AltWeeklies Wire
'2012': BOOM! CRASH! JOHN CUSACK!new
2012 is pure pandemonium, and it's like two and a half hours of it, and if you're not in the mood for an inane summer blockbuster in the middle of November, then move along, killjoy -- no one wants you here.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
11-13-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Roland Emmerich, 2012
'Cold Souls': Paul Giamatti! Paul Giamatti!new
I'm not exactly sure how to characterize Cold Souls -- maybe as an existential dark comedy that deals with the black market of soul trafficking? -- but I do know it does writer/director Sophie Barthes' film a disservice to compare it to just about anything else.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
09-03-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Sophie Barthes, Cold Souls
If Nothing Else, 'Inglourious Basterds' Proves That Trailers Lienew
Judging by the trailer, one sees a version of this film that's Tarantino at the top of his game, with Brad Pitt slyly drawling out razor-sharp dialogue and WWII looking and sounding like it never has before. Inglourious Basterds is totally like that sometimes, but not all the time.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
08-20-2009 |
Reviews
'Julie & Julia' Will Make Foodies Furiously Masturbatenew
More or less entirely delightful, Julie & Julia has a pretty foolproof formula: It's a movie based on a popular book that's based on a popular blog that, in turn, was inspired by America's most popular chef.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
'Sleep Dealer': Finally, a Science-Fiction Film About Migrant Workers!new
There are moments of goofiness throughout Sleep Dealer, just as there are moments when Alex Rivera's touch -- which serves him well when it's lighter -- gets too heavy-handed. But overall, the visually striking, impressively imagined film has an energy, purpose, and relevance that much film -- and much modern science fiction -- lacks.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
07-24-2009 |
Reviews
'Public Enemies': Johnny Depp's Got a Tommy Gun!new
For all of Public Enemies' muddled attempts to delve into the history of America's first "war on crime," it works better as a thriller, an action flick, and a character sketch of Dillinger -- and all of those are things which, in its fast-paced, sharply edited second half, Public Enemies becomes.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
07-02-2009 |
Reviews
Courting Condi: A Good Example of Why There Aren't a Lot of 'Musical Docu-Tragi-Comedies'new
The comedy wears out its welcome about two minutes in, but the engaging, too-sparse info about Rice suggests there's a truly excellent documentary to be made about our former secretary of state. Unfortunately, Courting Condi isn't it -- this might be the only film in history to include both a fat dude on ice skates falling down and photos from Abu Ghraib.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
06-19-2009 |
Reviews
When Polar Bears Attack ... You!new
Here's how you can try to live through the polar bear invasion -- even though, to be perfectly honest, you probably won't survive, so nice knowing you, I guess.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
05-07-2009 |
Animal Issues
Tags: humor, polar bears
Delve Even Deeper into 'Watchmen' with 'Tales of the Black Freighter'new
Not content with his three-hour-long, hyper-dense feature, director Zack Snyder has executive-produced two supplemental short films for DVD, both based on material absent in Watchmen, but present in the comic books the film is based on.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
Is This the Year the Portland International Film Fest Will Matter?new
Despite cramming a ridiculous number of hard-to-find films into a relatively short timeframe, the Portland International Film Festival simply isn't on the radar for most Portlanders. But this year, people are talking about PIFF. Call it the Coraline Effect.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
02-05-2009 |
Movies
J.K. Rowling Raids the Hogwarts Library with 'Beedle'new
If the phrases "Translated from the ancient runes by Hermione Granger" and "Commentary by Albus Dumbledore" don't get your Hedwig-emblazoned Underoos in a twist, we might as well cut to the chase: The Tales of Beedle the Bard probably isn't for you (and you're also probably a joyless, dour ass, but that's beside the point).
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
12-12-2008 |
Fiction
Brendan Fraser Ruins Everythingnew
With this week's release of a third Mummy movie following Journey to the Center of the Earth 3D, we've been cursed with an unholy attack no other generation has had to endure: Two Brendan Fraser movies in a single month.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
07-31-2008 |
Movies
Batman Gets Animated with 'Gotham Knight'new
The grimy, captivating architectural fantasy of Gotham takes center stage in Batman: Gotham Knight, a series of six animated shorts that serve as a lead-in for The Dark Knight, Christopher Nolan's sequel to Batman Begins, which hits theaters next week.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
07-10-2008 |
Reviews
Guillermo del Toro Goes to Hell and Backnew
The point is fun: In any other movie, it'd be a sign that things had gone seriously awry if a red demon and a blue talking fish got together, drank too much Tecate, and started slurring out a drunken duet, but in Hellboy II: The Golden Army, it kind of makes sense.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
07-10-2008 |
Reviews
'Gunnin' for That #1 Spot' is Like a Better 'Hoop Dreams'new
As Nathaniel Hörnblowér, he's directed a gazillion Beastie Boys videos, but here, Adam Yauch profiles nine high school kids (including Lake Oswego's Kevin Love and Medford's Kyle Singler) as they gear up to play in the annual "Elite 24" basketball game at Harlem's Rucker Park.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
06-27-2008 |
Reviews
