‘Arts’ Archives
Tribute: Roger Ebert 1942-2013
By Howard McQuitter II Film Critic of Film Critics When I stumbled on Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert on television discussing movies I was glued to the set -- a certain inspiration for me being a movie critic. I”'d always liked movies since I was a boy in south Minneapolis. But Siskel and Ebert”'s “At the Movies”,” Sneak Previews”, etc. sent me to higher planes. Siskel died of brain cancer at age 53. Ebert had written screenplays for Meyer. Ebert”'s best known screenplay for Meyer “Beyond the Valley of the Dolls” in 1969 instantly was a cult hit. Ebert wrote for The Chicago Sun-Times for years becoming the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1975. In addition his reviews were syndicated to more than 200 newspapers in the United States and afar and wrote more than 15 books. He also became the first film critic to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Mr. Ebert ushered a new era in the 1970s, [...]
Jack the Giant Slayer
Jack the Giant Slayer Howard McQuitter II Movie Corner Howardsmoviecorner.com HowardMcQuitterii@yahoo.com Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) **1/2 Warner Bros. Cast: Nicholas Hoult (Jack), Eleanor Tomlinson (Isabelle), Ewan McGregor (Elmont), Stanley Tucci (Roderick), Eddie Marsan (Crawe), Ewen Bremmer (Wicke).(PG-13) Running time:114 minutes. Director: Bryan Singer. A simple, young farmhand Jack (Nicholas Hoult) unwittingly starts a war between giants in the clouds and earthly humans that hasn”'t happened in centuries. One Day Jack went to the marketplace where he intermittently eyes a pretty girl in the crowd who happens to be Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson). But on the way back from fending off three or four brutes from Isabelle, a monk convinces Jack to buy a handful of beans in exchange for his horse. Those beans, however,are not ordinary beans”“they”'re magic. Meanwhile, Isabelle is suited to marry a surly knight Roderick [...]
Stand Up Guys
Stand Up Guys Stand Up Guys (2013) ** 1/2 Al Pacino as Valentine “Val” Christopher Walken as Doc Alan Arkin as Richard Hirsch Julianna Margulies as Nina Hirsch Mark Margolis as Claphands Katheryn Winnick as Oxana Vanessa Ferlito as Sylvia Addison Timlin as Alex Lucy Punch as Wendy A first time for Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, and Alan Arkin appearing in the same movie. At moments these three geezers muster some funny stuff but all-in-all “Stand Up Guys” is amateurish, in turn, lays at the feet of screenwriter Noah Haidle and perhaps at Director Fisher Stevens feet as well. The Viagra jokes are excessive and the repeats at the brothel are tedious. Val (Al Pacino) has just ended  28 year sentence in prison meeting long-time pal Doc (Christopher Walken) outside the prison gate. Val”'s been imprisoned for refusing to snitch on one of his criminal associates. [...]
