Jersey Boys

Review by Milan Paurich

Imagine if John Ford had opted to direct BYE BYE BIRDIE instead of THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE. On paper, Clint Eastwood helming a screen version of the long-running Broadway musical smash JERSEY BOYS made about as much sense.

Don’t get me wrong. I dearly love Eastwood and consider him one of America’s greatest living filmmakers. And he’s to be applauded for thinking (way) outside the box by electing to direct his first musical at the ripe young age of 84.

A Late Quartet (opens in Cleveland November 16th exclusively at the Cedar Lee Theatre)

[A LATE QUARTET opens in Cleveland on Friday November 16th exclusively at the Cedar Lee Theatre.]

Review by Joseph Anthony

The bond of family endures both good and bad, in the best of times and the worst. In A LATE QUARTET, we witness a family in disarray. The Fugue Quartet is one of the most highly regarded classical quartets in New York City, and even if their bond is merely professional, they nonetheless care for each other like family.

The four members of this classical quartet have been playing together for over twenty years. Early in the film we discover that the eldest and most respected member, Peter (Christopher Walken), has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s. The news rattles the group, who have to figure out how to go forward. Peter has had an unfortunate year, recently having lost his beloved wife, and he tells the group it may be time for him to walk away.

Dark Horse (opens in Cleveland October 19th exclusively at the Capitol Theatre)

[DARK HORSE opens in Cleveland on Friday October 19th exclusively at the Capitol Theatre.]

Review by Bob Ignizio

Todd Solodnz delivers yet another twisted comedy with his latest film DARK HORSE. The film seems to center around thirtysomething Abe (Jordan Gelber), the proverbial guy who still lives with his parents (Christopher Walken and Mia Farrow) and collects comic books or records or baseball cards or, in this case, action figures. Abe has a job at the company his father owns, but doesn't exactly apply himself. His only plans for the future are to wait until his parents move to Florida, at which point he assumes they will give him their home. In other words, this guy isn't exactly what you'd call a “good catch”.

Then again, neither is Miranda (Selma Blair), a failed writer with hepatitis B and a clingy ex boyfriend (Aasif Mandvi). The two meet at a wedding where keeps hammering Miranda for her phone number until she finally relents. After one date, he proposes marriage. At first this seems to have backfired, as one might assume it would. However, after giving it some thought, Miranda decides to accept. Things go considerably downhill for Abe from here.

Seven Psychopaths

Review by Pete Roche

It’s not always easy distinguishing eccentrics from alcoholics, or spotting the difference between sycophants and psychopaths.  Sometimes the lines are blurry.  Frequently, the symptoms overlap. 

Irish playwright Martin McDonagh toyed with these archetypes a couple years back with the marvelous IN BRUGES, wherein all hell breaks loose after Colin Farrell’s penitent assassin goes into hiding.

Farrell is back for McDonagh’s follow-up, SEVEN PSYCHOPATHS—but now he’s first among equals, playing alongside Christopher Walken, Woody Harrelson, and Sam Rockwell in a shoot ‘em up study of love, loyalty, violence, and sanity. 

Kill the Irishman

Review by Charles Cassady Jr.

I've applied for scores of jobs of every description here since the 1980s. It's quite crushed my spirit, unending boot-stomp-in-the-face employment turn-downs in work for which I was highly qualified. In my imaginings, there would be a job that required a successful applicant have (1) MY Social Security Number, (2) MY name, (3) MY iris pattern, (4) MY fingerprints, (5) MY ribonucleic acid-DNA sequences. Human Resources would still hire someone else. Most likely, given what I've observed, someone else who was a young female.

So it was with grim satisfaction I learned the true-crime drama KILL THE IRISHMAN, a 100 per cent Cleveland-content feature, set in Cleveland, based on a Clevelander's book, telling a great Cleveland saga...had rejected this city in favor of shooting almost entirely in Detroit, where a special Michigan film tax at the time offered more incentives to the production outfit. I did jam a little on the idea that Cleveland, source of my despair, got the same leper treatment. Maybe "The LeBron James Story" will lens in Akron and Florida, deciding his Cavaliers period was not worth mentioning.