place i
Peril at Sea Double Feature Part II: Captain Phillips
Last week I decided one intense man-faces-death-at-sea movie just wasn’t enough for me. After watching Robert Redford’s harrowing performance in All is Lost (click here for my review), I went and saw Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips. Tom Hanks plays the titular ca
Peril at Sea Double-Feature Part I: All is Lost
Last week I took in not one, but two intense stories featuring great peril at sea: All is Lost and Captain Phillips. Today I am here to talk about All is Lost. The film is a fascinating exercise in technique, as it depicts only one single human being on camera from start to finish: