Clint Eastwood works so hard to bring a little likability to The Mule

In The Mule, Clint Eastwood plays a 90-year-old guy who has a hard time getting along with the world. That’s not a stretch for this most recognizable rasp of a voice and mug, not in age nor familiar storyline. In this true tale directed by Eastwood himself from a screenplay Nick Schenk based on the…

A Star Is Born lights up already shining Gaga, Cooper

The basic building blocks that make A Star Is Born a story forever strong shine oh-so-brightly in this fourth version, directed by Bradley Cooper from the screenplay he co-wrote with Eric Roth and Will Fetters. Famous boy stumbles upon talented regular girl. Newcomer’s talent (and natural beauty) quickly win over flawed but still charming legend.…

Did I mention that they had me from Aloha?

Aloha unwinds during Christmas time in Hawaii. Sun, lots of it, with blue water and pristine sand. Interesting myths from the islands mysterious past play out among the mountains and lush forest. Thoughts flooded my mind about that trip to the islands we took in 2010, Oahu and Kawai and Maui … Volcanoes and lava…

Hello! Trailers reveal three movies I can’t wait to see

I’ve spent enough time lamenting the state of movie trailers in our day and age, those teasers they throw on in the theaters at the announced start time of the featured show in hopes of getting you to come back again and again and again. Too long. Too many. Too revealing. Well lookee here. Today…

Is any movie worth a fourth swing at it?

To me, “A Star is Born” means a drunked-up rocker played by Kris Kristofferson doing the right/wrong/right/wrong dance with a wild-eyed optimist of a young singer played by Barbra Streisand. To a generation that came ahead of me, Judy Garland was the young singer. In the original, it was … well, you can trace the…