The Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons aren’t exactly peak popcorn cinema, but they each offer a diverting brand of cheeseball religious conspiracy faux-Sherlock stories.
Tag: Tom Hanks
My reaction to this film is somewhat muted in part, I admit, because the title, poster, and opening few minutes suggest something far trippier and more ambitious than what this really is
I’m not sure that The Circle ever had any bite. But it certainly doesn’t in 2022. Pretty much every major headline has undercut the film’s satire as not a world-gone-crazy fantasy, but everyday life.
Here’s something out of left-field: A small, indie romantic drama starring baby-faced Tom Hanks — his first ever dramatic role, excluding TV movies.
Angels & Demons (2009)
The sequel to The Da Vinci Code is, confusingly, based off of the first book in the series, with a byproduct not common of genres sequels:
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close (2011)
If a man smashes your kneecaps with a crowbar, can you really say he made you “feel something”?
Captain Phillips (2013)
Captain Phillips’ biggest strength — beyond even its technical competence and almost unceasing tension — is the tightrope it walks with the Somali pirates.
There is something poignant about the central image of The Great Buck Howard: a washed up celebrity who finds the hidden money every night, as if by magic.
I am of the opinion that there’s a pretty high floor for a competently crafted conspiracy thriller. The genre naturally captures the imagination and builds tension and sets up big twists.
Aaron Sorkin has always played fast-and-loose with truth in the name of good drama. Typically, this is a strength of his: The Social Network and Steve Jobs are both improved by ignoring fidelity in favor of modern tech-mythology.