Review: “Old Dogs”
Lest I come across like a curmudgeon who despises all things slapstick, I'll state that "Old Dogs" is poor slapstick. A spastic, noxious comedy,...
Review: “The Blind Side”
To the average cynic, "The Blind Side" might appear to be infested with cooties. Following an impressive string of feel-good racial divide entertainment offerings,...
Review: “Planet 51”
I suppose after the sugar rush of wonderful family films such as "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox," the high...
Review: “The Twilight Saga: New Moon”
Notably more polished but less engaging than its more honest and rough-hewed predecessor, "New Moon" is a morbid and awkward middle child entry in...
Review: “Precious”
The Madeafication of African-American storytelling from Tyler Perry and his imitators has been a depressing downward spiral, reducing important social topics to countrified nonsense,...
Review: “The Men Who Stare at Goats”
Jon Ronson's 2004 book, "The Men Who Stare at Goats," was a nonfiction look at the U.S. Military's effort to harness psychological manipulation as...
Review: “The Fourth Kind”
"The Fourth Kind" is being sold to the public on the wings of a gimmick. This is not a first for Hollywood, joining the...
Review: “Michael Jackson’s This Is It”
The title is not "This Is It," as in the hottest ticket in town. It's more "This Is It," admitting a scarcity of content....
Review: “Amelia”
There's a power of mimicry and lavish flight photography that keeps the bio-pic "Amelia" in the air. This is not a strong motion picture,...
Review: “Astro Boy”
Adapted from the celebrated, long-standing manga series, "Astro Boy" aims to make a big dent on the big screen with this CG-animated spectacular. Boasting...
Review: “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant”
The projectionist could've run this film backwards, and I don't think I would've noticed. "Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant" is a Hollywood attempt...
Review: “Saw VI”
I walked out of a screening of "Saw" in 2004 absolutely appalled with the movie. Not for the sadomasochistic violence the film would soon...
Review: “A Serious Man”
There's a scale of weirdness to any film made by the Coen Brothers, and "A Serious Man" hits the red zone of idiosyncrasy immediately....
Review: “Law Abiding Citizen”
The thriller "Law Abiding Citizen" has the stink of a great exploitation experience all over it. Sections of the film demand audience interaction --...
Review: “Where the Wild Things Are”
338 words. That's all author Maurice Sendak employed over 33 pages to create a literary classic of childhood imagination. 338 words. An amazing feat...
Review: “Couples Retreat”
One of the final shots of "Couples Retreat" is a toddler defecating into a display toilet at a home improvement store. This image perfectly...
Review: “Ong Bak 2: The Beginning”
Here's a reaction sure to be popular at "Ong Bak 2: The Beginning" viewings near and far: huh? Clarity is in short supply here...
Review: “Whip It”
I'll give director Drew Barrymore this: she made Ellen Page appealing. "Whip It" takes the tart-tongued "Juno" star to the crashin', smashin' world of...
Review: “The Invention of Lying”
Weirdness hits immediately in "The Invention of Lying." The film equates the opposite of fibbing as some sort of unfiltered monologue, allowing the bearer...
Review: “I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell”
"I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell," based on a book by author Tucker Max, spent a few weeks on the New York Times...
Review: “Whiteout”
Frozen on a shelf for three years, "Whiteout" stumbles its way into theatres with barely a roar. Loosely based on Greg Rucka's over...
Review: “Bright Star”
In 1993, filmmaker Jane Campion stunned the world with her soulful, harrowing portrait of warm-blooded lust, "The Piano." Suffering a few creative setbacks over...
Review: “Fame”
I was plenty stunned to find the new "Fame" shallow and charmless. Instead of seeking reverence, the producers gave the film to an untested...
Review: “Paranormal Activity”
While sitting on the shelf for quite some time now, Paramount Pictures recently figured out a way to properly sell the $11,000 chiller, "Paranormal...
Review: “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs”
Using Judi and Ron Barrett's beloved 1978 book, "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," as inspiration, the big-screen adaptation takes off in its own...
Review: “The Informant”
There's an exclamation point in the proper title of "The Informant," but I'm not sure why. Nothing happens in the film that warrants such...
Review: “Jennifer’s Body”
"Jennifer's Body" marks the return of screenwriter Diablo Cody, who picked up an Academy Award for her first effort, 2007's sleeper hit, "Juno." Cody...
Review: “Love Happens”
There are certain decisions a film production can make that will immediately cast doubt on the mental capacity of those in charge. Hiring irritating...
Review: “Amreeka”
I appreciated "Amreeka" for its heartfelt approach, which unfortunately also runs the picture into a few walls. An immigrant tale placed carefully in the...
Review: “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself”
Last winter, Tyler Perry suited up inside his Madea character and made a fortune. "Madea Goes to Jail" was a box office smash for...