After “Thor,” “X-Men: First Class” and Green Lantern” this summer, moviegoers might be experiencing a bit of superhero fatigue. Understandable, but “Captain America: The First Avenger” provides a fresh enough take on the genre to make one more trip to the big screen worthwhile this summer. Set during World War II and doused with the […]
‘Captain America’ is old-fashioned fun Read More »
In comedy, chemistry matters as much as the script. The dark comedy, “Horrible Bosses” has a the kind of thin, broad premise that wouldn’t work without the right group of actors. Luckily, comedy team-ups don’t get much better than Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day. “Bosses” focuses on three horrific boss-employee relationships. Nick (Bateman)
‘Horrible Bosses’ dark, crude and funny Read More »
The majority of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” is an incoherent mess. Plot strands and characters (both human and robotic) are dangled on the screen for 90+ minutes, only to come together for a propulsive hourlong battle. The last hour, powered with excellent 3D special effects, is undeniably spectacular. Your patience for nonsense will be
Robots and logic collide in ‘Transformers’ sequel Read More »
As much as it pains me to say it, “Cars 2” isn’t up to the caliber of previous Pixar efforts. It’s their first feature film in 12 to cut corners in storytelling and character development. “Cars 2” will still satisfy kids and parents in need of a swift big screen adventure, and Pixar continues to render gorgeous visuals. Just don’t
‘Cars 2’ is Pixar-lite Read More »
J.J. Abrams, master of creating twisty television (“Lost,” “Alias”) and rebooting exhausted franchises (“Star Trek,” “Mission: Impossible III”) has now delivered the must-see blockbuster of the summer. “Super 8” delivers moments of spectacle and suspense but never forgets the fuel of any good movie – rich character detail. The 1970s-set story includes a spectacular train
Character, story and thrills: ‘Super 8’ does it all Read More »
Perhaps it’s unreasonable to expect anything but “more of the same” from any Hollywood sequel. In the cases of “Kung Fu Panda 2” and “The HangoverPart II,” both technically deliver more of what made the original films successful with audiences. The difference is the execution. Where “Panda” works hard to bring something fresh and energetic to the screen, “The Hangover” falls flat retracing its own steps.
Tale of two sequels: ‘Panda’ delivers while ‘Hangover’ crashes Read More »
Back in 2003, the concept of a theme park ride turning into a multi-billion dollar movie franchise sounded ridiculous to every sane person on the planet. Yet, “Pirates of the Caribbean” continues to dominate the box office. Most of the credit has rightfully gone to star Johnny Depp, who has played the mischievous Captain Jack Sparrow through four installments, including
A partial defense of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ sequels Read More »
Anne Hathaway and James Franco host the Academy Awards on Sunday night, where “The King’s Speech” is set to collect the most trophies. Does “The Social Network,” or anything else for that matter, still have a chance at the big prize? Here are my best educated guesses as to who will win, as well as
2011 Oscar predictions… Good ones, probably. Read More »
First, the bad news: Liam Neeson beats up fewer people in “Unknown” than he did in his 2009 hit “Taken.” Even with the smaller bodycount, the 58-year-old Neeson proves his unlikely stint as action hero is no fluke. “Unknown” may borrow heavily from better thrillers, but it has enough suspense and smarts to keep an
Action hero Liam Neeson? ‘Unknown’ is proof Read More »
“The Social Network” and “The King’s Speech” will ultimately duke out for the year’s top prize, but there are other nominations and categories to consider. Here are my predictions, as well as a few long-shot picks that deserve more respect. Official predictions are in bold. Best Picture If there were only five nominees, it’d be
2011 Oscar Nomination Predictions Read More »
