by John D. Harvey on July 31, 2011
In the opening scene of Cowboys & Aliens, outlaw Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig) snaps to consciousness in the arid Arizona desert beaten, wounded, dirty, with no memory, and a futuristic bracelet locked on his forearm. Savor this scene … because it’s the first and only intriguing part of the entire movie. Based on the 100-page [...]
by John D. Harvey on July 25, 2011
Given the glut of disappointing superhero movies in recent years, Captain America: The First Avenger is a refreshing, though by no means groundbreaking, diversion into a more nostalgic take on superheroes. This movie also deserves credit for its ability to stand alone, even though it is one of a series of “prequels” to the summer [...]
by John D. Harvey on May 11, 2010
Originally published at Cinemaknifefight.com. One of the earliest revelations you’ll have while watching the first 10 to 15 minutes of THE LOSERS (PG-13) is that the movie’s title refers to the audience and not anyone in the film. Directed by Sylvain White, this hollow action-adventure movie adapts the Vertigo Comics series written by Andy Diggle [...]
by John D. Harvey on May 3, 2010
As I stood there in line, I had no idea that within the next couple of minutes, three ten(ish) year-old boys would want me to die a horrible death. “Why is KICK-ASS rated ‘R’?” the father asked the ticket counter cashier at the movie theater. He seemed more than a bit surprised. “Dad, just buy [...]
by John D. Harvey on April 27, 2010
My movie review of THE LOSERS just went live at Cinemaknifefight.com. You can view it here. It’s unkind …
by John D. Harvey on April 18, 2010
I’ve known both L.L. Soares and Michael Arruda for about ten years now and through several iterations of their uniquely formatted film review column, Cinema Knife Fight. I was flattered when they asked to have me on as an occasional contributor. My niche area will be thrillers and films that don’t fit squarely in the [...]
by John D. Harvey on April 1, 2010
In 2009, a 1976 video of Eduard Khil singing “I Am Glad To Finally Be Home” appeared on YouTube. This quirky and somewhat surreal video quickly became a viral Internet meme known as “Trololololololololololo”. The video’s popularity was helped along by a March 3 appearance on “The Colbert Report”. Okay. So that’s pretty entertaining all [...]
by John D. Harvey on March 31, 2010
I was shooting for ten sites when I wrote this last night, but overshot the goal due to consumption of fermented products… Anywho, if you know me at all then you know that I have a certain fondness for beer, particularly of the stout and porter varieties. To keep up on quality and craft beer [...]
by John D. Harvey on March 12, 2010
Peter Straub Essay on Genre Fiction I got this little gem via Jack Haringa (a.k.a. Monsieur Crankypants). Like most horror authors, I’m a huge fan of Peter Straub and an even bigger fan when he lends his pen to non-fiction on the subjects of literature and genre. Click here to read Peter Straub’s the essay. [...]
by John D. Harvey on February 22, 2010
Remaking “Death at a Funeral” So, I saw “Shutter Island” last night, and while watching the previews I was disappointed to discover that they have remade and Americanized the 2007 British comedy “Death at a Funeral” directed by Frank Oz. The 2010 remake stars Chris Rock and Martin Lawrence. I enjoyed the original so much [...]