‘Nightcrawler’: Welcome to my nightmare

HollywoodandFine.com TV news has long since surpassed the excesses that seemed far-fetched in Paddy Chayefsky’s “Network” almost 40 years ago. Indeed, what’s shocking about Dan Gilroy’s “Nightcrawler” is how not shocking it is – while still being a rousing and visionary piece of work. In depicting the world of local …

The week in movies: ‘Bad Words,’ ‘Need for Speed’ and more

HollywoodandFine.com OK. I’ll admit it: My favorite film this week is also the most transgressive. It’s full of vicious one-liners that are guaranteed to offend, well, the easily offended. Jason Bateman makes his directing debut with “Bad Words,” the rudest comedy about an adult dealing with kids since “Bad Santa.” …

‘Prisoners,’ reviewed by Marshall Fine

HollywoodandFine.com Denis Villeneuve had two films at this year’s Toronto Film Festival. The better one was called “Enemy.” The one that’s getting the big studio release this week is called “Prisoners.” Being sold with an adrenalized trailer featuring the histrionics of Hugh Jackman, “Prisoners” is meant to be a thriller. …

‘End of Watch,’ reviewed by Marshall Fine

HollywoodandFine.com It’s a Chekhovian truism that if you introduce a gun in the first act, it had better go off before the end of the play. That apparently didn’t register with David Ayer, who wrote and directed “End of Watch,” a competent but unremarkable new cops-on-the-streets tale starring Jake Gyllenhaal …

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