tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-28811066594231058142011-12-21T18:09:35.955ZNews, reviews and other musings from writer and freelance journalist Joe Griffin.Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.comBlogger3501100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-5457646959096193112011-06-29T18:07:00.002+01:002011-06-29T18:09:55.768+01:00

Here's piece I did for the Irish Times about the critical reaction to Green Lantern...Green Lantern, a hugely expensive comic-book adaptation starring Ryan Reynolds was unlikely to have become a critical darling. But somewhere along the way, something magical happened: Green Lantern ’s unique blend of eccentricity and ineptness has stoked critics’ collective creativity, prompting some

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-92107064314290903912011-06-29T18:03:00.002+01:002011-06-29T18:06:57.500+01:00

Another Irish Times game review by me...The opening credits for LA Noire set the circa-1947 scene: young men buying their dream home, shiny automobiles promising a new kind of freedom, queues of doe-eyed women lining up for open auditions. But we know that there’s more to the city than tall buildings and big dreams. From the first instant, it’s clear that the game will be as ambitious as anything

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-59348936420215827172011-06-27T13:40:00.003+01:002011-06-27T13:43:49.316+01:00

My review of Portal 2 for the Irish Times...Last week (according to Terminator mythology) was the week that Skynet computers started to turn against their human masters. That makes the release of Portal 2 pretty appropriate.Like its predecessor, Portal 2 is a first-person puzzle game, pitting a human against a machine (the malevolent GLaDoS). Trapped once again in a crumbling giant maze, your

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-64081154381000673302011-06-01T14:54:00.006+01:002011-06-01T15:04:49.319+01:00

And here's a piece I wrote for The Irish Times about the realism (or otherwise) of Pirates in the movies... X marks the spot, peg legs, West Country accents – is there any factual basis for these silver screen pirate cliches, asks JOE GRIFFIN ahead of the release of Pirates of the Caribbean 4 With Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides due next week, it’s a good time to ask two pirate

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-62094130589437920772011-06-01T14:51:00.004+01:002011-06-01T14:54:10.331+01:00

Some housekeeping - here's a link to my recent article for The Guardian. It's a dos and do-nots of alien invasion, written to tie in with (the rather good) Attack the Block.The pic is of one of my favourite alien invasion movies Mars Attacks! (which I know lots of people didn't like), as I'm sure you know...

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-68060912485688828832011-04-04T09:36:00.001+01:002011-04-04T09:40:00.331+01:00

TV commercials are supposed to inspire us, to give us a glimpse at a life we wish we had, and to convince us that purchasing particular products will make our lives better. But one ad makes this writer relieved to be living in the real world, a world in which I can sleep in on Saturdays and fulfil such basic human needs as finishing a shower and eating a meal…The opening shot is a shower-head

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-44232218672798999262011-03-29T15:16:00.004+01:002011-03-29T15:29:12.697+01:00

So Sucker Punch has gotten some pretty bad reviews, eh? I vowed to go in to the screening with an open mind. In its defence, it’s got an attractive (and in places, talented) cast, fire-breathing dragons, robot samurai and Nazi zombies – how bad could it be? Pretty damn awful, as it turns out. Emily Browning plays “Baby Doll” a young woman (supposedly 20, but looking about 15) who, following some

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-63264529243448597882011-01-26T12:08:00.008Z2011-01-26T12:35:37.870Z

So the list is in of nominees. Twas pretty unspurprising. Indeed, my colleague over at The Irish Times correctly predicted all the major categories. Congratulations, Donnie Clarko! I'm gonna have a go at predicting the winners, and throw in who I think should win each of the main ones. Here goes...Actor in a Leading Role * Javier Bardem in “Biutiful” * Jeff Bridges in “True Grit” * Jesse

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-54056462294850952011-01-26T12:05:00.002Z2011-01-26T12:07:27.360Z

Here's my review of The Dilemma for State.ie...This might have been a good film; why not? Vince Vaughn is talented and occasionally hilarious (though he hasn’t been for a while), and Ron Howard directed Splash (which was nice) and Parenthood (which I love). The Dilemma, however, falls between two stools – the characters behave broadly as they would in a comedy, but its attempts at a little pathos

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-89381213335812503662011-01-24T09:59:00.002Z2011-01-24T10:02:09.349Z

Here's my review of Black Swan for State.ie...Black Swan is a critical darling, basking and bowing before the critical garlands and superlatives thrown at its feet. It walks a fine line though – this remarkable portrait of a ballet dancer is so hysterical that it nearly veers into camp. But director Darren Aronofsky and star Natalie Portman ensure that every scene is tightly coiled and

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-25484667448323366282010-12-29T16:17:00.009Z2010-12-29T16:32:09.380Z

Here's a fun little piece I wrote for today's Irish Times...Mindless entertainment? On the contrary, it’s amazing the gems of wisdom you can pick up from a few visits to the multiplexAH, 2010. With stupid reality doling out harsh lessons for everyone in the country, it’s no wonder that we flocked to the cinema en masse. (The Irish are still among the most frequent cinema attendants per capita in

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-18561522818827669022010-12-21T10:46:00.019Z2010-12-21T12:01:27.490Z

Finally! Here's my list of best films of the year...In descending order...10- Winter’s BoneWhat hasn't been said about this one already? Stunning locations and cinematography, star-making performance, strong story, memorable characters and faces. I loved it. 9- Kick-AssYes, we've had our share of postmodern superheros (from The Incredibles to Watchmen and beyond), but Kick Ass was filmed and

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-55423532568735912812010-12-13T17:21:00.006Z2010-12-13T17:37:36.354Z

As some of you know, I've been writing about games for The Irish Times since February. It's been a blast so far, and last Friday they published my top ten games of 2010. Here's the list with a little more detail (movie list is coming soon)...1 Red Dead Redemption (above)Compelling story, expansive game, gorgeous, cinematic graphics and nice historical detail made this western game truly

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-11629274154578296112010-12-13T09:36:00.004Z2010-12-13T09:47:29.566Z

I was very sceptical about the new Thor movie mainly because director Kenneth Branagh is a fine actor, but he's not so consistent behind the camera. His Shakespeare adaptations are often great, but his versions of Frankenstein and Sleuth were awful. Also, the concept (viking demigogue is exiled to earth and eventually becomes savour of mankind) could be campy in the wrong hands. But I must say -

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-80860479861065599182010-12-07T17:05:00.006Z2010-12-07T17:14:38.040Z

Here's my interview with the mighty Nathan Rabin (author of My Year of Flops, above) for the Irish Times...Nathan Rabin’s ‘ My Year of Flops’ columns for ‘The Onion’ have been compiled into a book. JOE GRIFFIN talks to him about three years of fiasco-spottingJoe Griffin : What’s the one thing you’ve learned from spending so long watching commercial failures?Nathan Rabin : More than anything, I’ve

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-2201984201388508392010-12-06T11:26:00.006Z2010-12-06T11:38:07.695Z

Here's my film news column from Friday's Irish Independent (hey - there might be stuff you missed!)Down with Oscar's kidsThis year's broadcast of the Oscars saw a dip in ratings, so it's not surprising that next year's show will be hosted by James Franco and Anne Hathaway (above).This attempt to be down with the kids should work out: both Franco and Hathaway can do comedy, have presented the live

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-51859354398982291392010-12-02T15:02:00.004Z2010-12-02T15:07:22.236Z

Hi there - sorry it's been a while. Very busy! Anyway, here's a link to a story I wrote for The Guardian last week about improvised weapons...

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-82359731858874913842010-10-18T13:53:00.003+01:002010-10-18T13:55:30.132+01:00

Here's my review from last Friday's Irish Times...Batman: The Brave and the BoldAnyone who thinks that Batman has been taking himself too seriously lately will be happy to play Batman: The Brave and the Bold. This is the groovy Batman of Adam West’s era, the Batman who wears light-blue tights and says lines like “Catwoman’s got the upper claw!”With colourful graphics and a snazzy score (all surf

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-34300988240147677992010-10-04T11:37:00.003+01:002010-10-04T11:42:18.129+01:00

The Social Network is Scarface with nerds. It’s Citizen Kane of new media. It’s the Network of the net.Okay, okay, hyperbole aside, The Social Network is a phenomenal film. Not only is it outrageously entertaining – wittier than most comedies and more exciting than most thrillers – it’s astoundingly topical. While Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps suffered for trying to cover too many newsworthy

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-71330064796868593962010-09-23T14:19:00.008+01:002010-09-23T14:38:01.491+01:00

And another recent Irish Times piece...The Rules of the RemakeThe cinemas are coming down with remakes. The Karate Kid and The A-Team are about to be joined by a remakes of Scum , Footloose and My Fair Lady . JOE GRIFFIN on when to remake – and when to let it lieREMAKES ARE nothing new, but they’re clogging up cinemas these days. In coming months and weeks we’ll see Dinner for Schmucks (based on

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-30794231826894352822010-09-22T16:13:00.004+01:002010-09-22T16:20:14.903+01:00

A recent article I wrote for the Irish Times...Spoof movies: You couldn't make it up. Or could you?HARRISON FORD has just jumped out of a plane, but he doesn’t have time to enjoy the view. Instead, he calmly takes aim and fires his machine gun back at the plane he just leapt from. That’s a scene from “Firestorm”, a non-existent action movie that formed a running gag in Seinfeld .From “The Dancing

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-67890494124009251632010-08-25T11:28:00.002+01:002010-08-25T11:29:34.490+01:00

Here's my review of Limbo for The Irish Times....This debut game from Danish studio Playdead was one of the most popular games at the recent E3 event. The premise of Limbo , like its appearance, is beautiful in its simplicity. A young boy enters a nightmare dreamscape in search of his sister. There’s minimal music, no dialogue, and no colours beyond black, white and shades of grey. And the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-67644906439686156692010-07-15T16:00:00.011+01:002010-07-15T16:13:18.764+01:00

More housekeeping - here's a recent piece I wrote for The Irish Times about the decline of the spoof...From blazing to blazes: the decline of the spoofMel Brooks laid the groundwork, ‘Airplane!’ changed everything, before things took a bad turn with ‘Scary Movie’ and its unfunny ilk – but where does the spoof go from here?PARODY IS a tricky genre to master, requiring the walking of a tightrope

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-83240276601953948912010-07-14T11:25:00.007+01:002010-07-14T11:41:39.244+01:00

Here's a piece I wrote for the Irish Times recently...Who wants to watch politics on the big screen? With the new ‘Twilight’ film out, JOE GRIFFIN looks at the way the dreaded council of elders can ruin the magicWHEN IS A movie series in trouble? Is it when the actors are too old to play the leads? Or when the series suffers from too many trips to the well? A less popular theory is that a

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-42728652814087465862010-06-21T12:29:00.008+01:002010-06-21T12:40:49.287+01:00

Here's a recent piece I wrote for The Irish Times...DODGY LIASIONSNick Nolte with Julia Roberts? Sean Connery with Catherine Zeta-Jones? Eric Idle with CZJ? Michael Douglas with . . . oh, wait a second, that one’s real life. The oddly paired cinematic couple can reveal a lot about an actor or film-maker - often more than they intend. But how do so many strange, creepy or plain mismatched couples

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74285569828095649582010-06-08T17:29:00.002+01:002010-06-08T17:32:08.126+01:00

Here's my review of Death at a Funeral from the Irish Times...Starring: Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Danny Glover, James Marsden, Luke Wilson and Peter DinklageDirected by Neil Labute15A cert, 92 minutes, general releaseAs you might have already heard, Death at a Funeral is a remake of a reasonably amusing English film from 2007. The very notion of a remake is a damning

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-26499516039211814322010-05-28T09:52:00.004+01:002010-05-28T09:56:49.473+01:00

First things first – let me say that I went into the screening of this film with an open mind. I liked the series, disliked the first film (very half-assed and overlong, I think), and I hated the numerous columns over the past few weeks slagging off Part 2, written mostly by journalists who hadn’t seen it yet. Now, I’m sorry to say, the naysayers were right. Sex and the City 2, starved of humour

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-62395636852942008242010-05-21T17:31:00.003+01:002010-05-21T17:35:46.811+01:00

In the right film, Bruce Willis can be a pleasure. As a washed-up boxer in Pulp Fiction , a cop in Die Hard and even a time-travelling mental patient in 12 Monkeys , Willis is funny, charming and even powerfully stoic. In the wrong film, however, he can look bored, grouchy, and embarrassed. Cop Out is one of the wrong films.Boasting a strong supporting cast (including sparky Seann William Scott)

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-32494630132660424982010-05-17T09:50:00.004+01:002010-05-17T09:56:43.645+01:00

Here's my Alan Wake review from Friday's Irish Times...Stephen King once wrote that nightmares exist outside of logic. Alan Wake would agree. Initially relaxing in the scenic and remote Bright Falls, he soon finds himself confronting demons (both internal and external) in a horrific, dizzying search for the truth. Before he’s even put down his bags in a lakeside cabin, his wife has mysteriously

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-90972024207544176582010-05-14T16:59:00.009+01:002010-05-14T17:07:54.567+01:00

Today's film news column (by yours truly) from The Irish Independent...Anthony Hopkins to spend some Arabian NightsFresh from his scenery chewing turn in The Wolfman, and shortly after he finishes playing Odin in Kenneth Branagh’s Thor, Anthony Hopkins will work on Arabian Nights. The Welshman is in final negotiations to play the villain in Chuck Russell’s period action movie. It’s unlikely that

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-6483309355563222382010-05-11T14:17:00.003+01:002010-05-11T14:18:48.964+01:00

Hi all. So here's a review of Furry Vengeance I wrote recently for The Irish Times...Starring: Brendan Fraser, Brooke Shields, Matt Prokop, Ken Jeong, Matt Prokop, Angela Kinsey and Wallace ShawnDirected by Roger KumbleGeneral release, PG certificate, 91minsEver since he walked into a glass door in California Man, Brendan Fraser has shown a rare gift for slapstick. Over the subsequent two decades

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-20611370415429349862010-05-10T15:38:00.006+01:002010-05-10T15:46:30.467+01:00

Recent film news column I did for the Irish Independent...N.W.A. biopic to come straight outta HollywoodAndrea Berloff, journalist and screenwriter of World Trade Centre, has been assigned to write Straight Outa Compton, the biopic of N.W.A. The Californian rap group released their debut album in 1988, which went onto sell 9million copies and was pivotal in the creation of gangsta rap. The

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-4898594562155711232010-04-26T22:53:00.002+01:002010-04-26T22:55:11.565+01:00

Here's my review of Centurion for last Friday's Irish Times...Starring: Michael Fassbender, Dominic West, Olga Kurylenko, David Morrissey, Noel Clarke and Liam CunninghamDirected by Neil Marshall General release, 15a, 97 minutesFriends, Romans, countrymen, brace thy selves for the manliest film of the season. Aye, for Centurion is not only armed with Romans fighting Picts, but also with some of

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74272483839312297412010-04-09T16:39:00.004+01:002010-04-09T16:52:48.057+01:00

Here's a gaming column I wrote for The Irish Times today...Like rock stars and film stars, today's hot games designers are getting their own agents, writes JOE GRIFFIN The TV show Entourage follows young movie star Vinnie Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his posse as his career swoops precariously from terrifying lows to dizzying highs. The real star of the show, though, is not Vinnie but Ari Gold (

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-41040048203917363232010-03-31T15:11:00.003+01:002010-03-31T15:14:16.767+01:00

God of War III review I did for the Irish Times...Videogames can be diverting, joyful, exciting and even educational. “Subtle”, however, is an adjective rarely afforded to the artform. So it’s fair to say that God of War III is one of the least subtle games I’ve played in some time.Any game that begins with a quote from Plato takes itself quite seriously, and God of War III appears to have an

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-638869675006092082010-03-31T15:07:00.002+01:002010-03-31T15:09:28.969+01:00

My review of The Blind Side for the Irish Times...Oscar winner Sandra Bullock is perfectly cast in this sentimental but affecting drama about bridging the racial divide, writes Joe Griffin When does a trend become a trend? The Hollywoodites who make movies may be mostly liberal, but conservatives go to the cinema too. Dear John, a romantic weepy about a patriotic soldier, replaced Avatar at the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-13633231721292770262010-03-24T17:50:00.004Z2010-03-24T17:53:07.576Z

And some more housekeeping...Here's my Spy Next Door review for The Irish Times...Starring: Jackie Chan, Amber Valetta, Billy Ray Cyrus, George Lopez and Magnús SchevingDirected by Brian Levant PG Certificate, 93 minutes, General releaseWhen is the end of the road for a movie tough guy? Some say it’s when you can see their stunt double once too often, others think it’s when they start wearing a

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-71023065955318818102010-03-24T17:39:00.006Z2010-03-24T17:46:46.115Z

Here's my review of Extraordinary Measures I wrote for a recent Irish Times...Starring: Brendan Fraser, Harrison Ford, Keri Russell, Jared Harris, Meredith Droeger and Alan RuckDirected by Tom Vaughn PG Certificate, General Release, 1 hour, 49 minutesScience has gotten a bad rap lately. People are protesting against schools teaching Darwinism; they’re diagnosing themselves based with Google

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74338093678202818582010-03-08T13:58:00.004Z2010-03-08T14:12:54.359Z

It all feels a bit anti-climactic the morning after, but (in this timezone) the Oscar results were lovely to wake up to: The Best Picture of last year actually winning the Best Picture Oscar for a change, the first woman to win Best Director was one whose films are usually dynamic, entertaining and worth seeing, and Christof Waltz picking up one of the most deserved (if predictable) gongs of the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-88301463291936443622010-03-05T10:00:00.009Z2010-03-05T10:15:29.541Z

My film news column from today's Irish Independent...The Bourne Redundancy?Matt Damon and regular Bourne-director Paul Greengrass have told reporters that they don’t want to make another Jason Bourne film. Promoting their latest collaboration, The Green Zone (which incidentally looks very Bourne-esque), Greengrass said that he won’t be returning to the spy franchise and Damon said that he wouldn’

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-56651640357061643352010-03-02T13:15:00.003Z2010-03-02T13:17:44.466Z

Here's a story I wrote for yesterday's Irish Times...Are all of these drab winter Oscar-bait films getting you down? Do you yearn for a new romantic comedy? Here’s a solution…write your own! As demonstrated in Leap Year, which features a lonely yuppie woman, her stuffy middle-class boyfriend, a boorish other man and a wacky road trip, the formula is even simpler than you think: All you need is to

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-1817558558059984472010-02-26T11:01:00.005Z2010-02-26T11:14:10.165Z

Here's my review of Heavy Rain for the Irish Times...So here it is, covered by an umbrella of hype and hyperbole. Is Heavy Rain an overflowing success, or a washout? Mixing elements of a role-playing game and film noir, Heavy Rain is a strange animal, probably best described as an interactive drama. You play Ethan, a young man who seems to have it all: two cute sons, a good job (as an architect,

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-46500038746235020562010-02-26T10:50:00.005Z2010-02-26T11:01:12.374Z

Here's my film news column from today's Irish Independent...Wayans Brother “ready” to play Richard PriorMarlon Wayans, star of White Chicks, Scary Movie and (in fairness) Requiem for a Dream, says he’s ready to play his idol, Richard Prior. Unsurprisingly, there has been some scepticism about the casting of such a broad comic actor, but Wayans told the LA Times “I think I've proven to some people

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74487727885309339712010-02-23T10:21:00.005Z2010-02-26T10:49:39.717Z

Here's my review of BioShock 2 for The Irish Times...Welcome to the world of tomorrow! Even though the year is 1958, Rapture will make you feel like you’ve stepped into the future. Marvel at the oceanic beauty of this underground city. Revel in the new world order that eschews the flaws of both capitalism and communism. Savour the advancements made by Rapture’s team of groundbreaking scientists.

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-79390104726774754862010-02-22T09:46:00.006Z2010-02-22T10:00:04.979Z

Sorry about the delay, but here's my film news from last Friday's Irish Independent...21 Jump Street gets a release dateAnother week another remake announcement, this time it’s the long-gestating film of 21 Jump Street. The adaptation of the Johnny Depp series will star the distinctly un-Depp-like Jonah Hill (above, Superbad) who’ll also be involved in the screenplay. Expect an affectionate

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-14501254202238186162010-02-10T15:35:00.005Z2010-02-10T15:44:29.647Z

Have you seen the ads for Valentine’s Day? If a bus has passed you by in recent weeks, you almost certainly have. There are some variations of the ad, but the two most prominent types are just a collage of either male or female faces. They don’t tell you much about the film except a- that it’s got movie stars in it, and b- it’s called Valentine’s Day. Look at those teeth! The ads look like they’

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-24130059908014570002010-02-08T14:54:00.002Z2010-02-08T15:02:32.490Z

This is a very curious trailer indeed. Colin Farrell stars as a Cork fisherman (with a decent Cork accent) who accidentally nets a mysterious woman in his net. What follows seems to be a mystery drama that may contain a hint of the supernatural. I'm on the fence on this: on the one hand, it sounds kinda hokey, but on the other, director Neil Jordan is a unique and hugely talented director and if

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-65287458750829651592010-02-08T10:37:00.006Z2010-02-08T10:54:39.893Z

Anikia Noni Rose was introduced to mainstream cinema audiences in Dreamgirls, in which she co-starred with Beyonce Knowles, Eddie Murphy and Jennifer Hudson. Prior to that she had worked extensively on stage and won a Tony award in 2004 for her work on Caroline, or Change. Since Dreamgirls she has appeared in The Number One Ladies’ Detective Agency, The Starter Wife and has landed the coveted

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74919616193970289732010-02-05T16:42:00.009Z2010-02-05T16:55:03.082Z

My film news column from today's Irish Independent...Oscar oversightsI'm sure you've seen the Oscar nominations already: nine each for Avatar and The Hurt Locker, and four Irish nods (The Secret of Kells, Granny O'Grimm, The Door and Rickey Beneham who worked on Avatar). But what was overlooked? Well, Saoirse Ronan's tragic, sweet performance in The Lovely Bones (above) is probably the most

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-69496403484598494152010-02-01T13:52:00.007Z2010-02-02T08:39:50.434Z

My news from Friday's Irish Independent. Sorry about the delay! Stars come to Dublin for Film FestivalPlenty of Irish cinemagoers (including this writer) are tingling with anticipation for the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, which kicks off on February 18. Colin Farrell and Neil Jordan will visit the festival for the European premiere of their new film, Ondine, on opening night. Tilda

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-37147423138892329452010-01-27T09:23:00.006Z2010-01-28T18:46:54.244Z

A common complaint about Irish critics is that we're too lenient on home-grown films. In fairness, it is hard to give an Irish movie a trashing and I understand that it's profoundly difficult getting one made and distributed in the first place, but I don't think we're doing anyone any favours by giving bad films good reviews.Which brings me to 8.5 Hours.8.5 Hours is a melodrama set in Dublin over

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-49875592439162364382010-01-26T16:19:00.006Z2010-01-26T16:42:38.617Z

Dig, if you will, the picture: Robert Rodriguez, one of the hottest directors in Hollywood makes a film called Planet Terror as half of Grindhouse, a double-bill with his friend, Quentin Tarantino. (Tarantino's contribution was called Death Proof.) Grindhouse flops badly. As part of the Grindhouse package, Rodriguez and some friends made trailers for fake films to be played in between Planet

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-22455194220025018702010-01-22T16:00:00.007Z2010-01-22T16:21:16.608Z

Here's a feature that I wrote for today's Irish Times...Many of the dramatic elements pioneered by US indie cinema now represent some of its worst clichés, writes JOE GRIFFIN It seems that nearly every corner of popular culture could be placed into two categories: before and after commercial bastardisation. Just as hip-hop devolved to Puff Daddy, punk begat Green Day and Motown led to a Stevie

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-4905765418037732952010-01-22T15:47:00.010Z2010-01-22T16:00:23.054Z

Once again, kids, my film news column from today's Irish Independent...From Golden Globes to OscarsWith Avatar winning Best Picture (drama) at the Golden Globes, it’s looking increasingly like a two-horse race in the Oscars between Avatar and The Hurt Locker. The latter won the Critics’ Choice gong for Best Film last week, while the classy Up in the Air seems to be out of the running at this

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-5614274802821079292010-01-20T16:54:00.004Z2010-01-20T17:02:40.354Z

The opening shot of Edge of Darkness, before the film’s title even appears onscreen, is of still river at night time. Three dead bodies then appear in the surface, bobbing up one by one. Edge of Darkness would likely have had an admirably uneasy tone, even without this bleak opener. Mel Gibson, still handsome, but now looking weathered and beaten, plays Detective Craven, a widowed, aging Boston

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-86654122406558632452010-01-15T10:20:00.007Z2010-01-19T17:33:38.308Z

My weekly film news round-up from today's Irish Independent...Lightning strikes twice for Townsend In a move that has the internet burning in potentially libellous speculation, Stuart Townsend has left the production of Thor. The expensive superhero film, set to start filming on Monday, will be directed by Kenneth Branagh and starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. It's

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-20362505699500107402010-01-14T10:19:00.004Z2010-01-14T10:24:58.092Z

In the end credits of most films it often reads that “any resemblance these characters share with real people, living or dead, is purely coincidental”. In the case of All about Steve, that’s never been truer. An early contender for worst film of the year: All about Steve is a comedy about a mentally ill woman named Mary who, following a disastrous blind date with Steve (Bradley Cooper), proceeds

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-47096140700769460612010-01-13T11:12:00.007Z2010-01-13T11:34:24.546Z

The expression 'Star Trek for girls' has been used in the past to describe Sex and the City, but I didn't fully agree with it until I saw the trailer for the SATC sequel (watch it here).See, previously the Star Trek/City comparison was made to suggest that it's a niche property that one gender likes more than the other, but I think the comparisons are much deeper. Both started life as relatively

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-38785042991657673292010-01-08T17:20:00.004Z2010-01-08T17:46:48.830Z

Tim Allen has started to reboot his career. What do you mean you haven't noticed? First up, last year gave us his serious and strangely incongruous appearance as a fading action movie star (I know, right?) in the David Mamet misfire Red Belt. That was just the first step in his plan, apparantly. This week he's appeared on the celebrity-filled sketch site FunnyorDie.com in a spoof trailer for

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-32803423476086006602010-01-08T17:06:00.004Z2010-01-08T22:45:21.187Z

Popcorn is the name given to a new film news column I started for the Irish Independent today. Here's how it read...Good idea of the weekAnyone in or near Dublin towards the end of this month could do a lot worse than head to the IFI for the Jacques Audiard retrospective. Deservedly compared to a young Martin Scorsese, Audiard's nimble, inventive crime movies have made a bruising mark on

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-37884588881881526172010-01-07T15:31:00.004Z2010-01-08T15:22:28.077Z

Hi all, sorry it's been a while. Here's a profile feature about Tina Fey that I wrote for today's Irish Examiner. It's to coincide with the return of 30 Rock, the 4th season of which begins on 3e tomorrow...Fey shines after Palin by comparisonThe winter of 2008 was of historical importance to millions of Americans. Barack Obama’s election, as is well documented, was a cultural and political

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-8381083170483477202009-12-22T15:18:00.005Z2009-12-22T20:09:11.390Z

Nearly at the end of this list-or-ama...1- The Hurt LockerThrilling, surprisingly apolitical Iraq war movie that captured both the fear and the addictive excitement of being in a bomb-disposal unit. Jeremy Renner’s performance put him on the map, while it was nice to see a comeback from a director I really like; Kathryn Bigelow (Point Break, Near Dark, and Strange Days).2- MoonSuper-smart,

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-80267707826641223402009-12-15T17:13:00.008Z2009-12-15T17:38:03.715Z

Oh James Cameron, I imagine you’re difficult to work for. Your perfectionism and temper are legendary, not to mention your titanic ego. But as infrequent and imperfect as your films are, I’m glad you’re around. Even if Avatar had been a colossal failure, it would have been an interesting one. Its spiralling budget (of course), the revolutionary special effects, its huge digital canvas and the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-30035656643397484622009-12-12T18:33:00.012Z2009-12-12T18:56:38.131Z

A little catch-up time here on the blog, with a feature and two reviews from the Irish Times, starting with...First Among SequelsWith the unwelcome sequels to St Trinians and Alvin and the Chipmunks (above) on the horizon, Joe Griffin suggests some more enticing second chapters that have yet to see the light of day...Quick, name a recent major Hollywood film that’s not a sequel, nor based on a

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-69188174082651977292009-12-12T18:29:00.002Z2009-12-12T18:32:49.835Z

My review for The Merry Gentleman review for the Times....Starring: Michael Keaton, Kelly Reilly, Tom Bastounes, Darlene Hunt and Bobby Cannavale Directed by Michael Keaton15A, general release, 97 minsThe following recipe might lead you to think of a cheery Christmas concoction: Michael Keaton, an upbeat title, stirred in a yuletide theme. Maybe you’re thinking of Keaton’s last major role, Jack

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74160698463367555572009-12-12T18:27:00.001Z2009-12-12T18:29:27.236Z

Here's my review of Cracks for The Irish Times...Starring: Eva Green, Juno Temple, Maria Valverde, Imogen Poots and Sinead CusackDirected by Jordan Scott15A, general release, 104 minutesWelcome to Stanley Island, England circa 1934, or more specifically to a Catholic girls’ boarding school on the remote isle. The girls seem quite normal here – they go to confession, practice their hymns, lust

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-6292668177201812472009-12-02T16:57:00.026Z2009-12-07T12:44:42.435Z

This was a hard list to compile. It was a great, great decade for cinema. I think that's reflected not just in the quality of the films listed, but also in their diversity. Feel free to comment if I've made any outrageous inclusions or omissions...1- There will be BloodIt’s a performance so over-the-top that it almost shouldn’t have worked, but with Daniel Plainview, Daniel Day Lewis has created

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-53349562878331716102009-11-30T08:16:00.004Z2009-11-30T08:18:18.158Z

Here's a review for Law Abiding Citizen that I wrote for last Friday's Irish Times...Starring: Gerard Butler, Jamie Foxx, Bruce McGill, Colm Meaney, Regina Hall and Viola Davis.Directed by F. Gary GrayHollywood has always had a mixed relationship with vigilantes. Although filmmakers have romanticised unconventional heroes in the past, since 911 those who take the law into their own hands have

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-42646825658177031792009-11-26T09:43:00.002Z2009-11-26T09:49:37.669Z

Good God above this looks great. Jeff Bridges, one of the best screen actors alive (can't believe Tom Hanks has two Oscars more than him) stars as an ageing country singer trying to rebuild his life. He looks and speaks a bit like Kris Kristoferson, which is probably no accident. Maggie Gyllenhaal shows up as a music journalist, Robert Duval is a bartender and Colin Farrell is in it somewhere too

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-52967951042496859722009-11-24T16:03:00.005Z2009-11-24T16:12:17.327Z

Okay, one more best-bits post. Feel free to answer below if you agree or disagree with any inclusions of omissions...The opening of Inglourious Basterds Almost universally considered to be the highlight of the film, this is a testament to how good a writer Tarantino can be. It’s a simple scene – German officer Hans Landa (Christof Waltz) gently, but firmly questions a lowly French farmer about a

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-74103604393874346392009-11-23T10:31:00.007Z2009-11-23T14:06:15.223Z

And now for more best bits...The Dance in (500) Days of SummerEasily one of the more inventive romantic comedy of the year, and possibly of the decade, (500) Days of Summer has many moments of imaginative exuberance. Best of all is the post-coital dance of joy that Joseph Gordon-Levitt performs on the streets of LA. Hall & Oates sound good, his reflection looks like Han Solo, strangers hug and

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-56172860043629487932009-11-17T09:46:00.007Z2009-11-18T14:39:55.930Z

Yes, I know the year isn’t over, but it’s early enough to talk about the best bits. Sometimes moments in movies get forgotten in favour of the big picture, or overlooked entirely. Here’s to some of the parts that make up the sum of their films. I’ll try to avoid spoilers…The Marriage Montage in UpWhat an emotional wallop these few minutes are. People used to say that Pixar made films for kids

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-60188200444215795842009-11-11T08:07:00.007Z2009-11-11T17:06:45.517Z

The trouble with coming-of-age movies is that it’s hard for them to break beyond formula. You know the drill: teenager has life-changing experience (usually over a set time, such as a summer or a semester for example) in which he or she experiences romance, adventure and a little unfairness, all of which will gently push them into the exciting world of grown-ups.It’s been a strong year at the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-35615823429048099412009-11-08T14:17:00.003Z2009-11-08T14:20:09.502Z

Just before I walked into the press screening of Taking Woodstock I expressed minor pessimism to a colleague. It’s not that I don’t like Ang Lee. In fact, he’s one of my favourite directors. He’s versatile, cinematic and he tells his stories with volumes of heart and respect for his characters. So why the bad vibes, man? Well, the trailer was only okay and featured one of my least favourite

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-56764171012320637922009-11-04T09:48:00.006Z2009-11-04T10:00:49.867Z

As you may have heard, it turns out that the Oscars will be hosted by two people this year. One has found his funny bone in recent years, the other may have lost it. I am of course talking about Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin. It's a really nice idea: Martin was good both times he hosted, and Baldwin has hosted Saturday Night Live 7 times. In fact, according to some sources, Baldwin and

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-69444435903665686182009-11-03T10:15:00.003Z2009-11-03T10:22:11.991Z

Hmmm, I'm overall quite optimistic about this Jerry Bruckheimer-produced, Mike Newell-directed film. On the debit side, Jake Gylenhaal, while a credible and charming actor, might be miscast (at least he has an English accent, which suggests they didn't try to pass him off as Persian); it's based on a video game, which is never a good omen; and Gemma Arterton is not a very good actress.On the plus

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-8456424946559230862009-11-02T14:44:00.005Z2009-11-02T14:50:19.666Z

Here's an article I wrote for last Friday's Irish Times...With Law Abiding Citizen hitting cinemas next week, JOE GRIFFIN takes a look at the changing face of vigilantes in the movies, from gung-ho action men to more ambivalent anti-heroesThe opening moments of the forthcoming Law Abiding Citizen will look familiar to modern audiences: a picture-perfect family is destroyed by violent home

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-27638801950072170712009-10-27T09:11:00.004Z2009-10-27T09:19:47.594Z

Something a little different today - I wrote a profile piece for The Irish Examiner on one Cheryl Cole and a few friends of mine asked me to put it on the blog, so without further ado...Mon Cheryl AmourAs Cheryl Cole prepares to launch her first solo album, Joe Griffin examines how a girl from a Newcastle council estate became one of the most beloved public figures in BritainGirls Aloud had a

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-81376744403819518672009-10-16T12:37:00.003+01:002009-10-16T12:41:54.726+01:00

Here's a piece I wrote for today's Irish Times. It's pretty self-explanatory...The Dos and Don’ts of Zombie SurvivalWith satisfying and admirable resilience, the zombie movie just won’t die. Now that Zombieland is shuffling into cinemas, Joe Griffin takes a look back at the zombie apocalypse dos and do-nots…The beloved zombie genre is well and truly alive (sort of) again, so this is a nice time

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-18138646708977426262009-10-15T09:14:00.006+01:002009-10-15T09:39:30.321+01:00

There's a scene early in Welcome to the Jungle (aka The Rundown) when Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnston walks into a bar for a potentially dangerous meeting. On his way in Arnold Schwarzenegger walks past. They make brief eye-contact and the Austrian says "have fun". It's an obvious passing of the torch, from one generation's action star to the next. In that film, Johnston showed athleticism, comic

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-76568040500112117832009-10-14T10:52:00.002+01:002009-10-14T10:56:34.548+01:00

I'm pretty sure 'expendable' doesn't exist as a noun, but no matter. I doubt it'll be the biggest suspension of disbelief in Sly Stallone's next film. It looks entertaining, with one-liners, plenty of recognisable names from the action genre (Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lungren and more) and lots of noise. We'll have to wait until 2010 to see how it all pans out, and to see whether the rumours

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-57712705488371578122009-10-09T09:52:00.006+01:002009-10-12T23:56:30.135+01:00

Movies shot in idyllic locations can be a tricky proposition. If it’s good (like, say, Forgetting Sarah Marshall which was shot in Hawaii), the audience can get lost in the story and characters, praise the gorgeous sun-drenched location and muse about how nice that place must be at this time of year. If the film is a dud, which Couples Retreat (shot in Bora Bora) certainly is, it becomes little

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-19982908208050383222009-10-08T18:39:00.002+01:002009-10-08T18:41:24.258+01:00

Here's a review for Driving Aphrodite (aka My Life in Ruins) that I wrote for The Irish Times...(I gave it one star out of a possible 5)Driving Aphrodite Starring: Nia Vardalos, Richard Dreyfuss, Alexis Georgolis Alistair McGowan, Harland Williams and Rachel DratchDirected by Donald Petrie(12A cert, Gen release, 95 mins)It’s hard not to feel bad for Nia Vardalos, insofar as one can feel bad for

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-6271981252033920552009-09-30T15:30:00.009+01:002009-09-30T17:19:53.855+01:00

Okay, I'm going to chime in on this Roman Polanski debate. I was putting it off for a while because it was such a thorny issue. As I'm sure you know, Polanski, having plead guilty 32 years ago to unlawful sex with a minor (she was 13 at the time and had been fed quaaludes and champagne) was arrested in Switzerland recently. He may be extradited to California to finally face the music. Personally,

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-89239652328976965472009-09-28T15:48:00.002+01:002009-09-28T15:53:58.660+01:00

I totally forgot to mention the following: While I've done features for the Irish Times in the past, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was my first review. It was published the Friday before last. Here's a link to it.

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-30187197784639337242009-09-21T11:10:00.002+01:002009-09-21T11:26:25.890+01:00

There was a funny piece in the New Yorker recently about how Michael Cera plays essentially the same dude in every film (albeit in different hoodies). While it might be nice to see Cera (who I think is a likeable and funny actor) stretch himself, I'm not sure if I'm on board with the 'same in every film' criticism. Most popular actors are the same in every film. Bill Murray, Jack Nicholson and

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-67353601651567057762009-09-16T15:37:00.004+01:002009-09-16T15:50:03.669+01:00

You may have heard the rumours, but now it's confirmed: The A-Team cast has finally been assembled. Sharlto Copley, so good in District 9, has been cast as "Howling Mad" Murdoch. That's an encouragingly imaginative choice there. He has a natural eccentricity and showed in his first lead role that he can bring humour and pathos to a relatively low-budget sci-fi movie, so there's no reason to think

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-72126971941068783842009-09-15T11:47:00.004+01:002009-09-15T12:01:51.652+01:00

Hearing of Patrick Swayze's departure this morning saddened me. Even though I hadn't been a huge fan of his, I did have a soft spot for a number of his films, especially the outrageously entertaining Point Break (see below). While limited, he did have a screen presence that resonated with many, as evidenced in his king-making turn in Dirty Dancing. He also had an eye for successful films that

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-19981413372179730382009-09-11T18:09:00.003+01:002009-09-11T18:15:50.657+01:00

Here's something nice and meta for you...a feature for the film within Inglourious Basterds, Nation's Pride! I'd forgotten how impressive the clips of that German propoganda film were (as directed by Eli Roth). There was some great shot composition and cinematography there. This little video would be even more fun if Roth (playing the fictional director of Nation's Pride) could be bothered with

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-20160176462903165182009-09-10T13:44:00.006+01:002009-09-11T18:25:08.753+01:00

When Point Break did reasonably (but not spectacular) box office back in 1991, nobody was talking about a sequel. But a lot has changed since then. Apart from the film deservedly growing in stature and popularity over years, many of the people involved with the film have seen their stock rise: Keanu Reeves cemented his action star status with The Matrix trilogy; affection for Patrick Swayze grew

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-23309960515926764002009-09-07T16:36:00.006+01:002009-09-08T16:53:55.519+01:00

About 10 years ago in a collection of essays by Tom Wolfe I read a piece about a young publisher. Hugh Hefner in the 60s, Wolfe argued, was one of the most successful and overlooked rising stars in the American business world. A few years after that I stumbled upon a dusty old second-hand book containing the best of Playboy's writing. Contributors included two of my very favourite writers of all

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-2911774654868664782009-09-03T14:40:00.002+01:002009-09-03T14:48:51.303+01:00

So after a bunch of false starts, lots of stalling and chopping and changing of verious actors and directors, The Green Hornet has started shooting this week. No, contrary to rumours it won't feature George Clooney or Kung Fu Hustle's director and star Stephen Chow (who was also rumoured to be in the running as a director). Chow, incidentally, would have seemed like an ideal choice - we already

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-46471829481167597912009-09-02T15:37:00.005+01:002009-09-08T16:55:16.448+01:00

I mentioned quite a while ago that Robert Downey Jr was attached to star in Cowboys and Aliens. Now the project is really gathering momentum, with a director attached and a vague release date (Summer 2011).Jon Favreau, who as you probably know directed Downey Jr in Iron Man, is now attached to direct the strange project. As you might have guessed from the title, Cowboys and Aliens will be a genre

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-53468421841495070172009-08-31T10:19:00.007+01:002009-08-31T15:22:26.904+01:00

In case you haven't noticed, 2009 is the year that major studios have put their mighty weight behind the return of 3D. This isn't like last time, we've been told, and in fairness that's true: Instead of the garish green and red lining on the images that old-school 3D movies had, these new 3D films are digital and thus much sharper, cleaner images. In fact, watching a new 3D film without the

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-71639434855150349972009-08-28T11:44:00.003+01:002009-08-28T11:47:56.524+01:00

Every year there’s at least one critically acclaimed film that I don’t quite…get. Previous entries into this strange little canon include Gomorra, Caramel and Lars and the Real Girl. The first title to fall into this category this year is The September Issue. The documentary covers the production of the eponymous issue of Vogue magazine from a blank slate to a completed hard copy. Its main focus

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-11028124514015212382009-08-25T09:44:00.002+01:002009-08-25T09:47:10.246+01:00

When John Hughes passed away a few weeks ago there was an outpouring of grief that’s usually afforded to rock stars. His legacy of teen movies was felt more acutely with every year since he retired. And with every dud teen comedy or drama that’s released, his untimely death feels more tragic. I Love You, Beth Cooper is one of those duds. It’s staggering to think that it was directed by a Chris

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-38057684243279715472009-08-21T16:01:00.003+01:002009-08-22T15:30:51.855+01:00

So I saw that 15 minutes of Avatar footage today. I'd say my mood is cautiously optimistic. The good news is that it's far more enticing than the trailer that hit the web yesterday. The 3D is really, really impressive; almost photo-realistic. Unlike, say, Beowulf, the computer-generated characters have expressive faces and eyes. The futuristic story, which seems to echo (of all things) Dances

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-22990549994277461662009-08-21T10:06:00.013+01:002009-08-25T13:47:01.075+01:00

Here's an article I wrote for today's Irish Times...With the eagerly awaited Inglourious Basterds out today, Joe Griffin looks at the stalled Tarantino projects that were just crying out to be made...Quentin Tarantino, director, writer, actor and one-time American Idol judge (I kid you not), is quite the phenomenon. While some of his films are worth the wait, the gaps between them can sometimes

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-66327047683001602772009-08-20T12:08:00.005+01:002009-08-21T16:57:49.345+01:00

“It costs so much money to keep them here…at least they’re keeping them separate,” a South African woman says about the new group of illegal aliens occupying Johannesburg. Immigration and its inherent problems are nothing new, but these are unique visitors. Hovering over Johannesburg, a spaceship of roughly a kilometre long hangs ominously. Below, in a sprawling slum, the aliens (resembling

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2881106659423105814.post-27261041916074511672009-08-18T17:08:00.002+01:002009-08-18T17:13:01.828+01:00

Now this looks absurd. A new twist on the old Death Wish vigilante formula, Law Abiding Citizen stars Gerard Butler as an apparently decent man who, having been failed by the justice system, takes the law into his own hands. It also stars Jamie Foxx as a morally ambiguous lawyer. The premise looks pretty barmy, though at least it seems to be siding with the law and not the vigilante. The very

Joe Griffinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11086843351628276618noreply@blogger.com0