Fistful of Dollars

Readers may remember my reservations about the all-but universally praised L.A. Confidential a few months ago — a film which I note continues to garner award after award from less fastidious critics. Yet, thought I, what was the point of a movie in which everybody but a couple of utterly self-absorbed heroes is basically scum?…

I thought that the cowboy who loved his horse more than any ole woman went out with Tom Mix, but make him P.C. and he’s back again

The gentle humor of this coming-of-age story is perhaps just a touch too gentle.

Pushing Tin, directed by Mike Newell, is a reminder that our popular culture wants it both ways. On the one hand it thrives, as entertainment has always done, on the competition of macho men to see who is stronger, smarter, quicker or more dexterous. On the other hand it feels constrained to deplore such competition…

Jane Austen as seen by Whit Stillman — who doesn’t quite see all of her

This not-very-funny comedy does at least hold some interest as a parable of black upward mobility.