movies

Washington in Flight.

Cruise Control: With Denzel and Zemeckis in the Cockpit, Flight Takes Off and Soars at Full Throttle

Denzel Washington is such a sturdy, reliable actor that his name on the screen has become synonymous with that of hero (with the obvious exception of Training Day). So it’s hard to buy him as a doped-up, alcoholic heel in Flight, an edgy thriller about the responsibility—and inherent culpability—of commercial pilots entrusted with the lives of millions.  I’d place my trust in Denzel in the cockpit any old day while humming “Fly Me to the Moon” at the same time. So it’s not easy to accept him as one of the irresponsible jerks who dangle their passengers in harm’s way. You just sort of trust him to do the right thing, and when he finally does, after more than two hours of soul-searching and moral hand-wringing, you might, like me, have double trouble with plausibility. So I have some minor problems with Flight. But don’t let that deter you. It’s the first film in over a decade by director Robert Zemeckis that guarantees originality, tempo and thrills. You go away satisfied and up to your eyeballs in entertainment.  Read More

hurricane sandy

Letterman and Fallon: Braving the storm (NBC, CBS)

David Letterman And Jimmy Fallon: When a Lack of an Audience is a Good Thing (Video)

While Anderson Cooper was learning about his afternoon talk show being cancelled–no, not just for Hurricane Sandy, but forever–two late night hosts made the brave decision to continue their shows at NBC and CBS as if a giant storm wasn’t ranging outside.

The only problem? Neither Jimmy Fallon nor David Letterman had a live audience–a first, in both their histories–to laugh at their jokes. But what could have turned into that creepy David Lynch episode of Louie was actually an amazing bit of performance art as the two jokesters performed to the dead silence of a mostly-empty room. *Yanks collar* “Tough crowd!” Read More

The Transom

The Waverly Inn: On the Fritz!

Like everyone else, The Transom ran into Graydon Carter last week.

So, Sir Graydon: Is the avoidance of traditional means of taking reservations—such as a working phone—part of a larger attempt to keep the unwashed West Village masses and trannies out of your new restaurant, the Waverly Inn? (The Read More

Rage Against The Keyboard!

In a bizarre week as polarized as the national elections, Kinsey , a movie about sex, is a masterpiece, while The Polar Express and Finding Neverland , a couple of Christmas trifles for children, are so full of sugar they could rot your teeth. If this is what they mean by “moral values,” drop me Read More