Posts in 2013
Sexual Harassment Cases in the Movie Industry: The Critical Role of Lawyers

In recent years, the movie industry has been rocked by numerous high-profile sexual harassment cases. These incidents have shed light on the pervasive issue of sexual misconduct in Hollywood and the critical role lawyers play in addressing it. Lawyers are not just legal representatives in these cases; they are essential advocates for justice and change.

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Top Movie Stars with Steel Houses

by Nancy Fernandez

In an industry known for its glitz and glamour, it's no surprise that many of Hollywood's elite seek out the most extravagant and unique living arrangements. Lately, a new trend has been emerging among the rich and famous of the silver screen: the steel house. These architectural marvels combine modern design, sustainability, and luxury, capturing the essence of Hollywood's ever-evolving taste.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

When it comes to coolness, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is an air conditioner of a blockbuster movie. Its comic book movie breeze is crisp and non-stop, making any hot room feel stupendous. The compressors are chugging on full blast and the thermostat is set low for maximum chill. But, like any air conditioner, you can run that machine too long. It’ll churn, rattle, need a filter or two, frost up, run out of refrigerant, or overdo the coolness for the room.

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COLUMN: My Top 100 Movies of the 2010s

To build a master list, I turned to the Pub Meeple Ranking Engine.  I entered a list of just under 200 five-star and high four-star movies and let the hundreds of clickable “versus” matchup permutations slot everything.  It’s really a slick tool, and it nailed my results. The cream of the rose to the top, just as they should. I’ve said this before on other lists, but this is more about “best” than “favorites.” Also, I did not include documentaries.  Quality edges easy entertainment more often than not. Here are the results with a little commentary here and there in between!

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MEDIA APPEARANCE: Participant in "World of Reel" Critics Poll for Best Films of the 2010s

As I grow with press credentials and professional affiliation locally and nationally, I find myself more and more landing and conversing in circles with other film critics of various levels. Much like the David Ehrlich survey I participate in, I answered an open social media call from Jordan Ruimy of World of Reel. He is a fellow Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic who also has contributed to The Young Folks, The Playlist, We Got This Covered, and The Film Stage. His poll was to collect the Top 5 films of the 2010s from critics and other industry folk. I was honored to chime in with my quintet.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Inside Llewyn Davis

It was Oscar Wilde that famously said "life imitates art more than art imitates life." When that mantra gets applied to cinema, we commonly talk about how we, as audiences, live vicariously through the imagination and fantasies that films create for us. The first part of that quote gets talked about all the time in that way. It's not too often that the second half of that quote comes true, but I feel that Ethan and Joel Coen have achieved just that with their latest feature film, Inside Llewyn Davis.  As a fictional documentation and internal look at a crucial week-long journey in the life of an aspiring folk singer in 1961 Greenwich Village within New York City, Inside Llewyn Davis uniquely feels more like a film taking on real life than one pretending the other way around, as is so often the case with movies. While unique, I don't know if that's necessarily a good thing. Let me explain.

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MOVIE REVIEW: American Hustle

During the seemingly long Oscar season each year, studios save some of their best and brightest films for the end of the year so that voters with short memories will remember them most when its time to fill out a ballot for awards nominations.  It's incredibly rare to see a Best Picture Academy Award winner from a month earlier than October.  The term that gets used a great deal is "Oscar bait."  This creates a very flooded market in December of memorable film after memorable film.  These studios pull out all of the marketing stops and want that "Nominated for..." and "Winner of..." sound byte or graphic on their print advertisements, posters, trailers and TV spots.  They long to be showered with praise and are cradled by the powers-that-be to grab that spotlight.  They want you to pay your money and join in that praise, hence the term "Oscar bait."

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MOVIE REVIEW: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Like a great middle chapter should, this film escalates the tension, danger, and risk towards an as-yet-unseen climax that is sure to blow our socks off.  Are the producers still milking us for three movies that could have fit into one?  Probably, but, once again, I, for one, have the patience to respect what these filmmakers are up to and value what others might call tedious.

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MOVIE REVIEW: Ender's Game

Strong work equals strong results, which is the catalyst to examine Ender's Game, the latest 2013 science fiction blockbuster-to-be.  Ender's Game is based on one of the more illustrious pieces of science fiction written in the last half century.  Originating as a 1977 short story, author Orson Scott Card's 1985 Cold War-era and Hugo Award-winning military science fiction novel has long been a required reading staple of high school literature classes, college courses, and even our own U.S. Marine Corps.  

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