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Film Review: I Love You Phillip Morris
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Film Review: Brief Interviews With Hideous Men
"Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" is one hell of a date movie. A surgical examination of the male psyche based on David Foster Wallace's book and written and directed by John Krasinski, there is plenty of food for thought and argument.
"Brief Interviews with Hideous Men" is one hell of a date movie. A surgical examination of the male psyche based on David Foster Wallace's book and written and directed by John Krasinski, there is plenty of food for thought and argument.
Film Review: Red Cliff II
Director John Woo's level-headed ordering of narrative sequence, his skill in devising kinetic live-action to off-set technical ostentation and his vision of how to turn epic into entertainment propels "Red Cliff II" to a thundering climax.
Director John Woo's level-headed ordering of narrative sequence, his skill in devising kinetic live-action to off-set technical ostentation and his vision of how to turn epic into entertainment propels "Red Cliff II" to a thundering climax.
Film Review: Adventureland
In the ongoing tradition of "American Graffiti" and "Fast Times as Ridgemont High," "Adventureland" will be a high grader at the boxoffice and in rental.
In the ongoing tradition of "American Graffiti" and "Fast Times as Ridgemont High," "Adventureland" will be a high grader at the boxoffice and in rental.
Film Review: Five Minutes of Heaven
"Five Minutes of Heaven" is based on a true story -- that never happened. That might explain why the film circles and circles its subject but never strikes dramatic pay dirt.
"Five Minutes of Heaven" is based on a true story -- that never happened. That might explain why the film circles and circles its subject but never strikes dramatic pay dirt.
Film Review: Cold Souls
A dark comedy with a piquant metaphysical bite, this assured feature from writer-director Sophie Barthes imaginatively joins a high-concept script with a distinctive visual style.
A dark comedy with a piquant metaphysical bite, this assured feature from writer-director Sophie Barthes imaginatively joins a high-concept script with a distinctive visual style.
Film Review: Adam
In attempting to create a romantic film around a character with Asperger's syndrome, writer-director Max Mayer tempts the cinema gods. The result could easily have been pure treacle or just very tacky. "Adam," fortunately, is neither.
In attempting to create a romantic film around a character with Asperger's syndrome, writer-director Max Mayer tempts the cinema gods. The result could easily have been pure treacle or just very tacky. "Adam," fortunately, is neither.
Film Review: Endgame
Add to the growing list of movies attempting to explain the vile apartheid governing system in South Africa and its eventual demise this striking new movie, "Endgame."
Add to the growing list of movies attempting to explain the vile apartheid governing system in South Africa and its eventual demise this striking new movie, "Endgame."
Film Review: World's Greatest Dad
Robin Williams leaps off a high dive in the nude at the end of "World's Greatest Dad." Not an inspiring sight. That's an apt metaphor for what he has done professionally in this dunderheaded delirium from writer-director Bobcat Goldthwait.
Robin Williams leaps off a high dive in the nude at the end of "World's Greatest Dad." Not an inspiring sight. That's an apt metaphor for what he has done professionally in this dunderheaded delirium from writer-director Bobcat Goldthwait.
Film Review: 500 Days of Summer
"500 Days of Summer" is a lighthearted autopsy of a love gone sour from a strictly male point of view. You're not going to understand the girl very well, and you may learn more about the boy than you really want to.
"500 Days of Summer" is a lighthearted autopsy of a love gone sour from a strictly male point of view. You're not going to understand the girl very well, and you may learn more about the boy than you really want to.
Film Review: Spread
It's understandable that Sundance has to include a few star-driven items on its schedule to fill the big theaters and help pay the bills, usually in the premiere section, but "Spread" with Ashton Kutcher marks one of the low points of the festival.
It's understandable that Sundance has to include a few star-driven items on its schedule to fill the big theaters and help pay the bills, usually in the premiere section, but "Spread" with Ashton Kutcher marks one of the low points of the festival.
Film Review: Don't Let Me Drown
"Don't Let Me Drown" is one of the best film portraits yet of New York City in the aftermath of 9/11, where a city and its people cope with collective post-traumatic stress while military jets boom overhead and smoke from the Twin Towers hangs in the air.
"Don't Let Me Drown" is one of the best film portraits yet of New York City in the aftermath of 9/11, where a city and its people cope with collective post-traumatic stress while military jets boom overhead and smoke from the Twin Towers hangs in the air.
Film Review: Toe to Toe
A strong contender for awards in the Dramatic Competition section, this hard-forged film is a winning debut for filmmaker Emily Abt.
A strong contender for awards in the Dramatic Competition section, this hard-forged film is a winning debut for filmmaker Emily Abt.
Film Review: The Lodger
"The Lodger" is the third film to be based, at least loosely, on Marie Belloc Lowndes' 1913 novel -- which itself was based loosely on the unsolved Jack the Ripper murders of Victorian London -- and the umpteenth film to deal with that infamous killing spree. Only in this film, writer-director David Ondaatje moves the story to contemporary West Hollywood and deconstructs the narrative into alternating levels of reality and illusion.
"The Lodger" is the third film to be based, at least loosely, on Marie Belloc Lowndes' 1913 novel -- which itself was based loosely on the unsolved Jack the Ripper murders of Victorian London -- and the umpteenth film to deal with that infamous killing spree. Only in this film, writer-director David Ondaatje moves the story to contemporary West Hollywood and deconstructs the narrative into alternating levels of reality and illusion.
Film Review: The Greatest
"The Greatest" pulls off a stunning fete, drawing an audience into a comprehensive film about grief.
"The Greatest" pulls off a stunning fete, drawing an audience into a comprehensive film about grief.
Film Review: Amreeka
Cherien Dabis, a Palestinian-American, has thoroughly re-energized the genre with refreshing wit, honest emotions, incisive observations and a perfect cast she literally flew around the world to find.
Cherien Dabis, a Palestinian-American, has thoroughly re-energized the genre with refreshing wit, honest emotions, incisive observations and a perfect cast she literally flew around the world to find.
Film Review: Passing Strange
Stew's semi-autobiographical narrative skirts the pitfalls of conventional coming-of-age material by harnessing the boisterous energy of the endlessly inventive musical numbers
Stew's semi-autobiographical narrative skirts the pitfalls of conventional coming-of-age material by harnessing the boisterous energy of the endlessly inventive musical numbers
Film Review: Thriller in Manila
The film makes no pretense of objectivity -- it's clearly in Frazier's corner -- but at times it seems to inflate its case for dramatic effect.
The film makes no pretense of objectivity -- it's clearly in Frazier's corner -- but at times it seems to inflate its case for dramatic effect.
Film Review: Unmade Beds
More atmospheric than compelling, "Unmade Beds" could attract a young audience that relates to the characters and appreciates the terrific soundtrack.
More atmospheric than compelling, "Unmade Beds" could attract a young audience that relates to the characters and appreciates the terrific soundtrack.
Film Review: Rudo y Cursi
Backdropped by a football (soccer) setting, "Rudo y Cursi" scores from every angle -- comic, personal and cross-cultural.
Backdropped by a football (soccer) setting, "Rudo y Cursi" scores from every angle -- comic, personal and cross-cultural.
Film Review: The Only Good Indian
Filmmaker Kevin Willmott, a Kansas film professor, gives us a history lesson in this fictional distillation of the U.S. government's attempt to assimilate American Indians into white culture.
Filmmaker Kevin Willmott, a Kansas film professor, gives us a history lesson in this fictional distillation of the U.S. government's attempt to assimilate American Indians into white culture.
Film Review: William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe
Honored and later despised for the cases he took on, attorney William Kunstler became a misunderstood and controversial figure. Now his daughters try to sort out his legacy in this documentary.
Honored and later despised for the cases he took on, attorney William Kunstler became a misunderstood and controversial figure. Now his daughters try to sort out his legacy in this documentary.
Film Review: Humpday
When your characters get a bad idea in the first act, the challenge for a filmmaker is how to get as much mileage -- in this case, comic mileage -- out of that bad idea without the bad idea taking over.
When your characters get a bad idea in the first act, the challenge for a filmmaker is how to get as much mileage -- in this case, comic mileage -- out of that bad idea without the bad idea taking over.
Film Review: Mary & Max
The opening-night selection for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival is defiantly independent and rigorously avoids even the slightest condescension to commercial considerations.
The opening-night selection for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival is defiantly independent and rigorously avoids even the slightest condescension to commercial considerations.
Film Review: Chandni Chowk to China
Sidhu, a down-on-his-luck New Delhi cook, finds himself in contemporary China in what is billed by Warner Bros. as the first Bollywood kung fu action comedy. But "Chandni Chowk to China's" 2 1/2 hours of shouting, gesticulating, pratfalls and groin kicks will leave viewers with an MSG headache.
Sidhu, a down-on-his-luck New Delhi cook, finds himself in contemporary China in what is billed by Warner Bros. as the first Bollywood kung fu action comedy. But "Chandni Chowk to China's" 2 1/2 hours of shouting, gesticulating, pratfalls and groin kicks will leave viewers with an MSG headache.
Film Review: Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Kevin James co-wrote, co-produces and stars in "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." So you wonder why he struggles for so much of the movie to find his comic rhythm.
Kevin James co-wrote, co-produces and stars in "Paul Blart: Mall Cop." So you wonder why he struggles for so much of the movie to find his comic rhythm.
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