‘The Age of Adaline’ adds up too easily

From the start, I wanted to really like “The Age of Adaline.” A woman who won’t age because of a lightning strike following a car accident … well, I won’t go all spoiler on you, but you can read Film Review blog at the Syracuse New Times site by clicking the link below. http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/may-grow-old-waiting-action-age-adaline/ I…

When favorite actors turn in stinkers, I ___

Fill in the blank in the headline above, please and thank you. Oh, Kevin James. Why in the world would you do this to yourself? My Long Island guy, fellow Mets fan, dude who grew up down the same block from me in Suffolk County, funny fellow all those years on TV show “The King…

Pacino packs a subtle punch in ‘Danny Collins’

Sometimes our great actors can seem to be merely playing themselves. My, that can become tiring. Jack Nicholson as Jack Nicholson, anyone? Arch that eyebrow. Unleash that expression of disgust. Sorry, Jack. Al Pacino has done that to me at times. Not in “Danny Collins.” He’s not a cop or a crime figure or anywhere…

‘Furious 7’ says goodbye in a big way

The car chases for this gang are done. “Furious 7” put the gang through its paces in very fine style. You can read my review of this quite interesting and emotionally loaded final chapter of the franchise in my Film Blog review on the Syracuse New Times site by clicking the link below. http://www.syracusenewtimes.com/furious-7-ties-action-thrilling-tribute/ The…

Offensive can have other messages

There are things happening up on the screen in “Get Hard” that, taken at face value, are offensive. Yet I wasn’t ruffled nearly enough to stand up, do an about face and march out of there as I sat through the Friday matinee at the Regal Cinemas theater in Syracuse mega shopping, dining and entertainment…

How do you prep for a Sweet Sixteen?

There are many ways, I suppose, for a bunch of college-aged men to spend a few hours in a strange city before a very important evening. Add in the fact that they’re joined by the collective purpose of their university’s sports team, and it’s surely no surprise to discover them in a pack, dressed rather…

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…

3D’s a non-starter for me, but ‘Insurgent’ would have been the one

Sometimes the movie schedule isn’t the best fit for my life. Saturday, there was someplace my dear wife Karen had to be at 3 p.m., no ifs, ands or buts about it. (Hello, tax preparer.) We wanted to see “Insurgent” beforehand. And I must say, that was a good call, as the day unfolded. (Hello,…

Vin Diesel feels family love as ‘Fast’ opening approaches

This emotional feeling about “Fast and Furious 7” is moving into overdrive. The movie made after the tragic death of star Paul Walker opens on April 3. For more than a year now, his co-stars and the crew have been dealing with the loss of their friend, who perished in a car accident in November…

When bad people do good in the movies

In “Run All Night,” I found myself rooting for the guy played by Liam Neeson. When, in the back story set in front of us, his character was every bit a bad a guy as the man played by co-lead Ed Harris. You can read my review of “Run All Night” as my weekly Movie…