Away We Go Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The first time I heard about Away We Go I was excited. Scranton-ite that I am, I’ll watch almost anything with The Office’s John Krasinski, and Sam Mendes is a great director (although I think American Beauty is vastly overrated). But there was one thing that was really bothering me about this project: I […]
Julie and Julia Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Many have said that “Julie and Julia†is half a great film and half a poor one. I don’t think that’s necessarily true, but I do think the disjointedness of the film causes some problems. Still, it was a thoroughly enjoyable love letter to the kitchen featuring one of the best performances […]
Two Lovers Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Love isn’t easy, despite the tendency for films to make it seem that way. Movies like “The Proposal†present falling in love as this series of hyjinks. The only difficulties are related to the just kooky situations the two subjects find themselves in. Occasionally, a film, such as “(500) Days of Summer,†[…]
25th Hour Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) After September 11th, films set in New York were forever changed. Any shot of the World Trade Center towers would always be thought of differently, and in some cases they were digitally removed from the film. Spike Lee’s “25th Hour†is the first film to use explicit footage of post-September 11th New […]
The Taking of Pelham 123 (2009) Review
RATING: (2 STARS) Tony Scott is no Scorsese. It’s not like I expected “The Taking of Pelham 123†to be a masterpiece. However, I don’t think it was unreasonable to expect this film to be an entertaining and somewhat thrilling diversion. Scott’s “Déjà Vu,†which also starred Denzel Washington, was just that. But “Pelham†isn’t […]
Invictus Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Clint Eastwood’s career this decade has followed an interesting trajectory. He started out with the pure popcorn “Space Cowboys” and the instantly forgettable thriller “Blood Work.” His next two trips behind the camera, however, resulted in two of the finest films of the decade, “Mystic River” and “Million Dollar Baby.” Those hoping […]
Duplicity Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Tony Gilroy knows the spy genre. He’s written the Bourne movies and “Michael Clayton” in addition to directing the latter (although Clayton isn’t a spy film per se, it follows many of the same conventions). The tone of those features was deadly serious. In “Duplicity,” Gilroy switches things up. He takes what […]
World’s Greatest Dad Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) “World’s Greatest Dad” is a gutsy film from rookie filmmaker Bobcat Goldthwaite. It does things with a typically taboo subject (death) that are shocking. It also raises some fascinating questions. Is it better to lionize the dead and gloss over some of the less flattering details of his or her life? Or […]
8½ Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “In my picture, everything happens. I’m putting everything in.” This line from Federico Fellini’s “8 1/2” perfectly sums up the movie. Fellini throws everything about Guido Anselmi’s life on screen: his career, his busy love life, his past, and his dreams. For a film that’s light on plot, there really is a […]
The Aviator Review
RATING: (3 STARS) When you sit down for a Martin Scorsese film, it would be fair to expect some fast-talking Italians, profanity laced-tirades, extremely violent killings, and of course, The Rolling Stones. But in “The Aviator,” we get the glamorous stars of old Hollywood, some beautifully photographed flying sequences, a sweeping romance, and the music […]
Avatar Review
RATING: (4 STARS) James Cameron’s “Avatar” is unlike any experience I’ve ever had at the movies. It’s the kind of movie I expect people will feel like they need to see in order to be part of the popular culture. In ten years, when people look back on the films of 2009 (and of this […]
Fantastic Mr. Fox Review
RATING: (4 STARS) I’m not the biggest Wes Anderson fan. Other than “The Royal Tenenbaums,†I’ve found his work to be one-note and somewhat pretentious. With that said, “The Fantastic Mr. Fox†was anything but. It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, full of wit and charm. In a year when animation seems to be one-upping […]
Magnolia Review
RATING: (4 STARS) After the critical and financial success he had with “Boogie Nights,†New Line essentially gave P.T. Anderson the freedom to do anything he wanted. The result is “Magnolia,†a picture that wouldn’t have been made, couldn’t have been made, without such freedom. This is a bold motion picture, a 3-hour tale about […]
Marnie Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) I’m not familiar enough with Hitchcock’s entire body of work to say where “Marnie†would rank, but I have to imagine it would be near the bottom. This is half a good movie, but the deeper we get into the past of the title character, the less successful it is. Of course, […]
An Education Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “An Education†is a brilliant coming-of-age story in 1960’s England. A clever, pretty young girl named Jenny (Carey Mulligan in a star-making performance) learns the true value of a woman’s education and the heartbreaking consequences of taking shortcuts. It’s a fascinating film that’s well-written and brilliantly acted and should be in line […]
Brothers Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “Brothers,†a remake of a 2004 Danish film from director Susanne Bier, continues the trend started earlier this year with “The Hurt Locker†of solid war-themed movies that thankfully do not hinge on the viewer’s political beliefs. That’s not to say this is a pro-war film; it isn’t. However, the message here […]
