By now, film adaptations based on the oeuvre of the two most prolific British writers of crime fiction, Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, form a respectable body. Of the latter, probably the best-known work remains “Murder on the Orient Express.” Today comes a new version by the, himself now almost venerable, Brit actor, Kenneth Branagh. From the get-go in this iteration, the ... more >
ARCHIVES
DRAMA/MYSTERY: “Murder on the Orient Express
With a bit of British restraint
Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe and Judi Dench
SKYFALL
Invigorated and relevant: the new James Bond
Daniel Craig, Javier Bardem and Judi Dench
Directed by Sam Mendes
That name. The musical score playing over the line of a gun sight. That Aston Martin. That dry martini. Few things in Hollywood stay fresh for this long, but Ian Fleming’s "James Bond" franchise just keeps reinvigorating itself. Its best move, recently, was the recruitment of Daniel Craig--one of the most impressive Bonds ever, no doubt. We first see him involved in an improbable action ... more >
The best exotic Marigold Hotel
Rated highly on TripAdvisor
Bill Nighy and Judi Dench
Directed by John Madden
Somewhere buried within the geeks wearing Iron Man, Batman, and Spider-man costumes lies the over-sixty moviegoer, wondering what summer can offer them? Enter super…British acting royalty. “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” is not only that antidote to loudness, but it’s so plain and nice that it’s hard not to be swayed by it. At the center of this tale of elderly people who go to India ... more >
Quantum of Solace
The Haggis treatment: it worked
Daniel Craig, Judi Dench and Olga Kurylenko
Directed by Marc Forster
Yes, I know, there is no Q in the re-booted James Bond series. But we mind nothing but our Qs (not even our Ps) in this review of the new flick Quantum of Solace. Quandary - Having so effectively re-booted its franchise with its last entry, Casino Royale, producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson find themselves wondering where to go with Quantum of Solace. Royale mixed the perfect vodka ... more >