Marvel has successfully assembled Iron Man, Captain America, Thor and The Hulk together on the big screen. After years of teasing and tedious setup (ahem, “Iron Man 2”), “The Avengers” is the movie that fans have long deserved. And, after two theatrical misfires, The Hulk finally gets a bold, fantastic showcase. When banished demigod Loki (Tom […]
‘Avengers’ exceeds its lofty expectations Read More »
Marilyn Monroe. J. Edgar Hoover. Margaret Thatcher. Three iconic figures in three notable biopics released last year. Let’s see what happens when we throw them into a cinematic steel cage match to the death. Move over, Katniss Everdeen. It’s the Iron Lady wielding an iron battle-axe. The Contenders Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe in “My
Cage Match! Historical figures edition Read More »
I want to tell you why you should run out and see “The Cabin in the Woods.” I just can’t without giving away its secrets. Don’t worry. What follows is vague, spoiler-free praise. “The Cabin in the Woods” delightfully hacks and slashes through all the pathetic horror movie clichés that have ruined the genre in
‘Cabin in the Woods’ skewers horror movie cliches Read More »
Podcasts were a big thing several years ago, so naturally we are just getting into the phenomenon. Here is the very first edition of the Normdog Podcast. It’s shorter than the one’s you’ll hear in the future. Really, I was just testing the audio quality– it’s predictably terrible. Each topic will cover a specific topic
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Normdog Entertainment Podcast – The First Ever! Read More »
There may not be a movie as depressing as “Melancholia,” a fitting title for a good movie you’re probably better off not seeing. It takes an intimate look at the end of the world, focusing on the emotional state of two sisters rather than the destruction of national landmarks. There are no sensational news reports,
‘Melancholia’ the most depressing good movie ever Read More »
The fourth installment in the “American Pie” franchise (eight if you count four straight-to-DVD titles) is predictably one-fourth as funny as the original film. “American Reunion” brings the horny cast together this time for their 13th-high school reunion. That’s not a real thing, of course, but never mind. We’ve got numerous raunchy sex jokes and
‘American Reunion’ shows its age Read More »
Fans of Suzanne Collins’ book series came out in record numbers to see the trilogy’s first adaptation, “The Hunger Games,” hit the big screen last weekend. Box office domination, however, doesn’t always speak to the quality of the product. Just consider the painful experience of watching even five minutes from “The Twilight Saga.” “The Hunger
‘Hunger Games’ good for uber-fans, newbies and haters of ‘Twilight’ Read More »
We can have our good values and we can have our dignity, but sometimes we just need a paycheck. This is most true in Hollywood, where even the most respected actors and filmmakers work on a project for the sole purpose of banking a few million bucks. Some actors, however, seem perfectly content taking money
Six good actors who need to pick better projects Read More »
“The Artist” won Best Picture at the Academy Awards – only my eighth favorite movie out of the nine nominees. The ceremony went down pretty much as expected too, with the biggest surprise being “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” winning Best Editing. Exciting, right? “The Artist” is a tolerable choice for Best Picture, and
The movies Oscar missed: ‘Take Shelter,’ ‘Project Nim,’ more Read More »
I’m a firm believer that good movies are relatively easy to find, and of the 108 movies I saw from 2011, I enjoyed quite a few of them. I just didn’t love very many. North Idaho has yet to receive late season standouts like “The Artist” or “A Separation.” Still, the calendar year hasn’t been
Best Movies of 2011 (January edition) Read More »
