B.D. Wong

Ryan Remembers…The Ref

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The Ref is one of the best comedies you’ve never seen. Released in 1994, this thoroughly hilarious, dark Christmas movie stars Denis Leary as Gus, a typically successful cat burglar, who after a botched robbery is forced to kidnap a couple and hide out at their home in an affluent Connecticut suburb to avoid the police. Thinking he’ll be moving along quickly, once his alcoholic schlub of a partner secures transportation to get them beyond the police dragnet, he gets more than he bargained for when he realizes that he kidnapped the family from hell. Lloyd and Caroline Chasseur, played to perfection by Kevin Spacey and Judy Davis, respectively, are a married couple on the verge of divorce who drive Gus insane with their incessant bickering throughout their captivity on the night of Christmas Eve. Continue reading →

Review: Jurassic World

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WARNING: Contains spoilers!

Twenty-two years after Jurassic Park was released, and after two disappointing and arguably unnecessary sequels, Jurassic World came roaring into theaters. That roar was a loud one, as this summer’s blockbuster raked in a whopping $208 million on its opening weekend, surpassing The Avengers (2012) for the biggest opening of all-time. More than two decades after the theme park on Isla Nublar, which was meant to dazzle tourists with close-up views of real-life dinosaurs, closed due to unforeseen tragedy, a new one was built right in its place. It seems that humans never learn. While the original Jurassic  films were adventurous and fun (mostly the first one), they served as a commentary on mankind’s continuous and ill-advised attempts to harness and control nature. Continue reading →