Kevin Spacey

‘Elvis & Nixon’ is an actor’s showpiece for Michael Shannon and Kevin Spacey to collide in the most bizarre power summit in pop culture history

At first glance, it looked like another of the Tarantino clones filling the art houses in the wake of Pulp Fiction. The Usual Suspects was a gritty crime thriller whose cast mixed cult favorites and unknowns and the writer/director team behind the (unreleased) Sundance sensation Public Access. But early reviews from its own Sundance debut …

Although the Underwoods in all their conniving glory is one of the main appeals to House of Cards, season three presents a slow but forceful tear between Frank and Claire that drove the plot into new territory. With Frank resorting to old but now ineffectual methods of coercion by putting his foot down until he gets his way, he finds himself weakened under Claire’s unwavering high heel. Restless and tired of her husband’s ways and her seemingly permanent position at his side, she ends the season with an exciting and unexpected decision to leave him. In spite of the fact that Frank and Claire seem to be an unbreakable duo hellbent on complete power, there are several moments throughout the latter half of season three that seem to suggest Claire’s desires to surpass her husband’s position or at least break apart from the illusion that they are a single organism, such as in multiple scenes where she is sitting alone at the presidential desk.

10. Waterworld Directed by: Kevin Reynolds It could be the flop of all flops. At the time, “Waterworld” was the most expensive film ever made. Starring Kevin Costner, “Waterworld” is a science-fiction/fantasy film taking place roughly 500 years after the polar ice caps melted in the beginning of the 21st century, effectively covering the entire …

30. Sense and Sensibility Directed by: Ang Lee Ang Lee has gone in about eight different directions in terms of genre. His resume includes “The Ice Storm,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Hulk,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Life of Pi,” and this delightful Jane Austen adaptation, starring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and young Kate Winslet. “Sense …

There’s nothing more depressing than a lazy comedy, and Horrible Bosses 2 suffers from a terminal case of laziness. Instead of gleefully diving into its richly-black premise, it settles for obvious sight gags and uninspired improvisations. A talented comedic cast is wasted on material that aims for mediocrity and hits the target over and over again. There simply aren’t enough laughs here to justify this film’s existence.

House of Cards premiered last year to tremendous buzz, the highly-anticipated, prestige-soaked first original program from Netflix. Viewers embraced the series and no one was surprised to see it rack up nomination after nomination, both for the Golden Globes and Emmys. After the initial furor died down however, many critics were left cold by the show’s self-satisfaction and paint-by-numbers approach, the strong individual performances let down by predictable plotting and under-developed characterization. Fortunately season two of House of Cards, while still flawed, greatly improves on many of the first season’s biggest problem areas and this self-awareness bodes well for the already-commissioned season three.

John Doe’s apartment? As in the home of creepy, pervy Kevin Spacey from Se7en? Go ahead. Issue a worldwide “weirdo alert.” Sound the alarms, but I can’t help myself. David Fincher’s 1995 thriller still does a number on me to this day — just in a “feel good” kind of way. Good thing that doesn’t sound even …

House of Cards, Season 1 Premiered Friday, Feb. 1st on Netflix Only a few years removed from an acclaimed collaboration with Aaron Sorkin on The Social Network, David Fincher has dipped his toe into the realm of serial storytelling with the first Netflix original series, House of Cards. A cynic’s alternative to Sorkin’s monumental series The …

House of Cards, Season 1, Episodes 7-8: “Chapter 7”, “Chapter 8” Written by Kate Barnow (1.07) and Beau Willimon (1.07, 1.08) Directed by Charles McDougall Season 1, Episode 9: “Chapter 9” Written by Beau Willimon and Rick Cleveland Directed by James Foley Season 1, Episodes 10-11: “Chapter 10”, “Chapter 11” Written by Sarah Treem (1.10) …

House of Cards, Season 1, Episodes 1-2: “Chapter 1”, “Chapter 2” Written by Beau Willimon Directed by David Fincher Season 1, Episodes 3-4: “Chapter 3”, “Chapter 4” Written by Keith Huff (“Chapter 3”), Rick Cleveland (“Chapter 4”), and Beau Willimon (both) Directed by James Foley Season 1, Episode 5: “Chapter 5”, “Chapter 6” Written by …

Robot & Frank Directed by Jake Schreier Written by Christopher Ford USA, 2012 When writers play tricks with their audience, they have to be careful for two major reasons. First, they need to execute those tricks deftly, but more importantly, the stories they create can’t exist solely to pull a fast one on us. Robot …

Much of our lurid film community is of the belief that America’s acting prowess died with its classic stars like Marlon Brando, James Stewart, Humphrey Bogart, Katharine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, and Grace Kelly. However, I’m here to argue that America’s actors are stronger than ever and can match up toe to toe with the likes …

“Margin Call will illuminate questions about a precarious economy and is sure to intrigue and entertain moviegoers everywhere.” Margin Call Directed by J.C. Chandor Written by J.C. Chandor USA, 2011 As the stock market looms on the precipice of collapse, a prestigious investment firm, whose practices are partly responsible for the imminent crisis, fires the …

Moon Directed by: Duncan Jones Written by: Duncan Jones, Nathan Parker 2009, USA In a genre that typically gets bogged down with clichés and conventions, Moon is a standout, a subtle and surprising 2009 film, the debut of director Duncan Jones (son of David Bowie). Refreshing and original, Jones takes us on a poignant journey …

24 minutes of James Cameron’s Avatar was screened for the very first time to 1,000 European industry attendees at the Cinema Expo International in Amsterdam.  Cameron’s decade long passion project has been touted as the film that will change how we watch movies forever.  Now that is one hell of an expectation to live up …