(Originally published in The Palo Alto Weekly) About 30 minutes into “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” after a particularly dramatic magical showdown, sorcerer-in-training Dave (Jay Baruchel) looks incredulously at his new master, Balthazar (Nicolas Cage). “Are you insane?” Dave asks. “Little bit,” Balthazar responds drily. That exchange can, in so many words, sum up “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice,” […]

The Life and Death of Peter Sellers is just like Peter Sellers himself: not exactly sure what it is, but determined to distract the audience with such energy and crazy ideas that they won’t even notice. Directed with obvious passion by Stephen Hopkins, the film takes us through Sellers’ life, beginning with his days on the […]

Life of Pi describes itself early on as “a story that will make you believe in God.” It might not make you believe in God, but it sure will make you believe in Ang Lee. Based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Yann Martel (which the film follows remarkably faithfully) and directed by […]

Like the wretched Humbert Humbert, you may find it hard to take your eyes off Lolita. The movie, that is, not necessarily the girl, although as a character played by then-16 year old Sue Lyon Lolita is still one of the most fascinating teenage creations ever to appear on film. No, what makes Stanley Kubrick’s […]

Trying to pinpoint what, exactly, makes Profit such an off-putting experience may be frustrating. Is it the completely unlikeable characters? The amateurish plot? The overdramatic synth music? The answer is really quite simple: Profit is just a terrible show. In the tortuously long series premiere, we are introduced to Jim Profit, an upstart business executive […]

If you didn’t know why the cohort of young men who fought in World War II are often called the “Greatest Generation,” you will after watching Band of Brothers. It seems pretty much impossible for any movie or series from here on out to tell the story of that particular war, fought and won by […]