— by CAM SMITH — While there’s been an abundance of swirling buzz emanating from assorted fan-driven internet circles for DC’s “Green Lantern” film and both Marvel’s Kenneth Branagh-helmed “Thor” and their 2012-planned superhero extravaganza “The Avengers,” the word on [...]
Author Archive
Six Clips From ‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’
— by CAM SMITH — It’s been almost 10 years since Robert Zemeckis directed a film with flesh-and-blood actors in front the camera and I don’t really see this as a particularly stellar accomplishment. His first two experimentations with motion-capture animation — “The Polar[...]
Poster Peek: ‘Inception’
— by CAM SMITH — Christopher Nolan’s big-budget follow-up to “The Dark Knight” — the vaguely titled “Inception” — has, thus far, been something of a head-scratcher, a conundrum. An enigma wrapped in a riddle. While the brief teaser trailer was incomprehensible[...]
In Memory of Brittany Murphy
— by CAM SMITH — As an actress Brittany Murphy was a bubbly live-wire of a personality; an adorable bundle of charisma and giggly exuberance, whose wide, anime-like eyes projected fragile innocence mixed with a tangible air of mischievous eroticism. Regardless of the project she was[...]
Under Review: ‘The Princess and the Frog’
— by CAM SMITH — It has been more than 20 years since Walt Disney Pictures released “The Little Mermaid” to rapturous universal acclaim and wide-eyed, astonished wonder. That film, a sumptuous, lovingly-crafted visual banquet, arrived at a precarious time in[...]
Once Again, X Marks the Spot for Bryan Singer
— by CAM SMITH — Bryan Singer feels very much like a director at a creative crossroads right now. After being launched into the big-time world of blockbuster filmmaking with his back-to-back smash hit Marvel features “X-Men” and “X2,” he has struggled to find[...]
An Alternate Ending for Rob Zombie’s ‘Halloween II’
— by CAM SMITH — Rob Zombie’s “Halloween II” was among the most dreadful films of 2009; an amateurish, often incoherent, bloody slab of boring, unimaginative pandemonium, overflowing at its greasy brim with childish supernatural symbolism and grimy hillbilly clichés. In all[...]
Some Scary New ‘Ghostbusters 3’ Rumors
— by CAM SMITH — I don’t quite get the endless screaming geekasms over a third “Ghostbusters” film. Sure, the 1984 original is an acknowledged comedy classic — and one of the defining films of my own adolescent years — but it’s been 20 years since the amusing-but-unde[...]
A News ‘Star Wars’ Rumor — And David Lynch
— by CAM SMITH — Sweet slithering Sarlaac tentacles, just when you thought that those shaky new “Star Wars” movie rumors — dissected in my inaugural “About That” column. Shameless plug, ahoy! – had reached their final tongue-wagging, Jabba-esque death rattle, a new[...]
Record-Breaking Box Office Performance For ‘Transylmania’
— by CAM SMITH — I’d imagine that anyone with a miniscule dollop of working brain matter who saw the trailer or clip for “Transylmania” could instantly tell that it would be a harrowing and gruelling experience, perhaps cinema’s ultimate answer to spending a day in the[...]
About That Deadpool Spinoff …
— by CAM SMITH — Remember when the prospect of a “Deadpool” spinoff movie felt like a fun idea? That was before April’s super-zero non-event “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” belly-flopped into theatres, figuratively treating the character like Ned Beatty in “Deliverance” and[...]
Dark Shadows Fall on Burton, Depp
— by CAM SMITH — I’m not a vampire guy. Never have been, likely never will be. In fact, I can probably count the number of nocturnal fang-bearer flicks I’ve actually enjoyed on one hand (maybe two if I’m feeling charitable and/or on a wicked sugar-high. So, I’m a mite torn on[...]
British Independent Film Awards Winners Announced
— by CAM SMITH — With the Oscar race already kicking into gear, we’re going to be seeing a lot of uninspired lists of award winners over the next two sleepy months. Many of these ceremonies will result in forehead-slapping victories — *cough* Golden Globes *cough* — while[...]
Leonardo DiCaprio to Give Voice to Jack Frost
— by CAM SMITH — Leonardo DiCaprio is a great actor. I mean, “What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?,” “The Departed” and “Titanic”? Fuggedaboutit! The dude’s got mad acting “skillz” and has become, aside from being Martin Scorsese’s chosen cinematic golden boy, one of the[...]