In a special feature running all this week, Alex Williams counts down his Essential Actor / Director Partnerships… Owen Wilson and Wes Anderson Bottle Rocket (1996) Rushmore (1998) [co-wrote but not featured] The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004) The Darjeeling Limited (2007) As well as working for a director on […]

Donor Unknown: Adventures in the Sperm Trade, 2010. Directed by Jerry Rothwell. SYNOPSIS: A young woman goes in search of the sperm donor father she only knows as donor 150. Sperm donation is an ethical and emotional minefield. It’s one of those sensitive issues with equally passionate and valid views on both sides of the […]

The Hangover Part II, 2011. Directed by Todd Phillips. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Jeffrey Tambor, Jamie Chung, Mason Lee, Paul Giamatti, Mike Tyson and Nick Cassavetes. SYNOPSIS: Phil, Alan and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu’s wedding where his plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch goes seriously awry. […]

Zombie Undead, 2010. Directed by Rhys Davies. Starring Ruth King, Kris Tearse, Barry Thomas and Christopher J. Herbert. SYNOPSIS: A small group of survivors attempt to escape the confines of a medical evacuation building after a zombie outbreak. This is one of those films with a Ronseal title. There are lots of zombies and zombies […]

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, 2011. Directed by Rob Marshall. Starring Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Kevin McNally, Richard Griffiths, Stephen Graham, Judi Dench, Greg Ellis, Damian O’Hare, Gemma Ward, Roger Allam and Keith Richards. SYNOPSIS: Captain Jack Sparrow crosses paths with Black Beard (Ian McShane) and his enigmatic daughter […]

Max Schmeling: Fist of the Reich, 2010. Directed by Uwe Boll. Starring Henry Maske, Susanne Wuest, Heino Ferch, Vladimir Weigl and Yoan Pablo Hernández. SYNOPSIS: A biopic of the German boxer and heavyweight champion Max Schmeling. Nazi Germany is a historical setting we are all familiar with. Films set within the Third Reich often have […]

True Grit, 2010. Directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. Starring Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin, Hailee Steinfeld, Barry Pepper and Domhnall Gleeson. SYNOPSIS: When her father is murdered by a farm hand, a young girl hires a retired U.S. Marshal to track down the killer and the duo are soon joined in the […]

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, 2011. Directed by Rob Marshall. Starring Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Kevin McNally, Richard Griffiths, Stephen Graham, Judi Dench, Greg Ellis, Damian O’Hare, Gemma Ward, Roger Allam and Keith Richards. SYNOPSIS: Captain Jack Sparrow embarks on an adventure to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. […]

Buried, 2010. Directed by Rodrigo Cortés. Starring Ryan Reynolds. SYNOPSIS: An American contractor working in Iraq finds himself buried alive inside a coffin. Being buried alive is up there with drowning and burning to death on the commonly accepted list of the worst ways to snuff it. Cinema has a long history of exploring and […]

Winter’s Bone, 2010. Directed by Debra Granik. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, John Hawkes, Lauren Sweetser, Garret Dillahunt, Dale Dickey and Shelley Waggener. SYNOPSIS: A teenage girl embarks on a mission to find her father in the stark and hostile landscape of the Ozark Woods, Missouri. Isn’t it helpful when reviews compare a new film to something […]