Friday, January 13, 2012

Reading the Friday reviews....

Contraband: The new Mark Wahlberg vehicle gets high praise from Joe Morgenstern in the Journal this morning ("uncommonly well-crafted", 'thoroughly entertaining", etc.). More interesting perhaps is the pedigree:

"Contraband" was written by Aaron Guzikowski, Arnaldur Indridason and Óskar Jónasson. It's an English-language remake of "Reykjavik-Rotterdam," an Icelandic thriller in which the director—who was born in Iceland—played Mr. Wahlberg's role. Of the Icelandic films that Mr. Kormákur has directed, I've seen only the creepily intense and extremely accomplished "Jar City"....
Alcatraz: Here's hoping this school-of-Lost series is good enough to get really elaborate and confusing. Sez the Journal's TV critic Nancy Smith:
When the notorious federal prison in San Francisco Bay officially closed in March of 1963, its 265 prisoners and 46 guards were not, as the historical record says, transferred to mainland facilities. Actually, they disappeared without a trace and authorities still keep that a secret. Yet now some of America's most dangerous criminals—looking unchanged and unaged—are returning and committing new crimes.
Cool. Also it has fan favorite Jorge Garcia.

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