Usually, the mere presence of the great Jason Bateman in an otherwise calamitous comedy — The Ex, The Switch, The Change-Up, Identity Thief, I could sadly go on and on — makes the failed jokes go down a little easier. He’s coasted through one clunker after another because of his inherent likeability; it was the one thing, in many of those films, that made them worth watching. … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Dec. 24-26
Film: With meticulous attention to period details and an engrossing history-based story that humanizes the struggle of a British king like no movie before it, The King’s Speech is great, albeit old-fashioned, filmmaking. Colin Firth stars as Bertie, a/k/a Prince Albert (Colin Firth), who unexpectedly becomes King George VI as World War II looms, due to his older brother’s … [Read more...]