Worst movie product tie-ins

I thought I'd share this small article about movie product tie-ins. My favorite has to be the "Watchmen" themed condoms.



http://www.reelz.com/article/1474/worst-movie-product-tie-ins/

4:44 Last Day On Earth (2012)

 

Written/Directed by Abel Ferrara

 Starring Willem Dafoe and Shanyn Leigh

Runtime 85min - Unrated - Contains Language/Nudity

2 Stars (out of 4)

"4:44 Last Day On Earth" released to V.O.D platforms on 3/23/12. Amazon link at bottom of review.

I only heard about "4:44" a couple of days before (legally) viewing it online. It caught my attention because it stars Willem Dafoe, who is rarely in a movie with such scarce marketing. The name that really hooked me though, was Abel Ferrara. Younger readers may not know Ferrara, but he has left his mark on cinema in a big way. Most notably, he directed the original "Bad Lieutenant" starring Harvey Keitel. "King of New York" is the Ferrara film that I remember most fondly, largely because of Christopher Walken's incredible performance. Ferrara's films have a reputation of grittiness and urban violence. His work somewhat resembles Martin Scorcese, but without the vast resources that Scorcese has available.

Using his previous work as a reference point, I was really excited to see what Ferrara could do with a sci-fi drama. I knew the piece was set in New York and expected the urban landscape to be thoroughly explored given the director's reputation.

My expectations were off by miles.

Free Animated Short Films - Flying Books and No Robots

"No Robots" 5 minute film about a future without robots. "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore" won this year's oscar for best animated short film.

The Grey (2012)

 

Directed by Joe Carnahan

Starring Liam Neeson and wolves

Runtime 117min. - Rated R

3.5 Stars (out of 4)

 
I'm not especially enthusiastic about action movies. I hate to seem like a crotchety old critic who thinks he's too good for action flicks, but thoughtful ones are few and far between. These days especially, it could be said that the phrase "thoughtful action flick" is an oxymoron. "The Expendables" is the pinnacle of the genre, and that's not high praise.

Woody Allen vs. Billy Graham

Woody Allen interviews Billy Graham on a 1960's talk show. Allen is the wittiest writer of dialogue and he can churn it out in person as well. This is a friendly intellectual battle between two polar opposites. Enjoy.

Carnage (2011)

Directed by Roman Polanski

Starring Jodie Foster, John C. Reilly, Kate Winslet and Christoph Waltz

Runtime 80min. - Rated R (language)

2.5 Stars (out of 4)

Roman Polanski is one of the great directors of our time. Even the best have missteps though."Carnage" is one of his missteps. 

It's an admirable film. It's constructed in a way that makes its stage-play origins known, much like the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's "The Sunset Limited". The entirety of the film takes place inside of one apartment. The only exception to this is the opening scene and the closing, which weren't necessary to the plot anyway.