Tag Archives: FBI

Argo (2012) vs. The Last Shot (2004)

Posted on October 11, 2012 by
Argo (2012) -vs- The Last Shot (2004)

So let’s talk about movie movies.

First, you’ve got your movies about movies, which range from the beloved classics (Sunset Blvd., Singin’ in the Rain) to the cult oddities (Barton Fink, The Stunt Man) to the amusing trifles (Bowfinger) to the less-said-the-better (Hollywood Ending).

Then you’ve got your movies that sort of know they’re movies, i.e., meta-movies, a diverse genre that includes such intriguing experiments as Adaptation and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare.

Then there’s the movie-within-movie movies, notable entries being Kiss of the Spider Woman, The French Lieutenant’s Woman and Almodovar’s Bad Education. Continue reading →

Posted in Awards, Comedy, Drama, Thriller | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) -vs- Psycho (1960)

Posted on June 25, 2012 by
The Silence of the Lambs (1991) vs. Psycho (1960)

The horror, the horror. It’s Hannibal the Cannibal and Not-Yet-Agent Starling from the Oscar-sweeping Silence of the Lambs vs. Norman Bates and the Crane Sisters in the Hitchcock masterpiece that put the word Psycho into the pop vernacular.

In addition to their enduring popularity in film schools and on screens of all sizes, these two classics of high-end terror have an astonishing amount in common. One has creepy taxidermy, while the other has creepy butterflies. Both borrow elements from the crimes of real-life serial killer Ed Gein; both, based on popular novels, were departures of sorts for their directors; both feature female protagonists who become objects of judgmental and voyeuristic males. Both films deal with disturbing memories of a dead parent. Both set their climax in a killer’s cobwebbed basement. And both feature immortal villains played by actors named Anthony ___kins in unforgettable big-screen performances. Continue reading →

Posted in Drama, Horror, Smack Classix, Thriller | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Awake (NBC) -vs- Fringe (Fox)

Posted on April 30, 2012 by
Awake (NBC) -vs- Fringe (Fox)

It’s the lucky ones among us who get the luxury of a “do over,” a chance to take the road less traveled. Poet Robert Frost isn’t the first person to actively wonder what lies on the other side of the life we’ve made. A pair of admired TV programs work that street of possibilities, although maybe not for long.

Let’s touch on the newer and more endangered series first. NBC announced Awake as a mid-season replacement for 2012. This is a cop show with a twist that marks it as a fresh entry in a tired, overplayed genre. Propelled by advance hosannas at the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, the series premiered on March 1 to more than six million viewers, but despite the healthy start, low ratings may put Awake to sleep before it gets a shot at Season 2. Continue reading →

Posted in Action, Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller, TV Smack | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

J. Edgar (2011) -vs- Hoffa (1992)

Posted on November 10, 2011 by
J_Edgar (2011) -vs- Hoffa (1992)

Jimmy Hoffa is arguably the most famous trade unionist in American history and for 50 years, J. Edgar Hoover was one of the most powerful men in the country. Both Hoover and Hoffa were iconic, controversial figures — at once hero and villain, both revered and reviled. Continue reading →

Posted in Biopic, Crime, Drama | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment