A Penny in the Well

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Hell and Back Again (2011) ****

2012-01-28T21:55:00.001-06:00

NR, 88 min. Director: Danfung Dennis Starring: Nathan & Ashley Harris, Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines Most of the synopses I read about the Oscar nominated war documentary “Hell and Back Again” read some thing like, “a film about a sergeant in the United States Marine Corps who returns from the Afghanistan conflict with post traumatic stress disorder.” The only place I could

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Water for Elephants (2011) ***

2012-01-27T17:13:00.000-06:00

PG-13, 120 min. Director: Francis Lawrence Writers: Richard LaGravanese, Sara Gruen (novel) Starring: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz, Paul Schneider, Jim Norton, Hal Holbrook, Mark Povinelli It was a little over a year ago that I saw the trailer for “Water for Elephants” before watching the movie “True Grit” with my father. He confessed to me that he had loved the

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Final Countdown (1980) ***

2012-01-26T17:25:00.000-06:00

PG, 103 min. Director: Don Taylor Writers: David Ambrose, Gerry Davis, Thomas Hunter, Peter Powell Starring: Martin Sheen, Kirk Douglas, James Farentino, Katherine Ross, Ron O’Neal, Charles Durning, Soon-Tek Oh On Tuesday, January 24, 2012 actor James Farentino passed away due to heart failure in a Los Angeles hospital. He was 73. Farentino appeared in dozens of movies and television

Oscar Nomination Toss Up

2012-01-25T18:48:00.000-06:00

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced their annual awards nominations Tuesday, January 24, 2012 in a live ceremony at 7:30 a.m. CST. I don’t always write about my thoughts on the Oscar nominations or offer up predictions. I do this year because it’s an especially exciting year for the Oscars. That’s because other than just a couple of the big categories, this year is a

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Way Back (2010) **

2012-01-24T19:01:00.001-06:00

PG-13, 133 min. Director: Peter Weir Writers: Peter Weir, Keith Clarke, Slavomir Rawicz (novel “The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom”) Starring: Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Dragos Bucur, Sebastian Urzendowsky, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Alexandru Potocean, Hustaf Skarsgard, Mark Strong Before it’s release, Peter Weir’s “The Way Back” was expected to be a potentially

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Guard (2011) ***

2012-01-23T18:01:00.000-06:00

R, 96 min. Director/Writer: John Michael McDonagh Starring: Brendan Gleeson, Don Cheadle, Liam Cunningham, Mark Strong, David Wilmot, Rory Keenan, Fionnula Flanagan, Dominique McElligott, Katarina Cas “The Guard” is an Irish crime comedy about a curmudgeonly veteran police officer who teams up with an American FBI agent to stop a gang of drug runners in a small Irish port city. The typical

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Burzynski (2010) ***½

2012-01-22T23:01:00.000-06:00

NR, 108 min. Director/Writer: Eric Merola Starring: Stanislaw Burzynski, Joe Barton, Dr. David A. Kessler I’m not really one for conspiracy theories. I mean they’re fun and all, but I have a little trouble believing that in this day and age our government is capable of some huge cover up. What I do believe is that our government is less about the people these days than it is about money.

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Batman: Year One (2011) ***

2012-01-21T18:25:00.000-06:00

PG-13, 64 min. Directors: Sam Liu, Lauren Montgomery Writers: Tab Murphy, Frank Miller (original story), Bob Kane (creator) Starring: Brian Cranston, Ben McKenzie, Eliza Dushku, Jon Polito, Alex Rocco, Katee Sackhoff, Fred Tatasciore It’s been quite some time since I read Frank Miller’s redefinition of Batman’s origin, the comic book “Batman: Year One”. It was a turning point for comic

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Radioland Murders (1994) ***

2012-01-20T17:32:00.000-06:00

PG, 108 min. Director: Mel Smith Writers: Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz, Jeff Reno, Ron Osborn, George Lucas Starring: Mary Stuart Masterson, Brian Benben, Scott Michael Campbell, Michael Lerner, Stephen Tobolowsky, Ned Beatty, Brion James, Michael McKean, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Lloyd, Larry Miller, Anita Morris, Corbin Bernsen, Harvey Korman, Robert Klein, Bobcat Goldthwait, Peter MacNicol,

Penny Thoughts ‘12—A Soldier’s Story (1984) ***

2012-01-19T17:31:00.000-06:00

PG, 100 min. Director: Norman Jewison Writer: Charles Fuller (also play) Starring: Howard E. Rollins Jr., Adolph Caesar, Denzel Washington, Art Evans, Larry Riley, David Allen Grier, Dennis Lipscomb, David Harris, Robert Townsend, William Allen Young, Trey Wilson Denzel Washington is an actor who is fueled by intensity. Even in his smaller early roles, like that of Private Peterson in

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (2011) ****

2012-01-18T18:07:00.000-06:00

NR, 100 min. Director/Writer: Göran Olsson Starring: Angela Davis, Talib Kweli, Stokey Carmichael, Erykah Badu, Harry Belafonte, John Forté, Bobby Seale, Sonia Sanchez, Robin Kelley, Ahmir Questlove Thompson, Eldridge Cleaver, Kathleen Cleaver, Huey P. Newton Sometimes it takes an outsider to see something that those close to it cannot. In 1971, T.V. Guide ran an article about how Swedish

Eleven Movies for ‘11

2012-01-17T23:42:00.000-06:00

It was an oddball year at the movie theater in 2011. Studios reported their worst profits since 1995. Big franchises ruled. The year marked some of the biggest flops in history. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences continued its failing (and flailing) campaign to make their Oscar ceremony more accessible to mainstream audiences, yet it was another year when independent filmmaking

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Captain EO (1986) *½

2012-01-16T22:28:00.000-06:00

NR, 17 min. Director: Francis Ford Coppola Writers: George Lucas, Rusty Lemorande, Francis Ford Coppola Starring: Michael Jackson, Anjelica Huston Upon seeing the one time Disney World 3D phenomenon “Captain EO”, starring pop star Michael Jackson as a dancing, singing, bad guy-zapping space cowboy, my youngest boy had one pressing question on his mind, “Was Captain EO a boy or a girl?” I

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Next Three Days (2010) ***

2012-01-15T20:13:00.000-06:00

PG-13, 122 min. Director: Paul Haggis Writers: Paul Haggis, Fred Cavayé (original French screenplay “Pour elle”), Guillaume Lemans (screenplay “Pour elle”) Starring: Russell Crowe, Elizabeth Banks, Ty Simpkins, Olivia Wilde, Jason Behge, Aisha Hinds, Brian Denehey, Helen Carey, Lennie James, Allan Steele, Liam Neeson I saw the trailers for “The Next Three Days” before I learned any of its

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Working Girl (1988) ***

2012-01-14T21:42:00.000-06:00

R, 113 min. Director: Mike Nichols Writer: Kevin Wade Starring: Melanie Griffith, Harrison Ford, Sigourney Weaver, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack, Philip Bosco, Nora Dunn I know the hair was bad in the ‘80s, however, aren’t Melanie Griffith’s and Joan Cusack’s hair a little much in this movie. During the opening scenes of “Working Girl”, as the camera follows them on their commute to Manhattan

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Help (2011) ***½

2012-01-13T20:50:00.000-06:00

PG-13, 146 min. Director: Tate Taylor Writers: Tate Taylor, Kathryn Stockett (novel) Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Octavia Spencer, Jessica Chastain, Ahna O’Reilly, Allison Janney, Cicely Tyson, Sissy Spacek I didn’t go see “The Help” when it was becoming a box office phenomenon in August. I read a review that suggested it was a movie about black people that

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Persona (1966) ****

2012-01-12T20:31:00.000-06:00

NR, 85 min. Director/Writer: Ingmar Bergman Starring: Bibi Andersson, Liv Ullmann I’m almost afraid to comment on such a monumental movie as Bergamn’s “Persona”. There is so much here to interpret and contemplate, I’m not sure a single viewing is enough to fully experience this masterpiece. One thing that strikes me the most about this movie is the fact that there isn’t a filmmaker today

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Mr. Popper’s Penguins (2011) **

2012-01-11T21:47:00.000-06:00

PG, 94 min. Director: Mark Waters Writers: Sean Anders, John Morris, Jared Stern, Richard Atwater (novel), Florence Atwater (novel) Starring: Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino, Angela Lansbury, Ophelia Lovibond, Madeline Carroll, Maxwell Perry Cotton, Clark Gregg, David Krumholtz, Philip Baker Hall Now, I like Jim Carrey as much as the next guy, which mean considerably less than it used to, but

Penny Thoughts ‘12—City of Life and Death (2011) ****

2012-01-10T16:48:00.000-06:00

R, 132 min. Director/Writer: Chuan Lu Starring: Hideo Nakaizumi, Yuanyuan Gao, Wei Fan, Ryu Kohata, Lan Qin, Yiyan Jiang, Di Yao, John Paisley, Yuko Miyamoto, Ye Lui, Bin Lui Chuan Lu’s “City of Life and Death” is an intimate examination of one of history’s greatest war atrocities, the 1937 Rape of Nanking. To this day, the treatment of Chinese refugees by Japanese soldiers after the fall

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Star Trek: Season 1 (1966-67) ***½

2012-01-09T17:51:00.000-06:00

NR, 30 50-min. episodes Creator: Gene Roddenberry Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, Majel Barrett, Grace Lee Whitney, Ricardo Montalban, Roger C. Carmel, Mark Leonard, Charles Macaulay, Diana Muldaur, Richard Derr, Lev Mailer Despite it’s limitations in production values and it’s hokey delivery at times, “Star Trek” was

Penny Thoughts ’12—If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front (2011) ****

2012-01-08T20:58:00.002-06:00

NR, 85 min. Directors: Marshall Curry, Sam Cullman Writers: Matthew Hamachek, Marshall Curry Starring: Daniel McGowan A big question in the final moments of the documentary “If a Tree Falls: A Story of the Earth Liberation Front” is, what is terrorism? There are a lot of talking heads in the movie explaining how “most people” see terrorism as an act of violence against another person or

Eleven Albums for ‘11

2012-01-07T16:31:00.000-06:00

I’m a movie man. I understand film. Music, I love even though I don’t understand it. This is not a music criticism site, but I love music so much that each year I feel the need to let people know what music I loved best that year. Here’s this year’s list of my favorite albums. 1. Smoke Ring for My Halo by Kurt Vile Matador Records Dropped March 8 2. No Help for the Mighty

Penny Thoughts ‘12—The Scent of Green Papaya (1993) ****

2012-01-06T17:08:00.000-06:00

NR, 104 min. Director/Writer: Anh Hung Tran Starring: Tran Nu Yên-Khê, Man San Lu, Thi Loc Truong, Anh Hoa Nguyen, Hoa Hoi Vuong, Ngoc Trung Tran, Van Oanh Nguyen, Gerard Neth, Nhat Do, Thi Hai Vo If I were to imagine the word ‘exquisite,’ I might come up with the movie “The Scent of Green Papaya”. This movie is a glorious fascination. It is quiet and beautiful. It is rich and simple. It

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Margin Call (2011) ****

2012-01-05T17:15:00.000-06:00

R, 107 min. Director/Writer: J.C. Chandor Starring: Kevin Spacey, Zachary Quinto, Penn Badgley, Paul Bettany, Jeremy Irons, Simon Baker, Demi Moore, Stanley Tucci, Aasif Mandvi, Mary McDonnell Watching a movie like “Margin Call”, you might fall under the illusion that you now have the slightest understanding of Wall Street, but I’m more inclined to think that not even Wall Street knows

Penny Thoughts ‘12—Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench (2010) ***

2012-01-04T17:14:00.000-06:00

NR, 82 min. Director/Writer: Damien Chazelle Starring: Jason Palmer, Desiree Garcia, Sandha Khin “Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench” earns points for originality. It’s an independently made jazz musical that reflects its jazz influences in its filmmaking execution. It’s kind of a free form romance that follows a jazz musician and his ex-girlfriend in their journey to find each other again.

War Horse / ***½ (PG-13)

2012-01-03T17:01:00.000-06:00

Albert Narracott: Jeremy Irvine Ted Narracott: Peter Mullan Rose Narracott: Emily Watson Lyons: David Thewlis Andrew Easton: Matt Milne David Lyons: Robert Emms Captain Nicholls: Tom Hiddleston Maj. Jamie Stewart: Benedict Cumberbatch Gunther: David Cross Michael: Leonard Carow Grandfather: Niels Arestrup Emilie: Celine Buckens Friedrich: Nicolas Bro Geordie Soldier: Toby Kebbell

Penny Thoughts ’12—Another Earth (2011) ****

2012-01-02T17:28:00.000-06:00

PG-13, 92 min. Director: Mike Cahill Writers: Mike Cahill, Brit Marling Starring: Brit Marling, William Mapother I’m not often made uncomfortable by movies. “Another Earth” made me uncomfortable. Not for its entire running time, but for a brief period when something that the audience and the main character know shouldn’t be happening is happening. This is part of what is a rather

The Evolution of the Penny Thought

2012-01-01T10:06:00.000-06:00

Well, it’s a new year, and therefore a time of change. The grand experiment that is the “Penny Thought” began two years ago. I had just come off a difficult year for me when I wasn’t able to get to the cinema nearly as much as I would’ve liked. My weekly reviews were sporadic at best, and several times throughout the year, I had gone two weeks or more without a post. The visitations to my

Penny Thoughts ’11: Dec. 23-31

2011-12-31T18:13:00.000-06:00

A Christmas Story (1983) **** Director: Bob Clark Writers: Jean Shepherd (also novel “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash”), Leigh Brown, Bob Clark Starring: Peter Billingsley, Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Jean Shepherd, Ian Petrella, R.D. Robb, Scott Schwartz, Tedde Moore, Zach Ward, Yano Anaya Out of all the Christmas movies I’ve watched this year—most of which are ones I watch

The Adventures of Tintin / ***½ (PG)

2011-12-30T11:56:00.000-06:00

Featuring vocal and motion capture performances by: Tintin: Jamie Bell Captain Haddock: Andy Serkis Sakharine: Daniel Craig Thomson: Nick Frost Thompson: Simon Pegg Paramount Picutres and Columbia Pictures present a film directed by Steven Spielberg. Written by Steven Moffat and Edgar Wright & Joe Cornish. Based on the comic book series by Hergé. Running time: 107 min. Rated PG (for

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol / ***½ (PG-13)

2011-12-28T14:16:00.000-06:00

Ethan Hunt: Tom Cruise Brandt: Jeremy Renner Benji: Simon Pegg Jane: Paula Patton Hendricks: Michael Nyqvist Sidorov: Vladimir Mashkov Paramount Pictures presents a film directed by Brad Bird. Written by Josh Applebaum & André Nemec. Based on the television series created by Bruce Geller. Running time: 133 min. Rated PG-13 (for sequences of intense action and violence). For the

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / ***½ (R)

2011-12-26T17:59:00.000-06:00

Mikael Blomkvist: Daniel CraigLisbeth Salander: Rooney MaraHenrik Vanger: Christopher PlummerMartin Vanger: Stellan SkarsgårdFrode: Steven BerkoffErika Berger: Robin WrightBjurman: Yorick van WageningenAnita Vanger: Joely RichardsonCecilia: Geraldine JamesArmansky: Goran Visnjic Columbia Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures present a film directed by David Fincher. Written by Steven Zaillian

Penny Thoughts ’11: Dec. 16-22

2011-12-24T11:10:00.000-06:00

Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) ***½Director: Henry SelickWriters: Tim Burton (story and characters), Michael McDowell (adaptation), Caroline Thompson (screenplay), Danny Elfman (music & lyrics)Starring: Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Glenn Shadix, Paul Reubens, Ken Page When I’ve watched “The Nightmare Before Christmas” in the past, it has

The Descendants / **** (R)

2011-12-22T23:28:00.000-06:00

Matt King: George ClooneyAlexandra King: Shailene WoodleyScottie King: Amara MillerSid: Nick KrauseElizabeth King: Patricia HastieBrian Speer: Matthew LillardJulie Speer: Judy GreerScott Thorson: Robert ForsterAlice ‘Tutu’ Thorson: Barbara L. SouthernCousin Hugh: Beau Bridges Fox Searchlight Pictures presents a film directed by Alexander Payne. Written by Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash. Based on

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows / *** (PG-13)

2011-12-20T10:50:00.000-06:00

Sherlock Holmes: Robert Downey, Jr.Dr. John Watson: Jude LawMadam Simza Heron: Noomi RapaceProf. James Moriarty: Jared HarrisMycroft Holmes: Stephen FryColonel Sebastian Moran: Paul AndersonMary Watson: Kelly ReillyMrs. Hudson: Geraldine JamesIrene Adler: Rachel McAdams Warner Bros. Pictures presents a film directed by Guy Ritchie. Written by Michele Mulroney & Kieran Mulroney. Based on the

Hugo / **** (PG)

2011-12-18T23:40:00.000-06:00

Hugo Cabret: Asa ButterfieldGeorges Méliès: Ben KingsleyIsabelle: Chloë Grace MoretzStation Inspector: Sacha Baron CohenMama Jeanne: Helen McCroryRene Tabard: Michael Stuhlbarg Paramount Pictures and GK Films present a film directed by Martin Scorsese. Written by John Logan. Based on the book “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” by Brian Selznick. Running time: 126 min. Rated PG (for mild thematic

Penny Thoughts ’11: Dec. 9-15

2011-12-16T17:59:00.000-06:00

Cave of Forgotten Dreams (2011) ***½Director: Werner HerzogWriter: Werner Herzog, Judith Thurman (article)Starring: Werner Herzog (also narrator), Dominique Baffier, Jean Clottes, Jean-Michael Geneste Werner Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” unearths the earliest cave drawings ever discovered. For the documentary, Herzog was granted exclusive access to the Chauvet caves in Southern France,

Penny Thoughts ’11: Dec. 2-8

2011-12-09T13:58:00.000-06:00

African Cats (2011) ***Director: Alastair Fothergill, Keith ScholeyWriters: Keith Scholey, John TrubyNarrator: Samuel L. Jackson As a child, I loved watching nature documentaries. I’m not sure which I anticipated more on Saturday mornings, the cartoons or Mutual of Omaha’s “Wild Kingdom”. Disney produced some of the best classic nature docs, like “The Vanishing Prairie”. A few years ago, Disney

We Bought a Zoo / ***½ (PG)

2011-12-07T10:50:00.000-06:00

Benjamin Mee: Matt DamonKelly Foster: Scarlett JohanssonDylan Mee: Colin FordRosie Mee: Maggie Elizabeth JonesLily Miska: Elle FanningDuncan Mee: Thomas Haden ChurchWalter Ferris: John Michael Higgins Peter MacCready: Angus MacfadyenRobin Jones: Patrick Fugit 20th Century Fox presents a film directed by Cameron Crowe. Written by Aline Brosh McKenna and Cameron Crowe. Based on the book by Benjamin

The Muppets / *** (PG)

2011-12-03T11:26:00.000-06:00

Gary: Jason SegelMary: Amy AdamsTex Richman: Chris CooperVeronica Martin: Rashida JonesJack Black: Jack Black The Muppets:Walter: Peter LinzKermit/Beaker/Statler/Rizzo: Steve WhitmireMiss Piggy/Fozzie Bear/Animal/Sam Eagle/Marvin Suggs: Eric JacobsonGonzo/Dr. Bunsen Honeydew/Zoot/Beauregard/Waldorf/Kermit Moopet: Dave GoelzSwedish Chef/Rowlf/Dr. Teeth/Pepe the Prawn/Bobo/Fozzie Moopet: Bill

Penny Thoughts ’11: Nov. 25-Dec.1

2011-12-02T10:37:00.000-06:00

A Christmas Carol (2009) ****Director: Robert ZemeckisWriters: Robert Zemeckis, Charles Dickens (book)Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Robin Wright Penn, Cary Elwes, Bob Hoskins Disney’s “A Christmas Carol” is a brilliant realization of the classic Christmas tale by Charles Dickens. Having played Scrooge five times on stage, I’m a fairly discerning judge of the material. This is

Melancholia / ***½ (R)

2011-11-28T22:29:00.000-06:00

Justine: Kirsten DunstClaire: Charlotte GainsbourgJohn: Kiefer SutherlandMichael: Alexander SkarsgårdTim: Brady CorbetLeo: Cameron SpurrGaby: Charlotte RamplingLittle Father: Jesper ChristensenDexter: John HurtJack: Stellan SkarsgårdWedding Planner: Udo Kier Magnolia Pictures presents a film written and directed by Lars von Trier. Running time: 136 min. Rated R (for some graphic nudity, sexual

Penny Thoughts ’11: Nov. 18-24

2011-11-25T09:00:00.001-06:00

Terri (2011) ***½ Director: Azazel JacobsWriters: Patrick Dewitt, Azazel JacobsStarring: Jacob Wysocki, John C. Reilly, Bridger Zadina, Creed Bratton, Olivia Crocicchia Why does it take an independent film to see high school as it really is? “Terri” tells the story of an over weight high school boy, and his search to find a way to fit in. Although he’s large, it isn’t about his size. Much is made

J. Edgar / *** (R)

2011-11-20T12:03:00.000-06:00

J. Edgar Hoover: Leonardo DiCaprioClyde Tolson: Armie HammerHelen Gandy: Naomi WattsAnnie Hoover: Judi DenchRobert Kennedy: Jeffrey DonovanColonel Schwarzkopf: Dermot MulroneyCharles Lindbergh: Josh LucasJohn Condon: Zach GrenierBruno Hauptmann: Damon Harriman Warner Bros. Pictures presents a film directed by Clint Eastwood. Written by Dustin Lance Black. Running time: 137 min. Rated R (for brief

Penny Thoughts ’11: Nov. 11-17

2011-11-18T22:58:00.000-06:00

Dreams (1990) **½Director/Writer: Akira KurosawaStarring: Alira Terao, Mitsuko Baishô, Toshie Negishi, Mieko Harada, Mitsunori Isaki, Toshihiko Nakano, Yoshitaka Zushi, Hisashi Igawa, Chôsuke Ikariya, Chishû Ryû, Martin Scorsese Ever since I saw Kurosawa’s “Throne of Blood” for a Shakespeare class in college, I have been a convert to a man I feel comfortable calling the best cinematic director

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas / *** (R)

2011-11-15T21:32:00.000-06:00

Harold: John ChoKumar: Kal PennTodd: Tom LennonAdrian: Amir BlumenfeldMaria: Paula GarcésMr. Perez: Danny TrejoMary: Jordan HinsonSergei Katsov: Elias KoteasBaby Ava: Hannah CrossNeil Patrick Harris: Neil Patrick Harris New Line Cinema presents a film directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson. Written by Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg. Running time: 90 min. Rated R (for strong crude and sexual content

Penny Thoughts ’11: Nov. 1-10

2011-11-11T22:21:00.000-06:00

Horrible Bosses (2011) ***½Director: Seth GordonWriter: Michael Markowitz, John Francis Daley, Jonathan GoldsteinStarring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey, Jamie Foxx “Horrible Bosses” is a unique guilty pleasure in that the movie itself is so funny there’s no guilt in liking it, only in why. We’ve all had those bosses that you’d just like

Puss in Boots / *** (PG)

2011-11-09T15:22:00.000-06:00

Featuring the voice talents of:Puss in Boots: Antonio BanderasKitty Softpaws: Salma HayekHumpty Dumpty: Zach GalifianakisJack: Billy Bob ThorntonJill: Amy Sedaris DreamWorks Animation presents a film directed by Chris Miller. Written by Brian Lynch, David H. Steinberg, Tom Wheeler, and Jon Zack. Character created by Charles Perrault. Running time: 90 min. Rated PG (for some adventure action and

Horror Thoughts Final Week: Oct. 28-31

2011-11-04T19:48:00.001-05:00

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (2009) ***Director: Paul WeitzWriters: Paul Weitz, Brian Helgeland, Darren Shan (books)Starring: Chris Massoglia, John C. Reilly, Josh Hutcherson, Jessica Carlson, Michael Cerveris, Ray Stevenson, Patrick Fugit, Orlando Jones, Jane Krakowski, Frankie Faison, Kristen Schaal, Willem Dafoe, Ken Watanabe, Salma Hayek “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant”

Horror Thoughts ’11 Week 4: Oct. 21-27

2011-10-28T21:31:00.000-05:00

The Dark Crystal (1982) ***Directors: Jim Henson, Frank OzWriters: Jim Henson, David OdellStarring: Stephen Garlick, Lisa Maxwell, Billie Whitelaw, Percy Edwards, Barry Dennen, Michael Kilgarriff, Jerry Nelson Dad, “This week’s family movie night is ‘The Dark Crystal’.”Mom, “Yuk, I didn’t like that one as a kid. It creeped me out.”Dad, “That’s why I want us to watch it for Horrorfest. It’s creepy

Paranormal Activity 3 / *** (R)

2011-10-25T22:00:00.000-05:00

Kristi: Jessica Tyler BrownKatie: Chloe CsenergyJulie: Lauren BittnerDennis: Christopher Nicholas SmithRandy: Dustin Ingram Paramount Pictures presents a film directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman. Written by Christopher B. Landon. Based on characters created by Oren Peli. Running time: 85 min. Rated R (for some violence, language, brief sexuality and drug use). Hollywood has proven

Horror Thoughts ’11 Week 3: Oct. 14-20

2011-10-22T23:03:00.002-05:00

Hocus Pocus (1993) **Director: Kenny OrtegaWriters: Mick Garris, Neil Cuthbert, David KirshnerStarring: Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kathy Nijimy, Omri Katz, Thora Birch, Vanessa Shaw, Sean Murray It’s always a struggle for me to find good family oriented films to feature at Horrorfest, because I like my horror flicks to be scary. Sometimes it’s a good idea for me to lean on my wife a bit

The Thing / *** (R)

2011-10-18T17:49:00.000-05:00

Kate Lloyd: Mary Elizabeth WinsteadBraxton Carter: Joel EdgertonDr. Sander Halvorson: Ulrich ThomsenAdam Goodman: Eric Christian OlsenJameson: Adewale Akinnuoye-AgbajeColin: Jonathan Lloyd WalkerGriggs: Paul BraunsteinEdvard Volner: Trond Espen SeimLars: Jørgen Langhelle Universal Pictures presents a film directed by Mattijs van Heinjningen Jr. Written by Eric Heisserer. Based on the short story

Horror Thoughts ’11 Week 2: Oct. 7-13

2011-10-15T09:13:00.001-05:00

The Mummy (1932) ***Director: Karl FreundWriters: John L. Balderston, Richard Schayer, Nina Wilcox PutnamStarring: Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Arthur Byron, Edward Van Sloan I introduced the kids to the classic Universal monsters this week with the original “The Mummy”, starring Boris Karloff as the titular Imhotep. This was an interesting one to start them off on, since it is

Moneyball / **** (PG-13)

2011-10-08T19:47:00.002-05:00

Billy Beane: Brad PittPeter Brand: Jonah HillArt Howe: Phillip Seymour HoffmanScott Hatteberg: Chris PrattDavid Justice: Stephen BishopCasey Beane: Kerris Dorsey Columbia Pictures presents a film directed by Bennett Miller. Written by Steve Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin and Stan Chervin. Based on the book “Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game” by Michael Lewis. Running time: 133 min. Rated PG

Horror Thoughts ’11 Week 1: Sept. 30-Oct. 5

2011-10-06T22:51:00.000-05:00

eXistenZ (1999) ***Director/Writer: David CronenbergStarring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jude Law, Ian Holm, Willem Dafoe, Don McKeller, Callum Keith Rennie, Christopher Eccleston, Sarah Polley “eXistenZ” takes the David Cronenberg notion that everything is creepier if it’s organic to the video game front as it imagines the next generation of video experience to involve a virtual reality world, which

Penny Thoughts ’11: Sept. 23-29

2011-10-01T10:38:00.000-05:00

From Russia With Love (1963) ***½Director: Terence YoungWriters: Richard Maibaum, Johanna Harwood, Ian Fleming (book)Starring: Sean Connery, Daniela Bianchi, Pedro Armendariz, Lotte Lenya, Robert Shaw, Bernard Lee Last week, our oldest boy found himself in a bunch of hot water when he not only played a video game he knew he was restricted from playing, but he had to steal it from the house to do

Horrorfest ‘11

2011-09-29T22:54:00.000-05:00

Temperatures are beginning to drop. The wind is rising up. And, WalMart has filled their front aisles with bags of candy as if shoppers are going to be handing them out tomorrow and knowing full well they’re going to eat them and come back for more before Halloween. That’s right. At A Penny in the Well that means it is time for the annual Horrorfest. I’m so excited. Streaming movies has put a

Drive / ***½ (R)

2011-09-27T21:00:00.001-05:00

Driver: Ryan GoslingIrene: Carey MulliganShannon: Bryan CranstonBernie Rose: Albert BrooksStandard: Oscar IsaacBlanche: Christina HendricksNino: Ron Perlman FilmDistrict presents a film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn. Written by Hossein Amini. Based on the novel by James Sallis. Running time: 100 min. Rated R (for strong brutal bloody violence, language and some nudity). “If I drive for you,

Penny Thoughts ’11: Sept. 16-22

2011-09-23T23:57:00.000-05:00

King Kong (1933) ****Directors: Merian C. Cooper, Ernest B. ShoedsackWriters: James Creelman, Ruth Rose, Merian C. Cooper, Edgar WallaceStarring: Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, Bruce Cabot, Frank Reicher, Sam Hardy, Nobel Johnson For the first time, my boys have watched the original “King Kong”. I gave them a choice. I offered them the original black and white version or the color 1976 version with

Contagion / *** (PG-13)

2011-09-21T17:33:00.000-05:00

Dennis French: Enrico ColantoniDr. Leonora Orantes: Marion CotillardLyle Haggerty: Bryan CranstonMitch Emhoff: Matt DamonDr. Ally Hextall: Jennifer EhleDr. Ellis Cheever: Lawrence FishburneDr. Ian Sussman: Elliott GouldSun Feng: Chin HanRoger: John HawkesJory Emhoff: Anna Jacoby-HeronAubrey Cheever: Sanaa LathamAlan Krumweide: Jude LawDr. David Eisenberg: Demetri Martin Beth Emhoff: Gwyneth

Our Idiot Brother / **½ (R)

2011-09-19T23:27:00.000-05:00

Ned: Paul RuddMiranda: Elizabeth BanksNatalie: Zooey DeschanelLiz: Emily MortimerDylan: Steve CooganJeremy: Adam ScottCindy: Rashida JonesJanet: Kathryn Hahn Billy: T.J. MillerIlene: Shirley KnightOmar: Sterling Brown The Weinstein Company presents a film directed by Jesse Peretz. Written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall. Running time: 90 min. Rated R (for sexual content including nudity,

Penny Thoughts ’11: Sept. 9-15

2011-09-17T00:50:00.000-05:00

Sports Night, Season 2 (1999-2000) ***½Creator: Aaron SorkinStarring: Josh Charles, Peter Krause, Felicity Huffman, Joshua Malina, Sabrina Lloyd, Robert Guillaume After seeing it’s final season, I’m even more disappointed that Aaron Sorkin’s first foray into television lived such a short life. Having come so close to cancelation after it’s first season, I believe the makers of this series decided

Apollo 18 / *** (PG-13)

2011-09-14T17:54:00.000-05:00

Benjamin Anderson: Warren ChristieNathan Walker: Lloyd OwenJohn Grey: Ryan Robbins Dimension Films presents a film directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego. Written by Brian Miller. Running time: 88 min. Rated PG-13 (for some disturbing sequences and language). I’m not a space program encyclopedia or anything, but I’ve always found movies about NASA and the Cold War space race to be fascinating. The

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark / **½ (R)

2011-09-12T22:27:00.001-05:00