Archives

'The Visitor': Heartfelt Story

McCarthy’s story might come across as simple but it is poignant on the idea that sometimes people might be sleepwalking through their daily lives without noticing others or things that might be joyful. This is at the heart of ‘The Visitor’ which unravels through the personal connections and characters that Vale comes across in the film. Click here for the full article

'Stop-Loss' is Commendable

Pierce execution is flawless and centers on the emotional lives of these characters. She does well trying to expose what goes on in the soldiers’ mind during and after the war. An ambitious task since no film or documentary to this day has been able to shed light onto a very frightening subject. Click here for the full article

'21': A Few Cards Short

A better film would also include a more extensive explanation of the card-counting scheme. We watch the characters study, signal each other to join hot tables, and then we cut to those inserts of cards being dealt with dramatic noises on the soundtrack. This, I suppose, is to compensate for a lack of urgency in the game-play and a lack of clarity about the technique. Click here for the full article

Bad, 'Drillbit'! Bad.

One of the producers is ‘Judd Apatow’, the maker of ‘The 40-Year-Old Virgin’ and ‘Knocked Up’. What could he possibly have seen in this miserable project to make him want to attach his name to it? What right-minded person could derive pleasure from it? The more I think about it, the less I want to. Click here for the full article

'Boarding Gate': Ambitious Neo-noir

Asia Argento plays the lead character in ‘Boarding Gates’. Sandra, an ex-prostitute is a flawed woman in the search for something more, a better life or true love. Though the latter might need to be nicely wrapped in a leather outfit, whips and handcuffs. Click here for the full article

"10,000 B.C.": Prehistoric Disaster

At the screening I attended, there were cheers and applause. I wondered, what movie did this audience think it was watching? As far as I could tell, the one on the screen was ‘10,000 B.C.’, a goofy, preposterous, and leaden action film that plays like “National Geographic Presents ‘300.’” No, they couldn’t be responding to this film, because there is nothing in it worth responding to. It doesn’t inspire applause. It doesn’t even inspire the outrage needed to hurl a tomato. Save your produce. Eat the tomato, skip the movie. Click here for the full article

'The Other Boleyn Girl': Sisters, born to be rivals

If I say that ‘The Other Boleyn Girl’ is like a soap opera, that should not be taken as a criticism. It is a smart and elegant soap opera. Its intrigues are, well, intriguing, though like a good soap opera, it might have benefited from being able to stretch its legs out across hours of narrative, to add detail and texture to its intersecting characters, the way ‘Bleak House’ did. Click here for the full article

Is All About Love in 'Definitely, Maybe'

‘Definitely, Maybe’ is a well-crafted romantic comedy where the idea of love – which is already a complicated concept – is presented with a very fresh approach. Ultimately, the easy understanding of a 10-year-old which is that love is not easy or simple comes across in the most endearing story to date. The cast is brilliant and Ryan Reynolds as Hayes shows a surprising versatility in the role. On an all this film is a winner in this cynic’s heart. ‘Definitely, Maybe’ is a surprisingly and loving film that will change anyone’s perception about romantic comedies and love. Click here for the full article

'The Spiderwick Chronicles': Ogres and Boggarts and Brownies, Oh My!

In this breezy 90-minute concoction, the screenplay also finds room for a drama about the parents’ divorce. Jared, the more rebellious twin, resents his mother for the split, but it’s not as simple as he believes. Most of this material works, because the actors bring such conviction to it, and this is where lesser performers might have sunk the story. Click here for the full article

'Fool's Gold': Adventure Comedy is Sunk

‘Fool’s Gold’, or ‘The Treasure of the Sierra Moron’. As a critic, I should probably avoid cheap puns like that, but this film inspires me. ‘Displeasure Island’. ‘Ship-drecked’. ‘The Groan to El Dorado’. I’ve got a million of these. Click here for the full article