Critique-Opolis

Send us Fan Mail Robert Redford and Brad Pitt are paired as a pro C.I.A. station chief and his protege as their career timeline is dissected while one races against the clock to rescue the other from foreign captivity.  This was a fast paced espionage adventure by Tony Scott.  Considering the careers of all the players involved, you can bet this one does not disappoint. I gave my honey recipe list...

Send us Fan Mail Jake (Robert DeNiro) is a bounty hunter working to get John (Charles Grodin) an accountant for the Las Vegas mob, back to L.A. to stand trial and testify against Jimmy Serrano (Dennis Farina). Very much a buddy comedy in the vein of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.  Quite a throwback on this one.  If you grew up watching movies in the 80's, this one will hit you with a fair d...

Send us Fan Mail You know how we do it!  This week:  Sundance contemplates a move out of the mountains (and possibly to Cincinnati - gross). Ari Emanuel thinks that there will only be a few key players in Tinseltown in the next few years (so, business as usual).  No one wants to be Bob Iger.  Chick-Fil-A thinks it can make TV shows now (maybe this means Kirk Cameron will get some work - you know,...

Send us Fan Mail So, this is what IMDB says: "Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even the vast ocean cannot divide them." That's pretty much the movie. Good Sunday afternoon movie, a tad flat but definitely a good watch...

Send us Fan Mail Dailies Hollywood news episode!  The Olympics, Snoop Dog, D23, LA Mayor Karen Bass's plan to keep Hollywood from leaving LA, and Huey Lewis returns to acting! All this and more on this episode of Critique-Opolis! Plus - Honey Mango leather recipe!  (It's like a mango and honey fruit roll-up)!

Send us Fan Mail This 2018 Canadian sports drama film, directed by Miranda de Pencier was based on a true story. The film depicts a youth lacrosse team that was set up to help combat an onslaught of youth suicide in the community of Kugluktuk, Nunavut.  This wasn't 'Miracle' with Kurt Russell but it did have a good message and a healthy redemption element. Strong performances by a l...

Send us Fan Mail This actually a Dailies episode and while we never do podcasts about movies that just came out, we literally just walked in the door from seeing Twisters. Not to worry, the bulk of this one is dedicated to the latest and greatest from the entertainment business including, but not limited too, Apple TV+ being a tightwad, Warner Bros. going hat in hand to the bank asking for extra m...

Send us Fan Mail New Blacklist entry!!! The Swimsuit Issue Written by Randall Green in 2014.  A nerdy high schooler, who fancies himself as an amatuer photographer, attempts to create a "swimsuit issue" featuring his high school classmates. Plus - I finally got back to giving you guys a honey based recipe.  This time, an iced espresso honey cinnamon latte. 

Send us Fan Mail A little change of pace for this week's episode. We attended the Ann Arbor Art Fairs this weekend and with the shear volume of artists in front of our eyes, we would be doing the creative community a disservice by not discussing our favorite creators. This week, Matthew Rucker. This color blind artist produces near photo realistic paintings of single animals on a colored vaca...

Send us Fan Mail This is a new personal favorite!   If you combined Davy Crockett, The Three Stooges, Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, the most original cut-out animation you've seen in forever, and Looney Tunes style sensibility, you would end up with ' Hundreds of Beavers' . (not a euphemism) If you want a synopsis, check Wikipedia because this movie is too involved and I'm to...

Send us Fan Mail There is to much going on in Hollywood on our nation's birthday to just cover a movie.  So what's all the hub-bub? We'll tell you: Richard Gere and Michael Fassbender do espionage in "The Agency" Mary-Louise Parker has a black hole in her stomach and there is not enough Pepto-Bismol to fix her in "Omni Loop". Lionsgate remakes Indian super violen...

Send us Fan Mail Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe Deacon is sent to Los Angeles for what should have been a quick evidence-gathering assignment. Instead, he becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorizing the city. P.S. I ripped this synopsis straight from IMDB because I am falling asleep. Do not judge me. As always there is a honey-based recipe.  This one is for a Greek pastr...

Send us Fan Mail Alfre Woodard plays Juanita, a discontent mother of three adult children with questionable futures and no life goals.  One day she decides to leave her current life behind and embark on a personal trip with no itinerary.  Driven by a desire to experience her own reality, unencumbered by the day-to-day demands of her regimented existence. Even her imaginary relationship with Blair...

Send us Fan Mail Mandalay Pictures has producing rights for this yet-unshot poke at Wall Street and American greed.  There is ONLY ONE ACTOR who should get this role. Pay attention, Hollywierd.  My mustard is better than yours. The unthinkable may be on the horizon.  Paramount Pictures - a PRIVATE company 9under Sony/Apollo )? Well, the boys from Japan came to play - with 26 BILLION dollars!

Send us Fan Mail Javier Bardem stars as an attorney turned detective tasked with investigating, tracking down, and stopping a Marxist revolutionary and terrorist of an unnamed Latin country. Just FYI - this was John Malkovich's directorial debut.   The Ricotta toast uses prosciutto. The movie and the snack have nothing to do with each other aside from the fact that you would be a damn fool to...

Send us Fan Mail Ilker Catak delivers this gripping story of a German teacher embattled by her own school, fellow faculty members, students, and parents when 'someone' steals money out of her wallet.  Frustrating and engaging.  Oh, I forgot to give you guys a recipe last time - so we lead off this episode with one to make up for it.   P.S. It's very German.  There is a scene where a...

Send us Fan Mail No recipe this week!  Suck it! This little nugget is for a unproduced project called 'Polo' from 2023's Blacklist called 'Polo'.  From there we delve into Disney's unscrupulous tactics to manipulate  shareholder proxy votes, Benedick Cumberbatch takes on Michael Douglas, F.F. Coppola sells a vineyard to finance a potential arthouse masterpiece, and Ja...

Send us Fan Mail Wim Wenders crafts this melodic story about Hirayama - a man who cleans public toilets in Tokyo.  While he lives his day to day life in peace and tranquility, he has  experiences which cause him to reflect on himself.  Koji Yakusho delivers an informed performance as Hirayama, our primary player in a predominantly Japanese cast.   As our discussion unfolds, we realized just how ma...

Send us Fan Mail My recipe goes on forever, deal with it. Louisa and I cover a bucketload of films on the horizon, say goodbye to Iris Apfel, try to figure out how Kevin Spacey got another job, gear up for the Oscars, and try to answer the age old question, 'Why do they keep remaking "Freaky Friday"'? #irisapfel #kevinspacey #oscars #meringue

Send us Fan Mail Jay is solo for this go around (Louisa is working).  Thank God your you, it's a short one.  He muses on a School of Life episode about how kids behave when they are unloved.  Quick transition to 2 separate bread recipes and closes with the Hey Honey 2024 farmer's market schedule. #bread #schooloflife #schedule #farmersmarket

Send us Fan Mail Greenbaum takes over Disney Motion Picture Studios, Bradley Cooper get's his blefs done, middle market movies are on the rebound, and Al Pacino can't get enough of 'King Lear' and Big M. Fassbender becomes a spy with an identity crisis.  #alpacino #michaelfassbender #disney #bradleycooper #plasticsurgery

Send us Fan Mail I didn't realize this movie is already 10 years old!  Mark Raso's debut feature about an American 20 something on a quest in Denmark, attempting to find his paternal grandfather, deliver a letter from his father, and cathartically mend the effects of years of bad parenting.  Will (our lead) tears through Copenhagen having meaningless sex in an attempt to fill a void.  He...

Send us Fan Mail Jeremy Renner, Ed Helms, and John Hamm keep us connected to our youth and instill in us the importance of maintaining childhood friendships.  How? By telling the story in this comedy about a group of friends who get together for a month to continue playing a game of Tag.... for 30 years. Louisa breaks down her blacklist pick 'There You Are'. Plus: Lion's Gate has a...

Send us Fan Mail We are SLICK!  We forgot to tell you guys the title of this movie during the podcast.  This week, we reviewed 'May December' with Natalie Portman & Julianne Moore.  The title is a reference to inappropriate, amorous relationship between a much older person and a juvenal.  With subject matter heavily borrowed from the Mary Kay Letourneau case in which a 34 year old te...

Send us Fan Mail Louisa is coming down with a cold, which never happens.  So I hook her up with the ultimate honey folk remedy (key ingredient here ). Most importantly, we break down "The Summit of the Gods", a Japanese anime movie about mountain climbing and one climber's efforts to etch his name into the halls of mountaineering greatness (which oddly, has French production compone...