Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast New Releases 8/29/08Babylon A.D. ( (PG-13)Starring: Vin Diesel, Michelle Yeoh, Melanie Thierry, Lambert Wilson, Mark StrongDirector: Mathieu KassovitzA mercenenary delivery man with big mucles and even bigger guns, must carry a package from Eastern Europe to New York in a post-apocalyptic world “only the package is something unespected (unless you have seen “Children of Men” then it is totally derivative and uninspired).1/2 piece of … Read More »

Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast New Releases 8/22/08 Rocker (PG-13)Starring: Rainn Wilson, Christina Applegate, Jeff Garlin, Teddy Geiger, Emma StoneDirector: Peter CattaneoThe director who made “The Full Monty” misses the point in this tale of a former sweat-drenched rock and roll drummer trying to make a comeback “with his nephew’s high school garage band. The cast tries hard, but the script is lame and the songs are even worse. The big problem … Read More »

And Now Starring—-Wine! Toasting Wine Movies ByGil Mansergh For over a century, wine played a supporting role in movies, but recently, wine has become a “star.” I have already written about the Chateau Montelena Chardonney which is the raison d’etre of “Bottle Shock,” the newly released movie of how an upstart California wine could win in a Parisian blind tasting against some noble French vintages, and anyone who prefers Pinot Noir to … Read More »

Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast New Releases 8/15/08 Tropic Thunder (PG-13)Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey, Brandon T. Jackson, Tom CruiseDirector: Ben StillerPolitical correctness is thrown out with the baby’s bathwater in this war movie spoof. The set up is that a group of actors are sent to the jungle thinking they are filming an action movie but are dropped into a real war zone where the bad guys are … Read More »

Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast New Releases 8/08/08 Pineapple Express (R)Starring: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Amber Heard, Danny McBride, Gary ColeDirector: David Gordon GreenThe creaters of “Superbad” and “Knocked Up,” display at the end of this movie the same misjudgement as they did in “Drillbit Taylor.” The title refers to a hybrid marijuana that leaves the stars high through most of the film but when they unwittingly witness a murder, and … Read More »

Gil Mansergh’s Cinema Toast New Releases 8/01/08 Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (PG-13)Starring: Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Maria Bello, John Hannah, Michelle YeohDirected by: Rob CohenBrendan Fraser makes this work as mummy-hunter Rick O’Connell travels to China with his wife, and teen-age son (any similarity between the latest Indiana Jones adventure is purely coincidental). They must stop the dastardly plans of an Asian mummy-the Dragon Emperor and his 10,000 terra-cotta warriors. … Read More »