Three-Point Shot: “Dallas Buyers Club,” the Travels of Alexander Payne, and the JFK Assassination Movies

A lot of new followers this week, so I thought I would take this opportunity to welcome you all and share some of my latest work. Most of my work is now published elsewhere – this blog has become a place for the occasional post that doesn’t quite fit on other sites – but I…

The Problem is as Clear as “Mud”

Much has been written about the recent shift in Matthew McConaughey’s career. After years of awful rom-coms like Failure to Launch and Ghost of Girlfriends Past, there has been a significant and sudden change in his work, and the excitement amongst critics is palpable. In just the last two years, McConaughey has starred in five celebrated independent…

How “Magic Mike” Could Save Obama

From Obama: 2016 to Argo, the movies of 2012 have been particularly heavy on political content, and naturally some pundits have wondered if a film can influence an election. It seems clear that many in Hollywood think it could – and they want nothing to do with it. Three political films originally scheduled to hit…

Top 3 Movie Lawyers Who Could Have Saved the Individual Mandate

Last week, supporters of health care reform may have seen their hopes and dreams go up in flames. Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli Jr., tasked with defending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, gave a rambling, cough-filled, nervous opening statement that brought to mind Woody Allen without the jokes.…