Movies

The Amazing Spider-man: The Film Equivilent of Playing Prevent Defense ***

In its first two acts The Amazing Spider-man is a surprisingly fresh, well developed and runaway winner of a film.  However in the third act, and perhaps sensing an easy victory, Director Marc Webb (500 Day’s of Summer) reverts to the standard Marvel Comic Summer playbook and finishes out the film executing the equivalent of Read More…

Movies

Absurd Bordering on Brilliance ****

Ted, the brainchild of Seth McFarland is a remarkable fusion of two successful comedic genre’s.  First and foremost Ted is a terrific romantic comedy that pays homage to the Two-Guys One Girl theme perfected by Stanley Shapiro (with able assistance from Delbert Mann and Michael Gordon) during the 1960’s.  Second it is the raunchy foul Read More…

Reads

Calico Joe ****

John Grisham book’s are always fast reads.  Calico Joe can (and most likely will) be consumed in one sitting – maybe two. In Calico Joe Grisham creates a fine blend of fantasy and what if for baseball fans in general and Chicago Cubs fans in particular. Where Calico Joe shines is in its honesty about redemption.  Calico Read More…