Russ | February 8, 2013
I revealed my not-exactly-secret-but-not-previously-bruited-about taste for anime a couple of months ago. By “anime” I very specifically exclude garbage that people think of as anime, but isn’t — crap like “Transformers” and so on. Kiddie cartoons. Feh. Now, there are kiddie cartoons that can be classed as anime — Gigantor, Speed Racer, etc. — that’s [...]
Russ | November 1, 2012
It’s only taken me approximately forever, but I have finally achieved Nerdvana: my home theater and peripherals are all working the way I want. The components: TV A/V receiver + speakers (5.1) Blu-Ray player DVD changer DVD player X-Box PC (as a file server for videos & mp3s) And, of course, enough cables to set [...]
Russ | October 25, 2012
On this day in history, 25 October 1415: I do love history, even if there might be some dramatic license involved. One wonders how our history might be different had Henry V not died (of dysentery) so young, only a few years after his most famous exploit.
Russ | June 9, 2011
Taken (2008)Starring Liam Neeson, directed by Pierre Morel Quick Review: This is the movie fathers ought to have playing on the big screen TV when their teenage daughters are being picked up for dates. 4½ stars Good movie — better than I expected. Neeson’s action sequences were better than those in the Star Wars prequel, [...]
Russ | November 27, 2010
To: movie directors From: an ordinary viewer If your movie is set in the middle of World War 2, you might want to consider keeping any stray nuclear power plant cooling towers out of frame. That is all. [Well, no, that's not all, but it's a start.]
Russ | July 26, 2010
Back in 1971, my dad took me to see the only John Wayne movie I remember seeing in a movie theater — Big Jake. A few scenes from the movie have stuck with me through the years: the posse making its way through the countryside in automobiles, with Jake McCandles’ son on a motorcycle in [...]
Russ | June 21, 2010
Moon (2009)Written and directed by Duncan Jones. Starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey. Quick review: After Galaxy Quest, would you ever, I mean ever, in your wildest dreams, imagine Sam Rockwell was that good an actor? I wouldn’t have. I know different now. 4½ stars Seriously good movie — the kind that can make the [...]
Russ | March 15, 2010
I think I’ve brought it up before, but if you haven’t seen the greatest movie review ever done, I most highly recommend the seven-part brutally funny takedown of George Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. “Brutal” is an understatement. “Funny” doesn’t come close to describing it. And Language Warning should not be [...]
Russ | January 26, 2010
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street(Directed by Tim Burton. Starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman, Sasha Baron Cohen, etc.) Quick review: I knew it was going to be “dark,” but… ho… ly… crap. 3½ stars Depp, as always, impresses. This is the sort of movie that, in a cultural literacy sense, [...]
Russ | November 13, 2009
It’s the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine.* Opening in theaters this weekend: 2012 The movie postulates that Mayan predictions of the end of the world — their calendar ends in December, 2012 — are accurate. It apparently has to do with planetary alignments and some such rot — [...]
Russ Emerson : If I could bottle the smell of my kitchen right now, I'd be richer than Croesus. Um... is "Croesus" on the IRS' hit list?
(Wed May 15, 9:29 pm).