— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — What do the films “2012,” “Zombieland” and “The Messenger” have in common? Yes, they all star Woody Harrelson, but they are also all apocalyptic films in one way or another. No, “The Messenger” does not portray[...]
Archive for the ‘Reviews’ Category
Review: Fantastic Mr. Fox
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — Wes Anderson has made a name for himself by directing films such as “The Darjeeling Unlimited” and “Bottle Rocket.” His brand of humor for the older demographic is his “whistle with the clicking noise,” but he plans to expand[...]
Under Review: ‘Pirate Radio’
— by ALEXA MILAN — The U.S. release of “Pirate Radio” has been delayed for months, and when it was finally released Nov. 13, it was dumped quietly at the beginning of awards season. So given its release date issues, I was worried the second film from director Richard[...]
Under Review: 2012
— by JOEL CRARY — Movies like “2012” make me miss Charlton Heston. That’s what this movie needs: a square-jawed, histrionic, tough son of a bitch with crazy mannerisms to lead everyone to safety. Instead, we get John Cusack playing a kind of wimpy divorcee and[...]
Under Review: ‘Humble Pie’
— by RACHEL COYNE — “Humble Pie” is the story of Tracy Orbison, a severely overweight guy who can’t seem to catch a break. He has a lame job as a clerk at the local supermarket, he still lives at home with his overcritical mother, he admittedly has no real friends, trying to pass[...]
Under Review: The Box
— by ALEXA MILAN — What happens when you open the box? In the case of Richard Kelly’s new film, you get a talented cast wasted in an uneven movie. The latest sci-fi thriller from the writer-director of “Donnie Darko” and “Southland Tales” centers on[...]
Under Review: ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — There have been many films about the Iraq War era, most of them about the hardships of war, but earlier this year, the limited-release film “In The Loop” decided to do something different. Combining drama and comedy elements, director Armando Iannucci[...]
Under Review: ‘Disney’s A Christmas Carol’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — The holidays are a time of family, merriment and long lines at department stores, but they also mark a good time to sit next to the burning yule-log and read the Charles Dickens tale “A Christmas Carol.” Since it was published on Dec. 19, 1843, the[...]
Under Review: ‘The Fourth Kind’
— by JOEL CRARY — “The Fourth Kind” is a curious bit of filmmaking from Olatunde Osunsanmi, who takes the recent found footage approach to horror and combines it into a rigamarole of a plot about alien abduction. The film stars Milla Jovovich, who plays herself as well as a woman[...]
Under Review: ‘Kabul 24’
— by ALEXA MILAN — A lot of movies have been produced about Sept. 11, 2001, and its aftermath. But in the process, some of the stories of those affected by the Taliban pre-9/11 have been lost. In “Kabul 24,” director Ben Pearson examines one of those little-known stories that[...]
Under Review: ‘Cairo Time’
— by JOEL CRARY — While looking into some background information for “Cairo Time,” I discover that writer-director Ruba Nadda was nearly arrested multiple times by Egyptian police during filming. Now there’s a movie. A Canadian filmmaker and her crew head abroad to film a feature[...]
Under Review: ‘Amelia’
— by JOEL CRARY — Much like Amelia Earhart’s attempt at circling the globe in 1937, Mira Nair’s “Amelia” biopic about the pioneering woman pilot can’t quite make it. It lacks solid footing and never grounds itself. It takes an exceptionally dangerous profession and plays its[...]
Under Review: ‘The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — The original “Boondock Saints” was released in an extremely limited theatrical release in 1999. It was later re-released six years later, where it acquired a cult following. The film ultimately received poor reviews, but writer-director Troy[...]
Under Review: ‘Mary and Max’
— by MARIUSZ ZUBROWSKI — The opening scene of “Mary and Max” is one of abandonment. Furniture, grills and shoes are all discarded along the black-and-white streets. This sets a general theme for the film, as we are introduced to Mary Daisy Dinkle, a lonely young girl who grows up in [...]