— by BEV QUESTAD — A great way to bring in the New Year is by watching the quirky French film “A Change of Plans.” Now showing at the historic Hollywood Theater in Portland, Ore., this insightful and delightful slice of life is bookended, like “Zorba the Greek,” with dance as a[...]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Under Review: ‘Gulliver’s Travels’
— by ADAM POYNTER — “Gulliver’s Travels” is a novel written by Jonathan Swift in 1726 and has been adapted and showcased in many different mediums over the past two decades. The latest reincarnation of the story was brought to life by 20th Century Fox and director Rob Letterman. Th[...]
Under Review: ‘Blue Valentine’
— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — When you’re young and completely besotted, you think love is all you need to sustain a marriage. But more often than not, the strain of real life takes its toll and one realizes love does not conquer all. With disconcerting realism, Derek Cianfrance tells the [...]
Under Review: ‘Incendies’
— by H.G. WATSON — Films about war, any war (World War II, recent conflicts in the Mid-East, Star) hedge on how compelling their characters are. “The Great Escape” wouldn’t have been half as much fun had we not had Steve McQueen’s Cooler King to root for; “Apocalypse Now” wou[...]
Review: Somewhere
— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — Sofia Coppola returns to familiar territory with her latest film, “Somewhere.” More rewarding than the somewhat disappointing “Marie Antoinette,” “Somewhere’s” simplistic and intimate storyline about a lost A-list actor is very refreshing. While so[...]
Under Review: ‘The Fighter’
— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — Not since “Rocky” have I been moved to tears by a movie about a boxer. “The Fighter” managed to leave me shattered — but in a good way. A true-life account of two brothers, the powerful boxing movie directed by David O. Russell is not your typical [...]
Under Review: ‘Destricted’
— by CHRIS HYATT — Before I start, I’d like to give fair warning that this particular review will very likely contain provocative imagery and some mild language. This is most likely not safe for work, but sometimes, that’s just how it goes. When I started writing this piece, [...]
Under Review: ‘How Do You Know’
— by AMANDA KOEHLER — It’s easy to write about the movies you love. Whether it’s the great acting, plot, dialogue, cinematography or just the message — you know why you enjoy it so much and can freely explain why. On the flip side, it’s also easy to write about th[...]
Under Review: ‘Tron: Legacy’
— by ADAM POYNTER — Making a list of a sci-fi cult classics wouldn’t be complete without phrases like “disc wars,” “light cycles” and “the grid.” Of course, I am referring to “Tron,” a 1982 hit that has only gained more popularity as time has gone on. Being a pioneer in[...]
Review: True Grit
— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — Normally, I’m against remakes. As a rule, I cannot stand them. But, unfortunately, Hollywood views the re-inventions of prior source material as an easy way to make a buck. I call this lazy film-making. But when I discovered The Coen Brothers were trying their[...]
Under Review: ‘Yogi Bear’
— by CHRIS HYATT — Those readers out there old enough to remember watching cartoons before 1996 will likely agree with me that the most holiest name in televised animation was Hanna-Barbera. When I was a kid, I literally couldn’t go a day without seeing at least one Hanna-Barbera[...]
Under Review: ‘Rabbit Hole’
— by ADAM POYNTER — “Rabbit Hole” is a new drama starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. It was adapted from an award-winning play and is directed by John Cameron Mitchell, a multi-talented actor, producer and director. Although his main focus has been television and smalle[...]
Under Review: ‘The Tourist’
— by JESSIKA OWENS — If “Salt” had a baby — a very predictable baby — with “The Italian Job,” that underachiever of a child would be “The Tourist.” And I would quickly like to apologize in advance to anyone and everyone involved with the fi[...]
Under Review: ‘Frankie and Alice’
— by SHERICE ANTOINETTE — “Frankie and Alice” could have been an Oscar contender, but because of the choppy screenplay, melodramatic acting and disjointed direction, I’m afraid the film and lead actress won’t even be considered for a Golden Globe. From the moment Berry’s charac[...]