â€™70â€™s Archives - Movie SmackdownÂ®

American Hustle (2013) vs. The Informant (2009)

December 12, 2013 Arthur Tiersky 0

Who doesnâ€™t love Matt Damon and Christian Bale?

(Okay, probably this guy doesnâ€™t love Bale so much, and Minnie Driver still might be holding a grudge against Damonâ€¦But just go with me on thisâ€¦)

And who doesnâ€™t love when big stars like Matt Damon and Christian Bale ugly themselves up with bad hairpieces and weight gains and cheesy facial hair for a scruffy little indie role?

And who doesnâ€™t love period offbeat indie comedies based on true stories in which the aforementioned uglied-up big stars like Matt Damon and Christian Bale play real-life dudes who started working undercover with the Feds to catch criminals, only to turn out to be unreliable and devious and driven by their own agendas?

And who doesnâ€™t love when original mavericks of low-budget filmmaking like Steven Soderbergh and David O. Russell return to their indie roots and makeâ€¦what I just said above? […]

Straw Dogs (2011) -vs- Straw Dogs (1971)

September 12, 2011 Bob Nowotny 4

Now, after a summer of sequels that did little to further movie franchises or the film business in general, comes a remake of Straw Dogs, the 1971 classic considered by some critics to be among the most visceral and memorable statements regarding violence ever put on the screen. Then again, what else would you expect from the maestro of malignant mayhem, the irrepressible Sam Peckinpah?

The updated remake is helmed by journalist/film critic-turned-director Rob Lurie. How does it compare? Can Lurie teach an old Dog new tricks? Like Westminster, this â€œbest in showâ€ is winner take all. […]