From the DVD Shelf: Raging Bull (1980)
Well, after finally watching, for the first time, Martin Scorsese’s seminal 1976 film Taxi Driver (click here for my review), I decided to move on to another gaping hole in my film-watching history: Raging Bull. I of course knew that Robert De Niro starred in the film as real-li
Josh Reviews The Hunger Games
I came into the film adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ hit novel The Hunger Games without having read any of the novels. So my comments on the film will not contain any reflections on the film’s successes or failures as an adaptation of the source material. My review will
Josh Reviews The Cabin in the Woods
So, yeah, we all know that Joss Whedon (mastermind of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly/Serenity, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, and many more pieces of beloved work) co-wrote and directed Marvel’s huge film The Avengers, opening in a few weeks (and which I am desperately
Josh Returns to the DC Animated Universe with Justice League: Doom
Justice League: Doom is the latest direct-to-DVD DC Universe animated feature. The story is adapted from the “Tower of Babel” story-line that ran through issues #42-46 of JLA back in 1998. Those original comics were written by Mark Waid and Dan Curtis Johnson and illus
From the DVD Shelf: Taxi Driver (1976)
Can you believe I’d never seen Taxi Driver? I’m fairly well-seen when it comes to famous films, and I’m a big fan of Martin Scorsese. But somehow I’d never seen Taxi Driver or Raging Bull. Well, last month I finally saw them both. I’ll be back next we
From the DVD Shelf: The War Room (1993)
After watching Game Change (click here for my review), I was in the mood for another political film, so I decided to check out the handsome new Criterion Collection blu-ray release of The War Room. This 1993 documentary, directed by D. A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, chronicles Bill
Josh Reviews HBO’s Adaptation of Game Change
Back in 2008, Jay Roach directed the excellent HBO movie Recount, which covered the incredible-but-true contested 2000 Presidential election between George W. Bush and Al Gore. (I wrote briefly about Recount here.) Just a few weeks ago, HBO premiered another political film directe
Josh Reviews The Sweatbox, the Documentary the Walt Disney Company Doesn’t Want You to See!!
Remember the Walt Disney Company’s 40th animated feature, released in 2000, called Kingdom of the Sun? It was an epic tale set in the Inca empire about a selfish king who briefly switches places with a poor farmer who happens to look just like him, and an evil magician with a pl
From the DVD Shelf: RKO 281 (1999)
Included in the spectacular 70th Anniversary blu-ray set of Citizen Kane (click here for my review, in case you missed it!) is HBO’s 1999 mini-series chronicling the troubled production of Citizen Kane, called RKO 281. (RKO 281 was the film’s production code — RKO
From the DVD Shelf: Citizen Kane (1941)
The 70th Anniversary blu-ray set of Citizen Kane topped my Best DVDs of 2011 list, even though back in January I was still in the process of making my way through the expansive three-disc set. Over the last few months I’ve had a great time watching the film, listening to all t