— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — After watching “Insidious,” I am reminded of why I will never own a home with an attic. Directed by James Wan — who created and helmed the original “Saw” — “Insidious” manages to produce more frights than “Paranormal Activity” and the[...]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Under Review: ‘Trust’
— by ADAM POYNTER — After teen-aged Annie (Liana Liberato) gets a new laptop for her 14th birthday from her parents, she takes chatting with her online friend Charlie to the next level with constant instant messaging, texting and even talking frequently on the phone. When he reveals that[...]
Under Review: ‘Limitless’
— by JOSUE SANCHEZ — “Limitless” — which stars Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro — has been well received by audiences worldwide. It was No. 1 in its opening weekend. It’s understandable why the movie has done well, since it has a great cast, is fun and has a[...]
Under Review: ‘Hop’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Major holidays are a huge time for movies, especially for anyone who has kids off from school for prolonged periods of time. These are usually when the family-friendly films start to roll into theaters. This Easter we have “Hop,” directed by[...]
Review: Source Code
— by ADAM POYNTER — Mystery, chase, suspense and time displacement are all served up in director Duncan Jones’ “Source Code.” In the movie, Captain Colter Stevens (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a decorated army pilot fighting in Afghanistan. He wakes up on a train bound for Chicago[...]
Under Review: ‘Atlas Shrugged: Part I’
— by ADAM POYNTER — “Atlas Shrugged: Part I” was a movie very long in the making; not necessarily in the amount of time it took to shoot, but in the history behind the story. Ayn Rand first published “Atlas Shrugged” — her fourth and final novel — in 1957. Ran[...]
The 34th PIFF Best Film: ‘Incendies’
— by BEV QUESTAD — “Incendies” is a powerful film that eclipses the art of storytelling through time. It has levels of understanding and insight that are so sharp the audience was left silent and still. It was no surprise that “Incendies” won the Oregon Audience Award for best[...]
Under Review: ‘Sucker Punch’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Zack Snyder made a name for himself after bursting onto the scene with the film “300.” He then went on to make “Watchmen” and “Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole,” all of which were praised for a very distinct visual style and all were success[...]
Under Review: ‘Soul Surfer’
— by ADAM POYNTER — There have been many tales of triumph in the face of adversity, but not many that rival the story of Bethany Hamilton and the struggles she went through mentally, physically and emotionally after she was attacked by a 15- foot tiger shark on Oct. 31, 2003. It was[...]
Under Review: ‘Jane Eyre’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Focus Features — well known for its award-winning independent dramas — is taking us back to the time of courtship, suffering, forbidden love and tragedy in “Jane Eyre.” Not having read the novel, I went in with the thought of period romantic dramas lik[...]
Under Review: ‘Battle: Los Angeles’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Alien invasion movie have been around for a long time, so finding one that is completely original and satisfying on all levels is rare. With “Battle: Los Angeles,” Relativity Media and Columbia Pictures have given director Jonathan Liebesman — who is virtual[...]
Review: Win Win
— by ADAM POYNTER — We have seen a number of movies go from the Sundance Film Festival to getting picked up by major studios and then being released to the general public. That isn’t the case with the majority of the movies shown at this festival, though. Many amazing films will never [...]
Under Review: ‘Mars Needs Moms’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Walt Disney Pictures has been busy at work over the past 70 years producing animated and feature films that enthrall and envelop us in magic foreign lands and introduce us to many new characters and faces. This year alone, we are going to be seeing big releases such a[...]
Under Review: ‘The Desert of Forbidden Art’
— by BEV QUESTAD — “I found these paintings rolled up under the beds of old widows, buried in family trash, in dark corners of artists’ studios — sometimes even patching a hole in the roof. I ended up with a collection that no one in the Soviet Union would dare to[...]