By: debbie lynn elias With every film, leading the charge, defining the tonal bandwidth, bringing the words on the page into focus on the screen, casting actors, dotting the “I’s” and crossing the “T’s”, you find the director. And with THE HUNGER GAMES, that man is Gary Ross. A Hollywood
By: debbie lynn elias For self-described die-hard HUNGER GAMES fan, Elizabeth Banks, the first word that comes to her mind on tackling the role of Effie Trinket is “fun.” The second, “transformative.” “It’s really fun to watch yourself disappear in the movie every day, and watch Effie appear. It required
By: debbie lynn elias Looking for laughter this weekend? Then jump on over to 21 JUMP STREET. This is The Funniest Film Of The Year! A devotee of the original “21 Jump Street” tv series that catapulted Johnny Depp into stardom, I never envisioned a translation of the series to
By: debbie lynn elias Anyone who knows me or who is a regular reader, knows of my unabashed admiration and respect for Nic Cage. While his chosen roles and performances are sometimes spot on and sometimes not, he never ceases to stretch himself and go outside the box with interesting,
By: debbie lynn elias Aptly described by Donald Sutherland as “Jennifer Lawrence Olivier”, I first met Jennifer Lawrence at Los Angeles Film Festival with her dramatic debut in Lori Petty’s semi-autobiographical dramatization, The Poker House, a film that not only spawned Lawrence’s dramatic career but propelled Chloe Grace Moretz equally
By: debbie lynn elias From Hawkeye Pierce to President Coriolanus Snow and Everything In Between: DONALD SUTHERLAND Talks THE HUNGER GAMES For decades, Donald Sutherland has “wowed” us at the box office with chameleonic, strong personalities and characters. Performances always filled with nuance and subtlety, Sutherland is as ethereal and
By: debbie lynn elias On looking at the movie posters and trailers for SILENT HOUSE, one gets the impression that this is a film melding thriller/horror genres – dark spooky house, a waifish young blonde, dim single light, images down the hall, sudden noises and occurrences, screaming, silent screaming, anguished
By: debbie lynn elias Long an admirer of Tyler Perry and his works (with a few exceptions), I was curious to see what he would bring us with GOOD DEEDS, a film in which Perry sheds his usual onscreen persona of Madea and her over-the-top hilarity, and presents us with
By: debbie lynn elias This is the movie that action fans the world over have been craving. Directors Scott Waugh and Mike “Mouse” McCoy have set the highest possible bar for excellence and authenticity with ACT OF VALOR. The most authentic action move ever made, Waugh and McCoy showcase “the
By: debbie lynn elias Although most of the hubbub over the past month and week have been about the Academy Awards, the real awards gem is the Film Independent Spirit Awards. Traditionally taking place the day before the Academy Awards, the Spirit Awards is the true litmus test reflective of
