Neverwas (2005) -vs- Finding Neverland (2004)
The Smackdown We all know (from bitter experience) that being a kid is no picnic. Here are two movies that tell us that being a writer of kids’ books isn’t much easier AND both manage […]
Drama
Live Free or Die Hard (2007) -vs- Die Hard (1988)
The Smackdown Sometimes you just need to see a well-deserved butt kicking. On that basis, the Die Hard series generally satisfies because all of the movies are intended to simply deliver what they excel at […]
The Good German (2007) -vs- Chinatown (1974)
The Smackdown The trouble with being a Man Who Wants to Know Too Much is that you can take a real beating for your curiosity. Now that “The Good German” is out on DVD, we’re […]
Music and Lyrics (2007) -vs- Once (2007)
The Smackdown Tone is everything. It’s not so much the idea anymore in films, it’s the filmmaker’s “take” on the idea. For some stark insight into the difference between studio and indie films, and between […]
Next (2007) -vs- Harold and Maude (1971) -vs- Charade (1963) -vs- To Have and Have Not (1944)
The Smackdown There are four corners in a ring (usually) and we need all of them to fit this Smackdown inside. When I first caught a preview for “Next,” I saw Nicolas Cage, Julianne Moore […]
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) -vs- Armageddon (1998)
The Smackdown Honestly, I wasn’t planning on writing about “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” Truth is, I hated the first “Fantastic Four” movie and had, shall we say, minimal expectations for the second […]
The Departed (2006) -vs- Infernal Affairs (2002)
This weekend the theaters are full of fans going back for more of director Martin Scorsese and his muse, Leonardo DiCaprio, in Shutter Island. Scorsese and DiCaprio have worked together in Gangs of New York, The Aviator and, most recently and successfully, The Departed, the mesmerizing tale of undercover cops and organized crime infiltration of the police force. […]
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) -vs- Ocean’s Twelve (2004) -vs- Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
The Smackdown If early audience response counts for anything, bet big on “Ocean’s 13” this summer. Filmmaker Steven Soderbergh (“Sex, Lies and Videotape,” “Erin Brockovich,” “Traffic”) created a popular series combining snappy storytelling and bankable […]
Lucky You (2007) -vs- Rounders (1998)
The Smackdown Leading a directed life–or just being happy–is hard enough without being complicated by some pesky obsession. Now, throw in a quirky twist or two and you describe the structure of many dramas that […]
Children of Men (2006) -vs- 28 Days Later (2003)
The Smackdown The apocalypse has gone post(al) in both of these films set in England. The action in both starts in London then moves to the country, where the living is not easier. In both […]