Bridesmaids Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Bridesmaids is NOT The Hangover with girls, despite Universal’s best efforts at making you think so. What’s different about the two films? This one is actually funny. Not side-splittingly so, but definitely funny. If you’ve seen Kristin Wiig on Saturday Night Live, you know her comic strengths and you ought to know […]
Certified Copy Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Look up the term “art house film†in the movie dictionary, and you ought to find a still from Abbas Kiarostami’s Copie Conforme (Certified Copy). It’s a confounding, but wholly engrossing picture that clearly and thoughtfully meditates on questions relating to reality and perception. Though the director (who also penned the screenplay) […]
The Verdict Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Simply put, The Verdict features the finest work in the long, impressive career of Paul Newman. What he accomplishes in Sidney Lumet’s 1982 courtroom drama is stunning. He plays a lawyer who carries a massive chip on his shoulder, and the results of the case he undertakes will determine whether or not […]
Thor Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) At a time when the superhero genre is steering itself toward reality (a la The Dark Knight), Thor seems like a fish out of water. Its characters actually have powers, it takes place in fantastical worlds, and logic and reason are its first casualties. And though a film like that might sound […]
2011 Summer Movie Preview
It feels like it could be a week summer, but there’s still plenty to get excited about. Here’s a list of my top 10 most-anticipated blockbusters, followed by the 10 most intriguing independent pictures. 10.) X-Men: First Class Pros: Director Matthew Vaughn, interesting period elements Cons: X-Men fatigue 9.) Kung Fu Panda 2 Pros: Solid […]
Fast Five Review
RATING: (2 STARS) In theory, Fast Five should have worked. A series that reaches its fifth entry needs to reinvent itself to keep people interested. Here, the filmmakers have disposed of much of the pointless street racing in favor of a heist-film formula. It’s not a bad idea; The problem, rather, is in the execution. […]
12 Angry Men Review
RATING: (4 STARS) As far as directorial debuts are concerned few are as good as Sidney Lumet’s 12 Angry Men. Hell, few films period are as good as 12 Angry Men. Though the action is limited to one small, hot room, the film is smart, taut, and exciting from start to finish. The word strong […]
TOP 10: Best Movie Remakes
The good news of the week: Arthur actually wasn’t that bad. The bad news: It unsurprisingly comes nowhere near this list of my 10 favorite film remakes ever. But hell, I can live with that. I’m just glad my $10 didn’t go to waste. But anyway, enjoy the list, and let me know what some […]
Arthur (2011) Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) I went into Arthur expecting the worst. The film’s trailers were universally awful, and my general antipathy toward sequels left me feeling nervous. The original Arthur, a 1981 romantic comedy starring Dudley Moore, is a relatively delightful romp. But Russell Brand just didn’t seem like he belonged in this world. And he […]
TOP 10: Non-Pixar Animated Films of the Decade
I finally caught up with Rango this weekend and thought it was swell—a really funny, engaging family movie and a successful throwback to the westerns of old. I started thinking where it would rank on my list of favorite animated films in recent memory and realized that list has been totally monopolized by Pixar. So […]
Rango Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The best comparison I can come up with for Gore Verbinski’s Rango is last year’s Kick-Ass. While the two share little in common thematically, they both succeed on multiple fronts. They are great genre films—Rango, a western; Kick-Ass, a superhero movie—while simultaneously sending up that same genre. Fans of westerns will love […]
Dial M for Murder Review
RATING: (4 STARS) One of Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest strengths was his ability to manage enormous set pieces and make them extremely memorable. Take the plane crash scene in Foreign Correspondent, the Royal Albert Hall scene in The Man Who Knew Too Much, or the crop duster chase in North by Northwest. Ironically, one of the […]
The Lincoln Lawyer Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The Lincoln Lawyer is the perfect kind of March movie. It’s not all that challenging, and it follows the formula of its genre to a T, but it’s quite entertaining. The script is well-developed, and Matthew McConaughey—yes, that Matthew McConaughey—turns out a surprisingly good performance. The ending tries too hard to wrap […]
The Night of the Hunter Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The Night of the Hunter is a frightening film with a main character that is as close to pure evil as we’ve seen in film history. Robert Mitchum’s portrayal of Harry Powell is absolutely incredible—it could give Anthony Hopkins’ Hannibal Lector a run for his money in the villain department. Even beyond […]
Battle: Los Angeles Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Battle: Los Angeles, I think, is a fair approximation of what would happen if aliens invaded the world of 24. The film is full of one-dimensional freedom fighters, as well as a badass, capable-of-anything superman. But it’s entertaining in a mindless sort of way. It definitely doesn’t live up to its amazing […]
Barney’s Version Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Barney’s Version is probably one of the most problematic films you’ll ever see me fully recommend. Narratively, it’s a bit of a mess. It’s a biopic about a fictional man, which allows it to essentially do whatever it wants (within the framework, of course, of the novel upon which it’s based). Screenwriter […]
