Ben Kenber
Living in Los Angeles, CA
Total page views: 94,884
Published Content: 257
Fans: 46
On AC since: 05.13.07
Bio:
I am an actor and writer, and they both serve to keep me sane in an increasingly insane world. I mostly write movie reviews, but sometimes I try to go outside of that to write something else.
I am an actor and writer, and they both serve to keep me sane in an increasingly insane world. I mostly write movie reviews, but sometimes I try to go outside of that to write something else.
Education/Experience:
UC Irvine - BA in Drama and English, Monte Vista High School - Diploma - Class of 1994
UC Irvine - BA in Drama and English, Monte Vista High School - Diploma - Class of 1994
Interests:
Acting, Writing, Exercising, making a comfortable living, friends, networking, movies, plays, music, etc.
Acting, Writing, Exercising, making a comfortable living, friends, networking, movies, plays, music, etc.
Showing Results 1 - 200 of 257
With this list, I decided to pass on some of the obvious choices like "America The Beautiful" and "The Star Spangled Banner" and make a list of other favorites of mine which I believe fit into this category as well.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/2/2009 | Listen here »
This is a look at the fourth film in the "Friday the 13th" film franchise which has long since taken on a new meaning since its title proves that it is anything but the end.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/28/2009 | Read more »
Here comes the inevitable sequel which I thought for a moment could possibly be the "Empire Strikes Back" of the franchise. No such luck, not even in the slightest. If I didn't have an intense hatred of Michael Bay before, I sure as hell do now.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/27/2009 | Read more »
A look at the recent passings of Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett, and also the shocking death of Michael Jackson. Also a look at how they were treated in life, and in death.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/26/2009 | Read more »
A review of "I've Loved You So Long" starring Kristin Scott Thomas in one of 2008's best performances.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/23/2009 | Read more »
The best way for me to describe this movie is that it is wicked funny. It's not afraid to break any particular taboos, and its setup is ingenious. It proves to be one of the best times I have had so far at the movies this summer season.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/21/2009 | Read more »
A look at the latest Hollywood remake which was originally made into a movie with Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. This one stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/14/2009 | Read more »
"Away We Go" is a sweet if flawed comedy-drama that focuses on a couple who stick it out together as they travel to find a place they can call home. You could almost say this is Sam's apology for the horrifying experience that was "Revolutionary Road."
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/12/2009 | Read more »
"The Girlfriend Experience" is Steven Soderbergh's latest experiment with independent filmmaking along the lines of "Bubble," and it features porn star Sasha Grey in her mainstream film debut.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/11/2009 | Read more »
This is a report of when Tom McLoughlin visited the New Beverly Cinema to talk about the sixth film in the "Friday the 13th" movie series.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/10/2009 | Read more »
A look at "The Kill Bill Diary" by David Carradine which chronicles the making of Quentin Tarantino's two movies as well as his rebirth as a person and as an actor.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/5/2009 | Read more »
"Up" functions as both a road movie as well as an odd couple story. The idea of a 78 year old octogenarian teaming up with a 7 or 8 year old boy makes for one of the most original pairings that I have ever withnessed at the movies.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/3/2009 | Read more »
These are pictures I took of the 2009 LA Marathon which includes shots from Wilshire Boulevard, Fairfax Avenue, and 6th Street.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/1/2009 | View here »
My review of the latest Terminator movie, and the first without Schwarzenegger in the lead role. Christian Bale stars as John Connor as does Sam Worthington as Marcus Wright.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/29/2009 | Read more »
"Angels & Demons" is kind of an average movie done by a great group of people. It does not stand out in its genre, but it gets the job done to where moviegoers won't be complaining too much.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/23/2009 | Read more »
This is my review of the latest Star Trek, and it is the most exciting one to come out in years. It is the origin movie that "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" should have been.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/15/2009 | Read more »
This is my review of Diablo Cody's "Candy Girl: A Year in the Life of an Unlikely Stripper." It's a memoir which came into being after her "Pussy Ranch" blog gained a big following, and which later led to her career as a writer.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/12/2009 | Listen here »
These are my picks for the top 20 rock love songs of all time. Some deal with the happiness of love while others deal with inescapable pain of it.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/11/2009 | Read more »
This is a look at my 5 picks for the best movie theaters to go in the Los Angeles area, and it includes details regarding ticket prices, parking, and of adjacent stores and restaurants.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/5/2009 | Read more »
A look at some books that are being turned into movies and being released in 2009. Among them are Harry Potter 6, Where The Wild Things Are, and Angels & Demons.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/4/2009 | Read more »
A look at the latest movie in the X-Men franchise, the first big movie of the summer 2009 season. It is also summer 2009's first big disappointment.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/3/2009 | Read more »
These are my picks for my ten most favorite songs by PJ Harvey. I have been hooked on her music ever since first listening to "Down By The Water."
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/1/2009 | Read more »
My all time favorite rock songs, each which represents my most favorite rock songs from my favorite bands and artists.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/21/2009 | Listen here »
"Observe and Report" is not a movie for all tastes. But for those who are willing to travel a darkly comic path, there is much to find in this crazy film that dares to imagine a Travis Bickle-like character as a funny person despite himself.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/12/2009 | Read more »
My review of Metallica's self titled release from 1991 which later became known as "The Black Album." It is for me one of the most definitive albums of the 90's, and it was a great outlet for my frustrations at the time.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/7/2009 | Read more »
This is a review of the recent showing of the original "Nightmare on Elm Street" at the Aero Theater. Writer/Director Wes Craven did live commentary on the film as it played out on screen, and he was joined by another horror director, Mick Garris.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/6/2009 | Read more »
A review of Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas which I consider to be my favorite movie of all time. I'm still in shock that it lost to Dances With Wolves for Best Picture.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/5/2009 | Read more »
A look at "Fast & Furious," the latest sequel in the car franchise that brings back the original characters together for the first time since the 2001 original.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/4/2009 | Read more »
Ben Kenber's movie review of Alex Proyas' 2009 release, "Knowing."
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/1/2009 | Listen here »
This is a review of Paul Schrader's 1988 movie which dramatizes the events of Patricia Hearst's kidnapping by the SLA, and of her eventual involvement with the group.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/21/2009 | Read more »
A look at my picks for the 5 best movies to watch on the occassion of Earth Day.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/18/2009 | Read more »
A look at the songs that I think would be perfect to play on the occassion of Earth Day.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/15/2009 | Read more »
"Private Eyes" is still an endlessly entertaining album that never bores, and it holds up for me really well. It remains one of my favorite albums to this day, and it was the first vinyl album I ever owned.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/10/2009 | Read more »
"Watchmen" is in many ways a fantastic movie brought vividly to life by "300" director Zack Snyder. Even at almost 3 hours, the movie is a terrific accomplishment that combines special effects, great sound, and some terrific performances as well.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/8/2009 | Read more »
"The Thing" was ahead of its time, but it is now considered (one of the best horror and sci-fi movies ever made, and it is easily the best horror remake in a sea of horrendously crappy ones.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/7/2009 | Read more »
A review of the 81st Annual Academy Awards hosted by Hugh Jackman. Overall, they were easily more memorable than last year's which I can barely remember now.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/23/2009 | Read more »
The original "Friday The 13th", in retrospect, actually seems much better in retrospect. This is especially the case when you compare them to all the sequels (let alone all the endless knockoffs) that came right after it.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/21/2009 | Read more »
Here is a look at some of my predictions for this year's Academy Awards as well as who I think should take the award.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/18/2009 | Read more »
A look at the franchise reboot of the "Friday The 13th" series. This marks my first review of a 2009 movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/15/2009 | Read more »
A look at the commercials aired during Super Bowl XLIII. Most felt largely un inspired, and even the best ones reminded you of better ones from a few years ago.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/2/2009 | Read more »
"Hostel Part II" is not as good as the original, and that's even with writer/director Eli Roth on board. It's not that it's too disturbing. In fact, I didn't find it disturbing enough.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
2008 was not a great year for movies, but it was a pretty good year for documentaries. I saw a lot of them, and they stayed with me long after the lights came up.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/1/2009 | Read more »
"La Vie en Rose" may tread the familiar ground of many film biographies, but this one has an immense power all its own. Marion Cotillard gives, as Peter Travers of Rolling Stone correctly said, "a performance for the ages."
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/29/2009 | Read more »
My look at the nominations for the 81st Annual Academy Awards, and of who got nominated and who got unfairly dissed in my opinion.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/24/2009 | Read more »
My picks for the 10 best movies of 2008 as well as some honorable mentions worth mentioning.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/19/2009 | Read more »
"Man On Wire" is a look at Philippe Petit, a tightrope walker who managed to do the impossible; He managed to string a wire across the two towers, and he walked across it not just once, but several times.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/17/2009 | Read more »
My picks for the worst movies of 2008. These are the ones that failed on a multitude of levels, and they were from filmmakers and actors we expected so much better from.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
A look at what I think are great movies to watch on the most famous of Hallmark card holidays with a few favorites from the 1980's and the last few years as well.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/15/2009 | Read more »
Revolutionary Road is both brilliant and devastating as it takes us through an unsettling journey of a marriage on its way to utter oblivion.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/14/2009 | Read more »
This article lists my picks for the best songs to sing (or make a fool out of yourself to) at a karaoke bar near you. It also chronicles some of my most memorable and frightening times behind the mic.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/12/2009 | Read more »
A look at how the movie "Footloose" holds up (or doesn't) 25 years after its original release in theaters. Phil Blakenship showed it as part of his New Beverly Midnights festival at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/11/2009 | Read more »
"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" is not quite the masterpiece I hoped it would be, but it does come pretty close. It certainly should go down as one of 2008's most memorable movies.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/10/2009 | Read more »
"The Reader" is an emotionally devastating journey through the beginning of an affair between a young student and an older woman and the aftermath that the affair lays on both of them.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/8/2009 | Read more »
This is a look at some of the most anticipated movies of 2009 which includes information on the new "Harry Potter" movie, "Star Trek," and "Watchmen" among others.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/5/2009 | Read more »
"Valkyrie" is basically an above average action movie that is very well made, but by no means is it spectacular. Still, it is nice to see a movie like this rise above the negative crap that it has had to endure all the way to its release.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/2/2009 | Read more »
"The Wrestler" may very well be the year's most exhilarating and exhausting character piece. The movie is a great triumph for its lead actor (Mickey Rourke) and its director (Darren Aronofsky), and it has a great theme song from Bruce Springsteen.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/29/2008 | Read more »
Milk is not a movie about how Harvey Milk died. It is a movie about how he lived, and how it is a life worthy of being celebrated. His courage did so much for people, and it is needed now as history is repeating itself with Proposition 8.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/29/2008 | Read more »
"Mamma Mia!" is not in the same league as "Hairspray" or for that matter "Moulin Rouge." Maybe it's because those movies brought us into their musical world so deeply while we watched them and did things that many other musicals did not do.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/28/2008 | Read more »
With "Doubt," Shanley brilliantly shows how the state of doubt affects everyone equally. No one comes out of this the same, and we are left with is an unsettling feeling of how unsure we are about what has happened.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/28/2008 | Read more »
A look at the cool presents that I got this Christmas which ranged from DVD's to new forms of clothing which will keep me warm throughout this holiday season.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/25/2008 | Read more »
At its core, Gran Torino is a familiar story in that it deals with a man in contact with people he does not fully understand but comes to love by the movie's end. But Easwood gives us a movie that feels anything but familiar.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/23/2008 | Read more »
"Frost/Nixon" started off as a play that was incredibly well received and went on to a very successful run on Broadway. It has now been brought to the screen by director Ron Howard, and Ron ends up giving us one of his best movies to date.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/23/2008 | Read more »
This article reviews The Last House on the Left, Wes Craven's 1972 Thriller.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/15/2008 | Read more »
"Slumdog Millionaire" is one of 2008's most memorably exuberant movies that at its heart is a love story. This one gives you believable characters that you root for and who you never want to see separated.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/11/2008 | Read more »
I feel compelled to create a playlist for the night of all nights to keep everyone's spirits and enthusiasms up. Most are energetic tunes, and there are a couple of slow tunes as well because this evening calls for a really intimate slow dance.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/7/2008 | Read more »
I have put together a play list in honor of the first day of 2009, as it will mark a true shift in the ways of the world (or my hope for that anyway). I am presenting these songs in no particular order because they are all great songs in their own way.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/5/2008 | Read more »
"A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving" is one of those episodes that I haven't seen in the longest time. On Thanksgiving evening, the show was passed on to another generation as my brother and I got his daughter to watch it in all its animated glory.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/28/2008 | Read more »
David Cronenberg's "eXistenZ" is probably best known as the cerebral version of "The Matrix." It continues Cronenberg's exploration of the blurring line between reality and fantasy.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/23/2008 | Read more »
"Naked Lunch" is not the most enjoyable movie ever made, but it is not meant to be. It is meant to be an experience more than anything else. As Bill Lee gets deeper into his drug taking, we cannot tell what is real and what is not.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/23/2008 | Read more »
While it has its flaws, "Sorcerer" in many ways is quite an accomplishment and a fascinating study in madness, redemption, and you will never look at truck driving in the same way ever again after watching it.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/17/2008 | Read more »
"Quantum Of Solace" is not one of the best Bond movies, but it is not one of the worst. It has problems with the script and some of the characters could have been better developed, but the things that did work won me over for the most part.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/16/2008 | Read more »
"JCVD" looks at what becomes of a faded action star, and is not your typical Jean Claude Van Damme ass kicking epic. Jean Claude plays himself, and we can see in his face of what years of drugs, court battles, and many B movies have done to him.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/15/2008 | Read more »
Alright, 1996! This was a year of discoveries, even of people who have been in the business for longer than we realized.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/13/2008 | Read more »
Gonzalo Arijon succeeds in creating a shockingly intimate look at what these people went through in order to survive, and it puts us right into the mindset of the survivors in a way that no movie or book (however well written) could.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/11/2008 | Read more »
"The Stepfather" works best as a guilty pleasure, and that makes it perfect for midnight showings.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/9/2008 | Read more »
"Let The Right One In" is a Swedish movie that absolutely deserves a loyal following as it is one of the most beautifully atmospheric movies to come out in 2008.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/9/2008 | Read more »
"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" may not be the best movie of Kevin Smith's career, but it definitely has its moments of utter hilarity.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/8/2008 | Read more »
With "Recount," we get a look at what went on in the campaign offices while this election fight went on to get what they each felt was fair and just.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/5/2008 | Read more »
"Rachel Getting Married" is a movie about forgiveness, and the rough road people travel to get to it. It is also a movie about family and togetherness, and the joy of life.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/27/2008 | Read more »
"Body Of Lies" is a near miss for me. As well made as it is, the fact that I couldn't really follow what was going on took away from my movie going experience.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/26/2008 | Read more »
Stone's "W" is not the classic that "JFK" was, but it is an effectively made picture that shows how we need to understand the human side of those we brand as criminals in order to get at why they act the way we do.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/25/2008 | Read more »
This is a list of ten songs that I love to listen, but which I especially love listening to during Halloween and the month of October.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/13/2008 | Read more »
A look at the documentary on religion with Bill Maher and "Borat" director Larry Charles.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/12/2008 | Read more »
A look at "Choke" which was written and directed by Clark Gregg, and is based on a book from "Fight Club" author Chuck Palahniuk.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/8/2008 | Read more »
"Risky Business" remains one of the great teen comedies (let alone teen movies) ever made. Catching up with it again was worth it, and I appreciated it a lot more now than when I was eight years old. Things have changed a little since then.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/30/2008 | Read more »
In the end, "Baby Mama" does have a number of things going for it, but it feels like it should be on TV than in a movie theater.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/25/2008 | Read more »
"Lakeview Terrace" is far from original, but I still liked it more than I thought I would, and I have no problem giving it a solid recommendation.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/23/2008 | Read more »
"Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is easily the best Woody Allen movie that I have seen in a long time. There is no shaky camera work to induce nausea here, and the story is never boring for one second.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/21/2008 | Read more »
A look at the latest movie from the makers of last year's Best Picture Oscar winner, "No Country For Old Men."
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/16/2008 | Read more »
"Righteous Kill" would be nothing more than one of many made for TV movies that we see about every other week if it were not for the teaming of these two titans of actors in film.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/13/2008 | Read more »
A look at "When Harry Met Sally..." which was released almost 20 years ago (YIKES!!!) and remains one of the funniest romantic comedies ever made.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/9/2008 | Read more »
A look at the stand alone movie of the acclaimed "Battlestar Galactica" series which looks at the events aboard the Pegasus, and of the first Cylon War from before.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/25/2008 | Read more »
"Hamlet 2" is one of the few really good movies you can hope to see before the summer fades away. It's not a great movie, but it is easily one of the better ones to watch during the turgid month of August.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/24/2008 | Read more »
"Tropic Thunder" is a go for broke extravaganza where not everything works, but what does work will live you in stitches. There were parts where I was laughing so hard that I started to get light headed.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/23/2008 | Read more »
A look at the controversial thriller by Director Alan Parker which stars Mickey Rourke, Lisa Bonet, and Robert De Niro. It was more known for its explicit sex scene which originally earned the movie an X rating.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/17/2008 | Read more »
"Birdy" is a great movie, a great character study about two young men who grow up together, and who are forever changed by the war they are drafted into.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/17/2008 | Read more »
"Hell Ride" is a mess of a movie that wastes some very talented actors in a story that makes almost no sense at all. The movie only runs about 83 minutes, but it sure felt like a LONG 83 minutes all the same.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/13/2008 | Read more »
This film is being promoted as a thriller. But at its core, it is really a movie about two very strong women who despite their cultural differences, are basically trying to get by and are desperately trying to keep their families together.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/10/2008 | Read more »
"Pineapple Express" is not the comedy fireball I hoped it would be, but I still enjoyed it all the same. Ever since I saw the trailer with James Franco and his foot stuck in the windshield of a car he was driving, I knew it would be fun.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/9/2008 | Read more »
A look at the very first James Bond movie ever made, and of the first actor to ever play him. You can see from this film why Connery still remains the best of the bunch.
By Ben Kenber | Published 8/4/2008 | Read more »
Director Nanette Burstein succeeds in doing here is taking these stereotypes of the jock, the nerd, the rebel, and the beautiful, and she turns them upside down as she looks closely at the personalities that inhabit them.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/29/2008 | Read more »
This sequel recently played at the New Beverly Cinema as part of Diablo Cody's "Mondo Diablo" film festival, and this gave me my first chance to see it on the big screen.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/27/2008 | Read more »
How you feel about this X-Files movie will depend on how you feel about the series. If you are a diehard fan of the show, you might be a little disappointed. For me, I found myself liking this film quite a bit, and that's even though I felt that it could have been better.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/26/2008 | Read more »
"Hellboy 2" was a fun ride, and it does make me want to catch the original at some point in my lifetime. More power to Guillermo Del Toro as he sets off to make "The Hobbit!"
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/22/2008 | Read more »
These are some ideas that I think will help you in what you write as a movie reviewer. It seems that just about everyone these days is a film critic, so the trick is to write in your own voice.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/21/2008 | Read more »
A look at the dvd release of the biggest hit of 1986; a movie that turned Tom Cruise into one of the biggest movie stars ever.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/21/2008 | Read more »
"The Dark Knight," a long awaited sequel to "Batman Begins," is one of those movies that is as good as everyone says it is. It is now the movie to beat for 2008.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/19/2008 | Read more »
One of my many favorite movies from the 1980's! New Beverly Cinema did a midnight showing of this movie, and the fans came out to see Chuck Norris kick some terrorist ass like he never stopped.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/12/2008 | Read more »
A look at the documentary on the life of Hunter S. Thompson which makes us understand him better, and features interviews by many others who loved him and/or loathed him at one time or another.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/5/2008 | Read more »
"WALL*E" is another brilliant achievement from the people at Pixar. Right now, they have the most impressive track record of any movie studio. Of course, this may have to do with the fact that their focus is mainly on quality.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/4/2008 | Read more »
An endlessly fascinating documentary on his travels to Antarctica. It is at times an incredibly look at the icy landscape, at other times a bleak look at the inevitable end of the human race.
By Ben Kenber | Published 7/3/2008 | Read more »
"Wanted" is a kick ass action flick that the summer movie season calls for with an intense passion. It's not perfect (most movies aren't anyway), but it's never boring for a second.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/30/2008 | Read more »
"Get Smart" turned out to be a lot of fun. It is a mix of both action and comedy, and it manages to pull off the combination of the two quite well.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/28/2008 | Read more »
"Roman Polanski - Wanted and Desired" is a fascinating documentary, and a necessary one. It deals with the trial of a celebrity accused of a serious crime, and of the media circus that followed it to the end.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/25/2008 | Read more »
A look at one of my comic heroes, George Carlin, who died this weekend at in Los Angeles of heart failure.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/23/2008 | Read more »
the Aero Theater in Santa Monica brought in a big crowd to see director Savage Steve Holland talk about his two classic comedies from the 1980's, "Better Off Dead" and "One Crazy Summer."
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/21/2008 | Read more »
Well, it's not incredible, but it's still pretty good for a reboot. "The Incredible Hulk" is not really a sequel as much as it is a redoing of a potential franchise.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/20/2008 | Read more »
A look at the second night of the John Carpenter tribute at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica, and it covered the exploits of Snake Plissken as played by Kurt Russell in "Escape From New York" and "Escape From LA."
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/16/2008 | Read more »
A look at the first night of "Escape Artist: A Tribute to John Carpenter" at the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. The director spoke with the audience about these films, but more specifically on "The Thing" which is regarded as his best work.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/14/2008 | Read more »
These are my all time favorite movies ever. While this list will most likely change in the future (this list can never remain the same for too long), these are all movies that have a had a profound effect on me in one way or another.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/13/2008 | Read more »
"The Mother Of Tears" is Dario Argento's concluding chapter in his Three Mothers trilogy which started back in the 70's with "Suspiria." The promise of a third mother film has dogged Argento for years and years, but now it's finally here.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/8/2008 | Read more »
I felt a little indifferent to it. I wasn't bored at all with it, and kids (older ones anyway) should get a kick out of it. But in the end, it all seemed a bit average to me without enough to truly make it stand out from all the other fantasy movies out there.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/6/2008 | Read more »
A look at how Jim Cameron's next movie will end up giving us new special effects that will wow us, and how it will change the way movies are made and shown starting next year.
By Ben Kenber | Published 6/4/2008 | Read more »
The new Indiana Jones movie is no "Raiders of the Lost Ark," but expecting it to be is kind of ridiculous. I walked in expecting a fun time at the movies, and that is exactly what I got.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/27/2008 | Read more »
My picks for the ten best films that came out in 1997, as well as some honorable mentions.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/18/2008 | Read more »
"Speed Racer" is a visual splendor to behold, and also kind of an endurance to sit through. At over 2 hours, this movie is way too long.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/13/2008 | Read more »
I was looking forward to this all week. Maybe that makes me a geek, but most of you who would say that have obviously never been to a Star Trek convention.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/7/2008 | Read more »
"Last Tango In Paris." It is another in a long line of movies that prove that the 1970's was one of the greatest decades for films ever.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/5/2008 | Read more »
"Iron Man" is a highly entertaining movie with great effects and a great cast. It also has Robert Downey Jr. who gives a character who is at once heroic, egocentric, and almost crazy with brilliance.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/3/2008 | Read more »
"Forgetting Sarah Marshall" is not quite as funny as last year's "Knocked Up" or "Superbad," but it sure does come close enough. While it is another hit and miss comedy, the stuff that does hit is funnier than anything else I have seen so far this year.
By Ben Kenber | Published 5/2/2008 | Read more »
This movie brings together two of the biggest stars in martial arts movies, and it places them in a fantasy movie that feels rather ordinary.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/29/2008 | Read more »
A look at the return of the long running show's first episode since the strike, and of what to expect from this season and next season (which will finally be its last).
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/23/2008 | Read more »
A look at the latest concert movie from the Rolling Stones who rock as hard as ever on their "Bigger Bang" tour under the direction of Martin Scorses.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/20/2008 | Read more »
The book of "Little Children" is a great read, and Perrota gets the details of suburban living so perfectly and vividly, that it easily reminded me of the towns I grew up in.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/11/2008 | Read more »
I wish I could remember who said it, but someone once described Los Angeles as a bunch of suburbs in search of a city. You never quite know where it begins and where it ends because it feels so spread out.
By Ben Kenber | Published 4/8/2008 | Read more »
"Cache" is a brilliant exercise in suspense, and it shows how much of a master Michael Haneke is in this genre. There are no easy answers to be found here, and the ending itself is quite ambiguous, but not all movies are meant to be easily understood.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/31/2008 | Read more »
Steven Harper's "Unity" is an exciting novel that kept my interest from beginning to end, and it may get me to read more "Battlestar Galactica" books in the future.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/23/2008 | Read more »
"The Bank Job" deserves a bigger audience than it has been getting at theaters over the last few weeks. It's never less than entertaining, and it keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/22/2008 | Read more »
This movie is anything but entertaining, and in the end, it is not meant to be. Some movies made to be experienced and not simply to be enjoyed. This is one of those movies that gets under your skin, and unnerves you completely.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/19/2008 | Read more »
It is a beautifully filmed movie that was directed by the great John Ford, and it features John Wayne in what may very well have been his greatest onscreen performance as Ethan Edwards, a Civil War soldier coming home to a tenuous welcome.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/13/2008 | Read more »
This is the first John Wayne western I have ever seen him. The only John Wayne movie I saw before this was "McQ" where he tried to go into Dirty Harry mode. After seeing this movie, it's easy to see that he was more comfortable in a western.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/12/2008 | Read more »
"Klute" is one of Alan J. Pakula's best movies, and it features Jane Fonda in one of her best roles as a call girl who is a deeply complex human being whose life is threatened by a previous client.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/9/2008 | Read more »
In coming up with a list of my favorite quotes from movies, I tried to go with the ones that came to mind, or the ones that have stayed with me after the first time I saw the movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/6/2008 | Read more »
This movie is now 30 years old, and yet its themes are not out of place in today's society. The scenario of one man against the system, or of a person getting at the truth of the matter regardless of the consequences has been done over and over again.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/4/2008 | Read more »
Ahh, Creepshow! One of the best horror anthologies to come out of the 1980's. It's not perfect, but is immensely enjoyable if you're into this sort of movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 3/2/2008 | Read more »
Despite this being a rather ordinary show that was largely unspectacular, there were many worthy winners at this year's Oscars.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/25/2008 | Read more »
Picking out my favorite ten songs by Peter Gabriel was hard to put it mildly, as there are just way too many to choose from. But this is the list that I came up with.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/25/2008 | Read more »
This is a look at the new two-disc set of Michael Jackson's biggest selling and groundbreaking album, and of the memories I had of it when it first came out in 1982.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/21/2008 | Read more »
"The Spiderwick Chronicles" is surprisingly good and manages to rise above so many of the fantasy movies that have come out of the wake of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings grand successes. It stands on its own as an entertaining time at the movies.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/20/2008 | Read more »
"Diary Of The Dead" takes aim at a generation that has been so sucked into You Tube and of watching things not just from a distance, but an emotional distance as well.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/18/2008 | Read more »
A look back at the best films of Roy Scheider, and at what made him unique among other actors.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/14/2008 | Read more »
"Untraceable" is another in a long line of serial killer movies that offer nothing new to the genre, and which is filled with plot holes and characters doing the stupidest things. Diane Lane deserves better than this!
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/11/2008 | Read more »
"Passenger 57" is by no means great, but it is certainly never boring to say the least.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/10/2008 | Read more »
Eddie Murphy brings his skill of playing multiple characters to "Norbit," and it may very well be the worst movie of his career so far. He followed up "Dreamgirls" with this?!
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/4/2008 | Read more »
A look at U2's latest concert movie presented in IMAX 3D.
By Ben Kenber | Published 2/3/2008 | Read more »
A look at the 2007 Oscar nominees and of those who were unfortunetly (and infuriatingly) snubbed.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/31/2008 | Read more »
While not quite as good as "Rocky Balboa," "Rambo" is a welcome return for one of Sylvester Stallone's most famous characters. The result is one of the most rawest and ultra-violent action movies ever made.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/28/2008 | Read more »
Heath Ledger and Brad Renfro both died within days of each other, and their deaths represent a waste and a tragic loss of life at a very young age.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/25/2008 | Read more »
The best way to describe "Cloverfield" is that it is "Godzilla" meets "The Blair Witch Project." It takes the monster movie genre in a fresh new direction, and it makes it one of the more exciting movies made in that particular genre in what feels like years.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/21/2008 | Read more »
Tim Burton's bloody version of "Sweeney Todd" is a bloody delight, even if it doesn't quite reach the level of greatness. But still, there is too much to admire about this movie to criticize it too much.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/15/2008 | Read more »
My top ten picks for the best movies of 2007, as well as some honorable mentions.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/12/2008 | Read more »
"Tenebre" is one of the more memorable movies from Italian horror master Dario Argento, even if it is not quite on the same level as "Suspiria."
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/6/2008 | Read more »
"There Will Be Blood" is the latest from Paul Thomas Anderson who has yet to direct a truly bad motion picture.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/5/2008 | Read more »
"The Polar Express" was directed by Spielberg protégée Robert Zemeckis (who also directed "Beowulf"), and it is based on a book by Chris Van Allsburg which Tom Hanks was a big fan of when he was kid.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/2/2008 | Read more »
Although it feels incomplete and is clearly the setup of a desperately needed franchise for New Line Cinema, "The Golden Compass" is an enjoyable fantasy movie with a great cast including Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra.
By Ben Kenber | Published 1/1/2008 | Read more »
"The Savages" is a movie that deals with siblings who take their father as he enters the final stages of dementia, which is anything but fun. However, these siblings are doing this more out of some familial responsibility as opposed to love and respect.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/28/2007 | Read more »
Once in a while, you will get a movie which shows the loving power of a family and how they all come together as one. This is not that movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/20/2007 | Read more »
"Juno" joins company with the best movies ever made about teenagers.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/16/2007 | Read more »
Frank Darabont does another effective adaptation of a Stephen King story that lifts itself up from the way we might have expected it to be.
By Ben Kenber | Published 12/2/2007 | Read more »
A look at the NIN concert I went to back in July of 2006
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/27/2007 | Read more »
"Beowulf" takes the world of 3-D movies to another dimension, even if the are a couple of laughable moments that take you out of the movie ever so occassionally.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/22/2007 | Read more »
"Southland Tales" is an ambitious mess of a movie that is hard to get out of your head after you have seen it.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/19/2007 | Read more »
It is, quite literally, a hell of a movie. It has great acting, brilliant direction, and a very tight screenplay.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/13/2007 | Read more »
"Lars And The Real Girl" is a wonderfully heartfelt movie that takes a ridiculous premise and brings a lot of genuine emotion to it.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/11/2007 | Read more »
Some say it is a return to form for the brothers after their last two movies. But the one thing that "No Country For Old Men" proves is that they never lost their touch to begin with, and who are we to think that they ever did? I mean really!
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/10/2007 | Read more »
Once you get past your affection for the original show, you will find that the new "Battlestar Galactica" is a show that more than stands on its own.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/6/2007 | Read more »
I have always been back and forth on Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining." I've never hated it, but I thought it was flawed at best. But having got the box set recently, and having watched it for the umpteenth time, I finally see it as another masterpiece from a great director.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/4/2007 | Read more »
Our clocks will now go back an hour, and darkness will descend upon us an hour earlier now. When we leave work for the 5 o'clock world, it will now greet us with the darkness of night coming at us earlier than ever.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/4/2007 | Read more »
"American Gangster" offers us another brilliant piece of filmmaking from Ridley Scott who keeps his movie focused on his two main characters and the world around them with tremendous detail.
By Ben Kenber | Published 11/3/2007 | Read more »
"Jaws 2" is understandably no masterpiece, but it is "Citizen Kane" when you compare to the other two sequels that came after this one.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/29/2007 | Read more »
Ben Affleck's directorial debut here should be labeled as astonishing, but it almost doesn't feel like it. He has been a Boston native all his life, so it should make sense that he would be a natural to direct this movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/28/2007 | Read more »
It is not as bad as Waterworld or 3000 Miles To Graceland, but it sure does come close!
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/28/2007 | Read more »
"Blade Runner" remains after all these years one of the best science fiction films ever made. It has a look to it that is so unique that I literally cannot compare it to any other futuristic movie.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/27/2007 | Read more »
"We Own The Night" is a well done character driven movie that makes you think like it is any other action drama, but then it pulls out the rug from beneath it to keep you guessing as to what will happen next.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/24/2007 | Read more »
A lot of people have been coming down on "North Country" like it's another TV movie of the week. But it is a powerful movie that digs deep and makes you feel the depths of humiliation women had to go through before getting the equal protection that they flat out deserved.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/21/2007 | Read more »
"Michael Clayton" is one of the best movies to come out this year, and one of the most engrossing thrillers in the past few years.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/15/2007 | Read more »
Unlike the "Vacation" movies which deal most with slapstick humor and very broad characters, "The Darjeeling Limited" digs much deeper and finds the pain and pathos of what the characters are going through in their lives.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/14/2007 | Read more »
At this point, I cannot help but wonder, who is NOT doping in the world of sports? Now that is something that would truly shock me. We hear about athletes in different areas of athletic activity being under suspicion, and it hangs suspicion over them completely.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/14/2007 | Read more »
Everyone is out there listing their choices for the scariest movies of all time, but the choices are usually the same. I decided to make a list of movies for Halloween that are horrifying in different ways.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/12/2007 | Read more »
"Eastern Promises" is the latest film from director David Cronenberg, the man who was thoughtlessly left off of the nomination list for Best Director for his work on "A History Of Violence."
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/10/2007 | Read more »
"The Kingdom" is the latest from director Peter Berg, and he is quickly making a name for himself as one of the more exciting action directors working in Hollywood today.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/8/2007 | Read more »
Anyway, "30 Rock" premiered tonight for its second season, a couple of weeks after it picked up the Emmy for Best Comedy Series. After watching tonight's episode, it feels like it was well deserved.
By Ben Kenber | Published 10/5/2007 | Read more »
Lebron James acquited himself as a host, and Kanye West was a dynamite musical guest who finally took the time to poke fun at his own image. The show itself had some great moments, even as a couple of others fell flat.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/30/2007 | Read more »
You experience this along with those four men on the screen. You are with them as they escape the river before it swallows them whole. You are as eager as they are to get the hell off of that river, and you fear death more than ever before.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/28/2007 | Read more »
A longtime character is in life and death peril, there is a new chief driving everyone crazy...Why do I keep watching this show??
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/28/2007 | Read more »
While not necessarily one of Friedkin's best, it is an absorbing psychological thriller that takes you into a world you can never fully escape from.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/24/2007 | Read more »
The show that will not die is back for season 14, but rumor has it that this may be the show's final season. A number of familiar elements will have fans wondering, how much longer can this go on?
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/19/2007 | Read more »
I have never been all that excited about the Emmy awards. I rarely get around to watching them because I cannot help but think of all those actors and shows that were not nominated.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/17/2007 | Read more »
"The Brave One" is one of the most intelligent movies ever made on the subject of vigilantes, and it features brilliant performances by Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard.
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/16/2007 | Read more »
Here is a look at the nominees for Oustanding Writing for a Drama Series. It's actually a bit of a surprise that "The Sopranos" didn't get nominated for everything in this category!
By Ben Kenber | Published 9/15/2007 | Read more »
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