DEATH OF TRADITIONAL CINEMA

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) likes to daydream, a lot. It's what keeps him going through the day. It's also this quality that makes him a weirdo in front of his officemates at Life Magazine, particularly to new head honcho and resident A-hole Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott).  And yet, as we later learn in the movie, Walter's daydreaming becomes his ultimate tool for triumph. It's his rich and vivid imagination that defeats the impossible. As director, Stiller approaches the material with an overt sense of childhood fascination of grand adventures, of becoming the hero of the story. Mixing equal amounts of humor, pathos, and eye-popping special effects, the result is a jetsetting experience that allows us to empathize with Walter Mitty as we tag along for his adventures. As actor, the always charming Stiller makes Walter Mitty a triumphant representation of the ordinary guy whom nobody noticed, but is out to conquer his fears and the world.  Kristen Wiig, w...

You may not remember TOWER HEIST after seeing it, and in fact the first 30 minutes drags like there's no tomorrow (yes, I quite understand they do need to establish the scenario that led to the titular 'heist') but one thing you'll definitely love, aside from Matthew Broderick and Eddie Murphy's much-awaited big screen comeback, is the intense third act heist scene involving a red Ferrari, windows, and rope.  Aside from being just a comedy caper, TOWER HEIST also acts as an effective social analysis. adding to  the seemingly perpetual cinematic portrayal of financial fraud in the U.S. Wall Street big guy runs away with millions from hapless working class people, the very same people who serve him everyday in his penthouse suit on Manhattan. Obviously, you'd expect payback. Who doesn't? The ordinary tale of predator and prey becomes complex because the former, played by thespian Alan Alda plays it cool and relaxed, with hints of sarcasm, deceit and brewing...