Author: Jason Zingale

“Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb” certainly isn’t the most popular of Stanley Kubrick’s films. In fact, it ranks well below “The Shining,” “A Clockwork Orange” and “2001: A Space Odyssey” in terms of sheer notoriety, but while the movie may not be as well known among the general populous, it’s easily one of the director’s best films of his somewhat controversial career. That’s saying a lot when you consider his catalog also includes “Full Metal Jacket,” “L%lita,” and my personal favorite, “The Killing,” but when a political satire about the Cold War…

Writer/director/actor Harold Ramis has had a hand in creating some of the most memorable comedies of the last three decades – a list that includes “Animal House,” “Caddyshack,” “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “Ghostbusters” and “Groundhog Day” – but it appears that his magic touch is long gone. Though his last few films haven’t exactly lived up to the legacy of his golden years, they would likely be considered masterpieces when compared to the epic fail that is “Year One.” This is a movie that doesn’t just ask its stars to say stupid things, but do stupid things as well – like…

For a filmmaker as accomplished as Woody Allen, his track record really isn’t as great as it should be – particularly over the last decade or so, save for “Match Point” and “Vicky Christina Barcelona.” His latest New York-based film, “Whatever Works,” is yet another disappointing comedy that not only fails to break new ground, but completely wastes a promising partnership between Allen and fellow pessimist Larry David. Putting aside the fact that the movie is practically a retelling of his 1979 classic, “Manhattan,” “Whatever Works” is so sluggish and mean-spirited that it’s difficult to imagine even longtime fans of…

It’s a shame that there’s so much nothing going on for the majority of “Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,” because there are enough moments here and there filled with genuine suspense and the right amount of terror that it definitely could have been a much better movie than what came out in the end. Unfortunately, though, the flick stumbles more often than not, making for a plodding adventure even at its short 91-minute running time. It’s no wonder that the films that followed this entry tried a little bit of everything to keep audiences coming back given that most…

It’s no big secret that Hollywood loves remakes, but as is usually the case, the movies that are being remade are either those that don’t need to be or those that don’t deserve to be. Updating a film like “The Taking of Pelham One Two Three” results in a different kind of reaction – one of complete and utter indifference. Joseph Sargent’s 1974 cop thriller may have its share of fans, but the movie is far from off limits where remakes are concerned. Whether or not Tony Scott’s version is better or worse than the original is a moot point,…

If you were to take a look at Todd Phillips’ filmography, you’d notice a particular trend in regards to the types of movies he’s usually involved with. He may not be the world’s greatest director, but he does know how to cater to the frat boy audience with comedies that are lewd, crude and blisteringly funny. His latest movie, “The Hangover,” is made in the same vein as past hits like “Road Trip” and “Old School,” only this time, he doesn’t just push the boundaries in terms of what you can get away with in an R-rated comedy – he…

After depressing just about every middle-aged couple in the country with last year’s “Revolutionary Road,” it’s nice to see Sam Mendes bounce back with a film that’s the complete opposite – an optimistic romantic comedy about a young couple searching for the secret to happiness. While their journey consists almost entirely of spending time with people you wouldn’t want to mirror a relationship after, the point of the film is less about who they meet and more about why they’ll succeed where everyone else has failed. It’s the kind of low-key, hipster indie film that you’d never expect a guy…

It may seem a bit backwards to have seen J.J. Abrams’ big screen reboot of “Star Trek” before watching any of the films starring the original cast, but as a non-fan of Gene Roddenberry’s popular sci-fi series, that’s just how it happened. In fact, there’s a good chance I would have never seen the first six “Star Trek” films were it not for the release of the new movie, because without it, Paramount likely would have taken their time in bringing the franchise to Blu-ray. Now that it’s here, however, Trekkies (or Trekkers, or whatever you may call yourself) may…

The makers of “Terminator Salvation” had the right idea in trying to get around the usual pitfalls of creating a movie-licensed game. By setting the story before the events of the film, they prevented themselves from being restricted by any set of rules or regulations that might normally exist. Unfortunately, while the idea of a new “Terminator” game sounds simple enough in theory (if the success of “Halo” and “Gears of War” has taught us anything, it’s that we like our sci-fi war games), the latest attempt is an uninspired blob of mediocrity that is to generic first-person shooters what…

Zombies and video games go together like peanut butter and jelly, so it’s really no surprise that so many zombie-centric titles are released each year. While a majority of them fall into the survival horror category, there have been a few (like “Dead Rising”) that have strayed from the norm to deliver a more unique experience. And if there’s one title that does it better than any other, it’s Valve’s “Left 4 Dead,” an innovative shooter that places an emphasis on teamwork and thrives because of it. Twice as frantic as “Dead Rising,” and just as suspenseful as the average…