Mitch Schwartz

Family Guy is an odd creature. After being cancelled by FOX, the show gained a level of cult popularity through syndication and DVD sales, which prompted FOX to revive the series. Since then, the series’ popularity has soared. And, apparently, as the series proliferated, the number of allusions to Star Wars also proliferated, which, in turn, prompted the Family Guy legal team to suggest that the w...[Read More]

I can’t decide how I feel about this twist on a classic genre piece, and I think that’s a good thing, as it seems like one of the film’s goals is to leave viewers frustratingly conflicted. Unfortunately, I don’t feel I can hash through my inner conflicts regarding the movie without revealing too much of the story. However, The Brave One is a well-developed and thought-provoking movie, and, despite...[Read More]

There are a few somewhat unsettling trends that were reaffirmed by viewing Gone Baby Gone:

For a more family-oriented perspective of Disney’s Underdog, you might find Nathan Stevens’ review of the Blu-ray edition more useful, and a bit more complimentary. This review, however, you will find to be rarely complimentary, so I will at least try to keep my criticisms to a minimum.

As stark film noirs and political/crime dramas proliferate and the political practice of extraordinary rendition gains more and more notoriety (through documentary films and movies like Academy Award-winner Taxi to the Dark Side), Rendition arrives to present a compelling hybrid of entertainment and politically minded content. With much of contemporary political coverage in America focusing on the...[Read More]

Despite a prominent supporting role played by the increasingly popular Keira Knightley, I’m not sure that Silk even received a nationwide debut in the U.S., and, if it did, the release was certainly not surrounded by much publicity. Perhaps this was for this best, though, as I’m not sure that this artful love story has blockbuster potential. With lovely images but a somewhat underdeveloped story, ...[Read More]