Ron's Popcorn Reviews.com
Movies reviewed based on the concept of filmmaking as an art.
LATEST REVIEWS
3/4 STARS
Posted December 16, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
It is unconventional for a costume drama to open up the
3.5/4 STARS
Posted December 11, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Since his lauded 2006 critical darling, Letters from Iwo Jima, Clint Eastwood has tried and failed to sweep the Oscars with yet another Awards season favorite. His latest film, Invictus, is unlikely to do any better than Changeling or Gran Torino at winning over Academy voters. It will however resonate for many people, as well as me, as the most inspirational movie of the year. Invictus seemed like the type of film that would dominate the Oscars and stand as one the best movies of 2009 (a Clint Eastwood movie starring Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela is bound for Oscar glory) but it turns out to be a much quieter and low-key drama. Read More>>>
2.5/4 STARS
Posted December 9, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Any war movie released alongside Kathryn Bigelow’s masterful The Hurt Locker has its work cut out. Jim Sheridan’s Brothers, adapted from the Danish picture Brodre, does not even try to aspire to any level of greatness. It is the typical war movie, bearing tired clichés of the “all American” family living in a small town that experiences a tragedy. Everything in this movie feels generic. Read More>>>
4/4 STARS
Posted December 6, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Jason Reitman’s Up in the Air is the best movie of 2009. It is a testament to the talent of everyone involved in making this wonderful film. In its plot, its carefully written dialogue, and its array of emotions relatable to anyone living in this economic and cultural climate, Up in the Air is for and of its time. It is about Ryan Bingham, a corporate downsizer. In other words, he gets hired to fire people. In a bad economy, business is great. Read More>>>
.5/4 STARS
Posted December 3, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
All film critics and film fanatics have two things in common. The first one is obvious. The other is a feeling of complete irrelevance. Whether we’re arguing with a group of teenagers over the sexism in Transformers or convincing those same teenagers to see The Hurt Locker, we can never win. Unfortunately, majority often does rule. I felt irrelevant when reviewing New Moon a couple weeks ago, and I feel irrelevant now when reviewing Old Dogs, an over-the-top and clinically insane slapstick comedy with zero heart or wit. Read More>>>
4/4 STARS
Posted November 28, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
The Road, a masterpiece of cinema based on Cormac McCarthy’s 2006 novel, does not like its travelers. Every moment of hope and happiness is instantly diminished, since these people, as Robert Duvall’s character says, “Cannot afford such luxuries.” This bleak narrative will undoubtedly make audience members uncomfortable in their seats. Many viewers in the theater I saw it in were driven to tears. I can’t blame them. But The Road is not meant to be an uplifting tale of courage. It is in fact exactly the opposite. Read More>>>
BAD LIEUTENANT: PORT OF CALL NEW ORLEANS
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE
LATEST BLOG ENTRIES
"For Your Consideration" madness
Posted December 4, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Oscar season has officially begun…and so have the "For Your Consideration” ads. Every year big studios push movies that have been garnering buzz. I always look forward to seeing the ads in Variety and on the web. This year, I’m just pissed off. Thanks to the ridiculous announcement that the Academy will be expanding the Best Picture category to 10 slots instead of 5, every studio is rounding up their junk and touting it as Oscar bait. If you don’t believe the severity, Paramount Pictures has launched an Awards campaign for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. WHAT THE FUCK! I refuse the write “WTF” when one of the worst movies of the year is actually being pushed as an Oscar contender. I clicked on the link and they’re not pushing it for technical achievements, but for Best Picture and Best Director. Read More>>>
Three great movies in three memorable days
Posted November 30, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Wow! I wrote a blog entry on Thanksgiving Day about my plans for the weekend. To sum it up, I was going to the movies on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. On Thursday I saw Fantastic Mr. Fox before I had written the blog entry, on Friday I saw Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, and on Saturday I saw The Road. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would see three amazing and timeless films one after another over the course of three days. You can only imagine how I feel right now. I will remember this Thanksgiving weekend for decades. Maybe seeing three great films isn’t a big deal to you, but to me, combined with three days with my family, it’s the greatest thing. Read More>>>
Posted November 26, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
So it’s Thanksgiving Weekend and everything’s great! For those who think I have no life because I posted two reviews today, ummm…I don’t know, go give thanks and screw yourselves. I saw The Private Lives of Pippa Lee a while back, so all I had to do was post my review which was saved on my computer. And then yes people, today on Thanksgiving Day I left my family for a couple hours and went to see Fantastic Mr. Fox. I should feel like a total asshole right now, but the showing was at 10:05 am. Who stuffs a turkey that early? I got back around noon and my family was just starting to cook. Read More>>>
Posted November 21, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
I have seen Precious and I admit I was horrendously wrong. It’s a terrific movie. Not a masterpiece, but very good. If you’re someone like me who saw the trailer and felt like puking, trust me, Precious is nothing like the trailer. The surplus amount of tragedies in her life (being pregnant from her own father twice!) tie in naturally instead of feeling awkward and like they’re only there to exaggerate. See Precious as soon as you can. Read More>>>
LATEST DVD REVIEWS (PRE-2008)
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE TWO TOWERS (2002)
4/4 STARS
Posted October 29, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Quentin Tarantino’s movies have a lot of talking. The Lord of the Rings trilogy has a lot of walking. Walking and talking are considered to be the dullest elements of movies. Tarantino turned talking into an art form. The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, the second and best chapter of the highly praised trilogy, turns walking into an exhilarating and absorbing three hours. This entry is one of the greatest sequels ever made, improving on every flaw of The Fellowship of the Ring. Every criticism of mine of the first chapter does not apply to The Two Towers, a soaring masterpiece of innovative filmmaking and strong storytelling. Read More>>>
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)
2.5/4 STARS
Posted October 29, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
No trilogy since the first three Star Wars films (episodes 4-6) has been as lauded as The Lord of the Rings. Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s benchmark collection of books, the first chapter of the story was brought to the screen in 2001 and made a household name out of Peter Jackson, as well as some of the stars. The Fellowship of the Ring marks the beginning of one of the most well-known and applauded trilogies in the history of cinema. However, that does not indicate that the film, which sets up the next and far superior two entries, is anything more than an overblown, and overlong, muddle. Read More>>>
FARGO (1996)
4/4 STARS
Posted April 9, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
“You did all that, just for a little bit of money?” Marge Gunderson asks. The tired and insane Grimsrud stares back and looks confused. He is realizing that he probably doesn’t even know himself. And when the innocent Marge asks that, not only do we mentally recap the brilliant
THE DEPARTED (2006)
4/4 STARS
Posted April 9, 2009
By Ron Rapoport
Martin Scorsese’s name is embedded in cinematic history. Almost any movie he makes becomes a classic, such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, GoodFellas, and Casino, but I think his greatest achievement is The Departed. It is hard to say that because GoodFellas is almost equally as good, but The Departed is much deeper on a psychological level. It morally tests the audience and like Million Dollar Baby, it is not about good and evil, but about right and wrong. What is the difference between the demented mob boss and the foul mouthed and violent police sergeant? These are the types of question that The Departed lays out, and they all add up to one big question: What divides both sides of the law? Read More>>>
