The Small Town Critic » historical drama

Is “Moneyball” handicapped at the Oscars?

admin — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 05:39:52 +0000

By Coop Cooper Yet another film released to DVD that I'm sorry I overlooked until now. It has the potential to be the best film of the year, but can it engage legions of Oscar voters who may be cynical towards America's favorite pastime? Brad Pitt plays real-life Oakland A's General Manager, Billy Beane who is facing a potentially disastrous 2002 season after losing the playoffs and his MVPs. Without the budget to secure the most sought-after players in the league, Beane risks everything to a radical idea hatched by Yale economics whiz, Peter Brand (Jonah Hill). Brand convinces Beane that statistical analysis by computer is the answer in drafting the right players - not the most valuable ones - in order to score runs. This challenges over a hundred years of traditional theory and the results of this gamble eventually change the sport forever...

HUGO’s surprising twist raises it above the average PG film

admin — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 19:58:22 +0000

Even the plot of "Hugo" is a mystery. Hugo (Asa Butterfield) is a clever orphan in post-World War I Paris who lives in the clock fixtures of a train station. He spends his time spying on the various kiosk vendors, especially a mean toy merchant (Ben Kingsley) whom he steals mechanical parts from. He filches these parts to repair a broken robotic automaton his deceased watchmaker father (Jude Law) was repairing when he died. When caught by the toymaker, he begins a tenuous apprenticeship and a fast friendship with the toymaker's pretty ward (Chloe Moretz). As Hugo begins to unravel the mystery of the automaton, he uncovers an unexpected secret. This secret will prove important to modern history once revealed; however, an overzealous station security guard (Sacha Baron Cohen) with a dislike of thieving orphans threatens to put Hugo in the poor house before he can complete his mission...

THE DEBT quick review…

admin — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:41:05 +0000

"The Debt” follows three ex-Mossad agents in 1997 (Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and Ciaran Hinds) who based their entire careers and lives around the fact that in 1966 they captured a notorious Nazi war criminal in Berlin. Despite their accomplishments, they've been keeping a terrible secret and when circumstances threaten to expose their shame, they set out not only correct the problem but to also right a wrong committed over thirty years prior. The story behind the secret unfolds in flashbacks with Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas and Sam Worthington (respectively) playing younger versions of the agents...

In honor of Veteran’s Day: “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific” are must-sees

admin — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 09:01:26 +0000

In honor of Veteran's Day weekend, I felt it prudent to point out two of the best depictions of World War II ever set to film and to encourage anyone who missed them to put them both on your “must-see” list. “Band of Brothers” (2001) and “The Pacific” (2010) were produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks and are arguably the best projects either of these two powerhouse names have ever been involved with. Based on the Stephen E. Ambrose non-fiction book of the same title, “Band of Brothers” chronicles the story of Easy Company, the U.S. Army's 101st Airborne division. All ten episodes cover their time in Europe from Operation Overlord through V-J Day. Each segment focuses on a different member of the company and their own personal struggles while encountering...

Why negative movie reviews really don’t matter

admin — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 15:00:04 +0000

Why negative movie reviews really don't matter

Article by: Coop Cooper

Energized by the power and fantastic performances of “The Help,” this weekend I ventured online to see what my fellow American movie critics thought. The website Rottentomatoes.com averages the positive and negative reviews from critics of major print publications and assigns a percentage value. Anything under 60% is considered “rotten” and anything over that number is deemed “fresh.” While “The Help” gained a respectable 73% average, compared to the averages of “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” (76%), Captain America: The First Avenger” (79%) and “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (82%), its average seemed rather low. Considering the film's box office and awards potential, I wondered where most of the negativity was coming from...

“The Help” will win Oscars and prestige for Mississippi

admin — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 22:01:29 +0000

by Coop Cooper There is so much to talk about regarding the film adaptation of the bestselling book “The Help,” I won't waste time reminding everyone of the setup or plot. In full disclosure, I helped the director and producers secure locations within Clarksdale, Mississippi in order to make sure the production filmed here. Although I helped “The Help,” I always intended on writing a non-partial review of the finished product. The short: It's a glowing review. The long: My (possibly biased) opinions will be vindicated on the day of the 2012 Academy Awards nominations. I believe “The Help” will emerge as one of the most important and highly decorated films of the year. Director Tate Taylor (a Mississippi native) and the rest of the principle crew have a lot to celebrate. They took an unpublished novel and elevated it to A-list standards in a matter of months. Secondly, they succeeded far beyond the expectations of myself and fans of the book...

MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter!) TURKEY SHOOT, BOOKIES, RESTORATION, SHELTER, THE GREAT RAID, I SELL THE DEAD…

admin — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 23:59:24 +0000

Coop’s most recent MICRO REVIEWS (via Twitter): Looks like a random video store sampling this time. Sometimes, that's the way I like it... TURKEY SHOOT: Bourgeois sadists hunt Aussie political prisoners. Banned in OZ in the 1980's, but a total exploitation hoot. 3&1/2 out of 5 BOOKIES: 3 college dorks start a gambling operation out of their dorm room and run afoul of the mob. Smug and sloppily written. 2 out of 5 RESTORATION: A disgraced English doctor is forced to marry King Charles II's mistress, resulting in tragedy and redemption. Epic. 4 out of 5 SHELTER: Shrink meets a schizo man who suffers from a demonic curse. Gimmicky yet stylish thriller from the writer of IDENTITY. 3 out of 5 THE GREAT RAID: True story of WWII rescue of POWs from a Japanese camp in Philippines. Inspiring story yet poorly executed film. 2 out of 5 I SELL THE DEAD: Amusingly well-written tale of cockney graverobbers who specialize in capturing vamps, zombies and aliens. 3&1/2 out of 5 Thy Twitter has spoken. -Coop

Strategies for women to convince their men to go see “CHICK FLICKS”… by COOP

admin — Thu, 27 May 2010 16:43:15 +0000

For many of you couples, this is probably a common argument: He wants to see the new Bruce Willis action movie while she'd rather see the latest romantic comedy starring Julie Roberts. Now this may not apply to all guys. Girls, if you have a boyfriend/husband who likes most romantic comedies and Victorian Era dramas, then hold onto him. You've bagged yourself a sensitive, modern guy there. Since that description doesn't apply to the majority of men, here is some advice for women trying to convince their significant other to see the latest “chick flick” (don't worry tough guys... this benefits you too). Firstly, don't ever... EVER use the word “cute” to describe a movie. As soon as guys hear a movie is “cute” or “sweet” or any other adjective that conjures images of babies and puppy dogs, they immediately...

INVICTUS (2009) **** movie review by COOP

admin — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 03:28:09 +0000

In 1994, the long-standing South African Apartheid had dissolved; the country held its first multi-racial elections and Nelson Mandela became the first black African president of the nation. Knowing full well the transition of power would cause bitterness and distrust among the country’s affluent and powerful Caucasian minority, Mandela wisely realized that the two cultures must find common ground in order for the shattered country to unite. One unlikely way he chose to achieve this goal was to vocally and fervently support the country’s flagging rugby team. Lead by team captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon), the South African “Springbok” (antelopes) rugby team was so hated...

THE INFORMANT! (2009) *** movie review by COOP

admin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:27:22 +0000

I didn’t laugh until about 40 minutes into this artsy, awkwardly-styled independent film. There, if that didn’t scare you off, then you might enjoy this light and quirky story by Steven Soderbergh. You won’t be rolling in the aisles, but if you can wait for the tension to build, the laughs will come. It’s too bad Soderbergh couldn’t kick the humor off to an early start because a less patient audience would either fall asleep or walk out...

PUBLIC ENEMIES (2009) *** movie review by COOP

admin — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 20:33:11 +0000

Some would credit Director Michael Mann as the undisputed king of cop vs. robber crime epics. Creating TV shows like “Miami Vice” and “Crime Story,” plus his perfect opus “Heat” gives him all of the street cred needed to tackle the true-life story of notorious bank robber John Dillinger and the G-Men commissioned to take him down. An apparent slam-dunk for the maestro of modern shoot-em ups. After coming off his lousy remake of “Miami Vice,” I would’ve expected Mann to step his game. As they say in the 1930’s gangster movies of old: No dice...

MISSISSIPPI MOVIES: How Modern Hollywood Perceives the South by COOP

admin — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 18:13:44 +0000

I once had a roommate/friend in college who flat-out refused to come to visit me and my family in Mississippi. He thought the south had such a bad reputation that he was bound to experience something so offensive to his beliefs that he would not be able to keep a civil tongue. We were in Dallas, Texas, at the time, mind you. I suddenly became self conscious when I learned that people from parts of Texas or even other parts of the South regarded Mississippi as backwards, unfriendly to outsiders, racist and dangerous. Was my home state that bad? Sure, history played a part in the...

WHAT WE DO IS SECRET and BRONSON… 2 amazing biopics! by COOP

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:36:41 +0000

Both of these deserve your intense scrutiny. They involve real-life controversial (anti-heroes, if you will) figures who set out to impact the world and did so in their unique way. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they sure are interesting:

10 MOVIES DESIGNED TO OFFEND YOUR RELIGION (Part 2) by COOP

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:00:53 +0000

The movies in this list fully expected and possibly depended upon offending certain religions in order to succeed. Sometimes the film in question preys upon longstanding fears and prejudices in order to make a point. Here are 10 movies designed to offend your (or someone else’s) religious beliefs (Note: The Small Town Critic does not endorse or defend any of the viewpoints these films present)…

“Bard None: A Cinematic Guide to Really Bad Shakespeare” by JAY

admin — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:31:30 +0000

Terrence Howard is Macbeth. That's not a typo. The "Hustle and Flow" star recently announced plans to not only bring the seminal Shakespearean tragedy to the big screen but to set it in the Caribbean confines of Puerto Rico and cast himself in the title role. No start date has as yet been set for "Macbeth, Mon" but I'll wager it'll be a favorite of the Sundance set come 2010. Oh, and Eddie Murphy has decided to reinvent the wheel by taking "Romeo and Juliet" and shifting the focus of the story to Mom and Pop Montague and Capulet; thereby turning the treasured tale of unrequited love into "Meeteth the Fockers"...

DEFIANCE (2009) **1/2 ADVANCED SCREENING review by COOP

Coop — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:25:00 +0000

Jewish resistance fighters during WWII, surviving and fighting despite insurmountable odds. You couldn’t ask for a higher profile property for a producer to latch on to. Add 007 Daniel Craig to the cast and you can’t lose. Or can you? How can a reliable Hollywood powerhouse like Edward Zwick blow such a procedural slam-dunk? Probably [...]

VALKYRIE (2008) *** movie review by COOP

Coop — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:10:00 +0000

In every scene in this film Tom Cruise’s character wears a uniform with a swastika on the lapel. One might think he’s taking a risky career move with his role in “Valkyrie.” In fact, he’s not. Here he plays a character so morally incorruptible and so zealously anti-Nazi, you can’t mistake him for one of [...]

CHANGELING (2008) **1/2 movie review by COOP

Coop — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 21:58:00 +0000

If it hadn’t actually happened, many would dismiss this story as unbelievable. “Changling” is a California tragedy that turned into an epic battle for justice during the “Roaring 1920’s.” Few people remember the story that gave the Los Angeles Police Department one of the worst black eyes in its history, but director Clint Eastwood and [...]

THE GREAT DEBATERS (2008) ** DVD review by COOP

Coop — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 06:23:00 +0000

I have an affinity for underdog stories. I also like films where those some underdogs succeed despite their race, gender or oppressive circumstances. “The Great Debaters” fits this category, yet I consider it a lesser effort despite the high profile celebrities involved. Oprah produced it. Denzel Washington directed and starred in it. Forrest Whitaker co-starred. It’s [...]

THE PERFECT STORM (2000) **1/2 movie review by COOP

Coop — Wed, 14 May 2008 00:50:00 +0000

Adapted from the best selling book and based on a true story, “The Perfect Storm” proved to be one of the most anticipated movies of the summer season. The harrowing tale of a fishing boat, caught in the “Storm of the Century,” may have been fascinating as a book, but the story doesn’t hold water [...]