The Punisher

CHICAGO – Comedian John Pinette passed away on April 5th, at the age of 50. The rotund jester was named Stand-Up Comedian of the Year at the American Comedy Awards in 1999, and appeared in the films “Duet,” “Dear God” and “The Punisher.” He is probably best remembered as the hapless portly man who gets harassed by the cast of “Seinfeld,” which led to the courtroom sequence of the final episode in 1998.

CHICAGO – Not to be confused with Todd Haynes’s 1995 masterpiece featuring Julianne Moore in the performance of her career, “Safe” is a forgettable would-be blockbuster that puts star Jason Statham through the emotional wringer in order to justify a marathon of repetitive carnage. This is as predictable a star vehicle as one could imagine, yet the direction by Boaz Yakin is so strong that it nearly saves the material.

CHICAGO – When “Thor” hits theaters this Friday, it will be 22nd Marvel Comics movie to make it to the big-screen since “Blade” rebooted Marvel’s box office potential back in 1998. There have been more Marvel movies if you count such Marvel-owned properties as “Men in Black” or “Kick-Ass” (or if you count the cheesy straight-to-VHS Marvel movies of the 80s and 90s), but “Blade” was the first “modern” Marvel superhero flick.