Film

It is clear from its opening weekend that "Playing for Keeps" is one of the biggest bombs of the year, both critically and commercially. Review database Rotten Tomatoes has it at a 2-percent "Fresh" rating for its one positive review vs. 59 negative ones (and Leonard Maltin gives it only faint praise in his "positive" review). It has also flopped at the box office, opening in sixth place on a weekend when the top five films have all been out for at least three weeks. The film is almost as bad as its reputation.

A documentary about the women who worked in factories to keep Americans supplied during World War II is to be previewed Friday (June 10) at the Erma O. Byrd Center at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W.Va. A reception is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. and the film is to be shown from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. This will be the only opportunity for the public to see an early cut of "We Pull Together: Rosie the Riveters, Then and Now," before its premiere in Charleston, W.Va., on June 28. Supported by a grant from the West Virginia Humanities Council, the film commemorates the work of "Rosie the Riveters" and preserves the memories of many of the Rosies who are still around.

It's funny how beloved Quentin Tarantino is as a director despite the shortness of his filmography. Ignoring his work with television and contributions to anthology films (I'm willing to forget his awful segment of "Grindhouse" if you are), the man has only seven feature credits to his name, including his newest, "Django Unchained. " Yet I and many others consider Tarantino a genius because this oh-so-short filmography includes films like "Reservoir Dogs" (1992), "Pulp Fiction" (1994)

It's not unusual to compare a feature film to its trailer. It's the best way to get a feel for the look and style of the film, sometimes for months at a time. Trailers are created by professional editors, who usually make the film look better than it is. Sometimes they do this by giving away the best parts of the movie for free, sometimes they do this by throwing together scenes with several different characters and settings to make it look like the film is fast-paced and a lot happens.

Many early reviews have likened "Super 8" to "E.T.," Steven Spielberg's sci-fi classic from 1982. I suppose the comparison is inevitable. Both films star children, both films feature aliens, and Steven Spielberg is an executive producer of "Super 8. "   I feel the film has more in common with "Battle: Los Angeles," the alien invasion bomb from earlier this year. Both films were marketed with cryptic teaser trailers, the aliens in both films are devoid of any personality, and I'm not about to waste my time on either film again.

Too many weeks ago, I proclaimed "Jack the Giant Slayer" to be the first half-decent movie of 2013. Now along comes "42," and I am proclaiming it to be the first really good movie of 2013. It should not have taken us more than three months to get the first really good movie of 2013 (even with my understanding that the post-holiday season is a dumping ground for the studios' garbage releases), but that shouldn't diminish the achievements of "42" as an admirable sports film. The film tells the story of pioneering black baseball player Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman)

Koran Dunbar wasn't much of a basketball player. Growing up in Greencastle, Pa., he would sit on the sidelines joking with his friend Waylon K. Smith. "We bonded on the benches," Smith said. Though the two never became famous for tearing up the court, their banter helped them realize they had considerable aptitudes elsewhere. Namely, in the arts. "We were two very artistic children who didn't have a place to vent out our talents and our hearts," Dunbar said. The two played off of one another's ideas and humor.

This past weekend saw an upset at the box office as "The Call" became the weekend's most successful new release, beating out the star-studded but formulaic magic comedy "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. "  Maybe it was just my relief at not having to review that bomb, or maybe it was the excitement of rushing out to a movie after midnight Saturday, but I found "The Call" to be surprisingly endearing.  The same thing happened with "Chronicle" last year, and while "The Call" isn't worthy of the near-rave review I gave "Chronicle," I was at least glad to have gone out of my way to see it. Halle Berry stars as Jordan, a 911 operator who is traumatized in film's opening moments when she mishandles a call about a home invasion that leads to a girl's death.

"Life of Pi" is the best film of the 2012 Thanksgiving season. The film is expertly crafted by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Ang Lee, it features an amazing debut performance from actor Suraj Sharma, it has perhaps the most beautiful water and aquatic life ever depicted on film, and there's a big Bengal tiger just waiting for you to show it love. Despite all of these attributes, the film has failed to climb higher than fifth place at the box office for the past two weekends. Fifth place over a lucrative holiday weekend is not exactly a shameful performance, but I would like to see it do better.

In 1951, Ann H. Jones wanted to attend Syracuse (N.Y.) University but she knew her all-black elementary and high school education didn’t prepare her to reach so high. Instead, she followed her sister to Storer College, a historically black college that opened a few years after the Civil War. Jones and several other Storer alumni on Sunday watched the premiere of “Storer College: A Legacy of Light and Learning,” a film by independent filmmaker Midge Flinn Yost of Harpers Ferry, W.Va.

"Iron Man" is probably the most lucrative superhero franchise in Hollywood. Nolan's "Batman" series is sadly done, the "Spider-Man" reboot was hardly Marvel-ous, and I'm not convinced that Zack "Sucker Punch" Snyder can sell this generation on Superman in the upcoming "Man of Steel. " The real powerhouse is of course "The Avengers," the unprecedented convergence of superhero franchises that managed to rule the box office in an extremely competitive 2012. But as much as that film emphasized teamwork, there was little doubt that the most popular member of the team, and the one most capable of carrying the first follow-up film, was Iron Man. The new film sees Iron Man aka Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.)

I was prejudiced against "Oblivion" because about a week before it opened. A friend of mine got to see a movie in advance and left after the first half hour. At around the 31-minute mark, I was jealous of my friend. It's not a terrible movie in that "clearly a bomb" sort of way, but it failed to hold my interest and it was depressing to know that it was nowhere close to ending. The film stars Tom Cruise as Jack Harper, a drone repairman on an abandoned Earth in a bleak future. Humanity had to evacuate the planet after an alien invasion rendered it uninhabitable.

Cut to the Chase Film Festival will be Friday, July 12, through Sunday, July 14, in Shepherdstown, W.Va. Judges include retired CIA agent and writer of "Argo," Tony Mendez; award-winning Shepherdstown photographer Benita Keller; and Emmy-nominated, owner of the Shepherdstown Opera House, Lawrence Cumbo. Cut to the Chase is a short film festival. Local entries are welcome.  All films must be no longer then eight minutes, including titles and credits and must contain the key element.

Spring is finally here. The birds are singing. Flowers are blooming. People are getting outside more and more. Warming air and longer days brighten spirits. Little League is now in full swing and Thursday was opening day for the Suns.   Thursday was also the opening of the Maryland International Film Festival. I hope my friends in the Suns Fan Club understand, but we opted for the Film Festival. The feature film that evening was “Argo.” The movie tells the story of Tony Mendez and his successful rescue of six American diplomats from Tehran, Iran, in January 1980.

Too many weeks ago, I proclaimed "Jack the Giant Slayer" to be the first half-decent movie of 2013. Now along comes "42," and I am proclaiming it to be the first really good movie of 2013. It should not have taken us more than three months to get the first really good movie of 2013 (even with my understanding that the post-holiday season is a dumping ground for the studios' garbage releases), but that shouldn't diminish the achievements of "42" as an admirable sports film. The film tells the story of pioneering black baseball player Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman)

“Twenty Million People,” a romantic comedy made by three filmmakers from New York City, claimed the top prize Saturday at the Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown. The film was named Best Feature at the three-day film festival's closing ceremonies Saturday night at the Academy Theater off East Washington Street. The film asks the question, “There are TWENTY MILLION PEOPLE in the greater New York City area. So why is it so hard to find someone you like?” Co-producer Chris Prine, who also acted in the movie with co-stars Michael Ferrell and Devin Sanchez, said the picture was shot over a 12-day span in Jersey City, N.J. The budget was $12,000.

Three filmmakers from the Big Apple were in the Hub City on Friday to show their romantic comedy, “Twenty Million People,” at the Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown. New Yorkers Michael Ferrell, Devin Sanchez and Chris Prine said during a reception at the Academy Theatre off East Washington Street that they attend film festivals not only to get exposure for their pictures, but to trade techniques with other filmmakers. “You exchange war stories and tips, and we stay in touch with people when we go to other festivals,” Ferrell said.

And the winner is .... “Mr. Congeniality” by the sophomore theater students of the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts. Three entries by students from the Barbara Ingram School for the Arts, each a parody of major motion pictures, were screened Friday at the Bridge of Life as part of the Maryland International Film Festival Hagerstown. “Mr. Congeniality” was a twist on the 2000 Sandra Bullock film, “Miss Congeniality.” In the students' version, two male FBI agents have to enter a beauty pageant.

The excitement began building for the second Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown on Thursday afternoon as people crowded into the new location of the Washington County Arts Council for an opening reception and a chance to rub elbows with one of the stars of this year's festival - Tony Mendez. Mendez, the former CIA agent whose work to free six Americans in Iran provided the storyline for the Academy Award-winning movie “Argo,” arrived at the arts council at 34-36 S. Potomac St., dressed in a black tuxedo and in the company of his wife Jonna.

The first night of the second annual Maryland International Film Festival-Hagerstown was capped off Wednesday at The Maryland Theatre when Tony Mendez was awarded the festival's first Mendez Award. Thomas B. Riford, president of the film festival's board of directors, said the Mendez Award will be presented at the festival every year as the event's top film award. Mendez thrust the award in the air after it was handed to him by Riford. Mendez had been invited on stage after the screening of the movie “Argo,” which depicts Mendez's actions in 1979, when he helped six Americans escape from Iran.