Live Free or Die Hard (2007) -vs- Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)
The Smackdown Sometimes a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do, or as Bruce Willis’s John McLane explains in Live Free or Die Hard. He’s that guy who’s just crazy enough to do what […]
2007
Neverwas (2005) -vs- Finding Neverland (2004)
The Smackdown We all know (from bitter experience) that being a kid is no picnic. Here are two movies that tell us that being a writer of kids’ books isn’t much easier AND both manage […]
Evan Almighty (2007) -vs- Bruce Almighty (2003)
The Smackdown People like to talk about having a “personal” relationship with God. Maybe that’s why both these films bring in audiences — the chance to watch the main characters actually have that relationship on […]
Shooting Craps with Joel Siegel
It seems like everybody in America could recognize film critic Joel Siegel. He was the guy with the mustache on the network morning news show who reviewed films and provided comic relief, the guy who […]
Live Free or Die Hard (2007) -vs- Die Hard (1988)
The Smackdown Sometimes you just need to see a well-deserved butt kicking. On that basis, the Die Hard series generally satisfies because all of the movies are intended to simply deliver what they excel at […]
Introducing the Dwights (2007) -vs- Meet the Fockers (2004)
The Smackdown Everybody is secretly afraid to introduce their friends to their parents, let alone bring home that special girlfriend. At least half of those people are probably right to be worried. “Introducing the Dwights” […]
A Mighty Heart (2007) -vs- Proof of Life (1988)
The Smackdown Real violence trumps reel violence, although maybe not when selling tickets. “A Mighty Heart” opened small over the weekend ($4 million) and may not grow much. Michael Winterbottom directed this real life horrorshow […]
The Good German (2007) -vs- Chinatown (1974)
The Smackdown The trouble with being a Man Who Wants to Know Too Much is that you can take a real beating for your curiosity. Now that “The Good German” is out on DVD, we’re […]
Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007) -vs- The Incredibles (2004)
The Smackdown So far this summer, I’ve swung dizzy on the thinning web of a spider, gotten sea sick while sailing with pirates in the Caribbean, and gambled successfully on a bunch of con-men. This […]
Music and Lyrics (2007) -vs- Once (2007)
The Smackdown Tone is everything. It’s not so much the idea anymore in films, it’s the filmmaker’s “take” on the idea. For some stark insight into the difference between studio and indie films, and between […]