Tag Archives: Ben Affleck

White collar workers feel the pain in “The Company Men”

Posted on March 5, 2011 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

A cadre of white collar workers making at least $160,000 a year lose their jobs to corporate downsizing to inflate the company’s stock price. As the wealth disparity continues to divide the U.S. into binary classes (super rich or flat poor), a film that expects audiences to empathize with such characters should sink faster than a lead zeppelin. Yet the film is able to dodge this pitfall to yield a decent drama. Continue reading →

Fall Movie Preview: October

Posted on October 1, 2010 by The Filmsmith | 3 comments

The Social Network: October 1

This is already well known as “the facebook movie;” having David Fincher (Fight Club) on board as director makes an inane premise promising.

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Posted in News

Tagged /Filmcast, Aaron Sorkin, Anna Boden, Ben Affleck, Chris Cooper, Clint Eastwood, Conviction, David Fincher, Edward Norton, Facebook, Gareth Edwards, Half Nelson, Hereafter, Hillary Swank, It's Kind of a Funny Story, Kevin Costner, Matt Damon, Monsters, Robert De Niro, Ryan Fleck, Sam Rockwell, Sci-Fi, Stone, The Company Men, The Social network, Tommy Lee Jones, Zach Galifianakis

Ben Affleck’s “The Town” delivers

Posted on September 18, 2010 by The Filmsmith | 2 comments

Promotion for The Town touts it as “from the acclaimed director of Gone Baby Gone” which appears to be a deliberate dodge to avoid naming the film’s director – Ben Affleck. The concern being that if people see that Ben Affleck directed the picture – a guy possibly most famous for his previous relationship with Jennifer Lopez – it won’t be taken seriously. Given that Affleck has delivered the goods with two films now, maybe his directorial work can come out of the fine print.

A group of robbers from the Boston neighborhood of Charlestown knock over a bank, taking bank manager Claire Keesey (Rebecca Hall) hostage. Concerned that Claire might have seen something, trigger happy James (Jeremy Renner) wants Doug (Ben Affleck) to follow her movements to ensure they’re in the clear. When Doug starts seeing Claire, tensions between Doug and his crew flare while FBI agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) steadily builds the pressure.

As a whole this is a good heist film. It kicks off with tornadic fury and keeps the film moving with other robberies. Affleck stands out as the nice thief to Renner’s twitchy James who is a territorial pug you do not want to try and pet. Continue reading →

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Posted in Reviews

Tagged Ben Affleck, Boston, Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone, Heist, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, Robbery, The Hurt Locker

Fall(ish) Movie Preview: September

Posted on September 3, 2010 by The Filmsmith | Leave a comment

The summer film season is coming to a close, but there is plenty to look forward to. Here is your complete mega movie fall preview.

:author’s note:

I believe that trailers reveal so much information that it can spoil or at least impede the experience of watching a film for the first time. I would recommend avoiding trailers if you know you’re going to see a film. If you’re unsure of a film, however, be my guest.

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