— by CAM SMITH — My relationship with the “Narnia” franchise has been a rocky and tumultuous one, alternately filled with moments of bitter resentment, fanciful amusement, weary dismissal and heartfelt admiration. Honestly, I can’t think of another major property that has been[...]
Author Archive
Disney Pulling Franchise From Out of ‘The Black Hole’
— by CAM SMITH — One of my many steadfast theories in reviewing movies is that, among the many hurdles any critic faces when presenting their argument to a reader, there are two particular matters of taste that are impossible to debate or overcome: sense of humor and nostalgia. Just as[...]
Poster Peek: ‘Iron Man 2’
— by CAM SMITH — Back in 2008, “Iron Man” was considered an expensive gamble on Marvel’s part; a superhero adventure with a non-super-powered, middle-aged corporate tycoon at its centre, directed by the guy from “Swingers” and that episode of “Friends” where Monica dated a [...]
Poster Peek: ‘V.A.m.L.’
— by CAM SMITH — Effective movie teaser posters have a way of almost instantly branding their alluring images into your brain, drawing you in with a seductive promise of mystery, visual bedazzlement and an unforgettable entertainment experience. They establish the tone and feel of[...]
Trailer Talk: ‘Youth in Revolt’
— by CAM SMITH — Michael Cera has reached something of a crossroads in his career. Although he’s built a tremendously successful career out of playing stammering, nebbishy young men at odds with the world around them — a surprisingly durable role which has won him a considerable [...]
Roger Corman — The Man with the Academy Award
— by CAM SMITH — It’s funny how life works sometimes. A week ago to this very day, I punched up an article for this site congratulating Martin Scorsese on being this year’s recipient of the illustrious Cecil De Mille award at the 2009 Golden Globes award ceremony. It was nice[...]
Four Clips From ‘Ninja Assassin’
— by CAM SMITH — Burning curiosity and lingering question marks have been hanging over James McTeigue’s geek wet-dream epic “Ninja Assassin” for some time now, with early critical response sharply divided — as if by katana blade, waka waka! (I’m here all week, folks!) ̵[...]
New Pictures from ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’
— by CAM SMITH — With the magnificent “Half-Blood Prince” officially spent theatrically, and hitting DVD in a couple weeks, it’s time, once to again, to look to the future, little Potter-philes. “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” Parts 1 and 2 are among the more[...]
About That ‘Independence Day’ Sequel …
— by CAM SMITH — Last weekend, the world as we know it ended to thunderous applause as Roland Emmerich’s “2012” decimated the competition, proving once and for all that there are few sights movie-goers desire to witness more than the complete and utter annihilation of[...]
A Deleted Scene From ‘Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’
— by CAM SMITH — Any Harry Potter film that opens with a flash strobe-popping nod to Scorsese’s “Raging Bull” and closes with a poetic homage to “The Empire Strikes Back” is all-right in my book and last summer’s “The Half-Blood Prince” was the best series entry to date[...]
Zack Snyder Adds Some ‘Guardians’
— by CAM SMITH — Zack Snyder is one of the more intriguing big-budget filmmakers working today; an unabashed visual stylist who isn’t remotely afraid to take huge, expensive gambles and risk considerable brutal back-lash. While many, including myself, find his approach to action[...]
Is Sam Worthington Worth the Hype?
— by CAM SMITH — Usually I’m pretty resistant towards media-spawned-and-fed “next big thing” chatter regarding potential rising stars in the Hollywood arena. Unless there’s some substantial work attached to the prospective actor or actresses’ name, it’s all just pointless[...]
Behind the Scenes of ‘Across the Hall’
— by CAM SMITH — Gadzooks, this sure has been a big year for debut directors making splashy debuts with expanded full-length adaptations of their earlier shorts. While the most prominent and popular example came in the form of Neill Blomkamp, whose “District 9” — a fleshed-out [...]
Two Scenes From ‘Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans’
— by CAM SMITH — “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans” has been at the very top of my must-see list for months now — above even film-geek cinematic altars of worship like Cameron’s “Avatar” and Peter Jackson’s “The Lovely Bones.” After that[...]