AltWeeklies Wire
Tedious Exposition Slows Michael Bay and His Toys in the 'Transformers' Sequelnew
Everything is bigger, bolder and badder in Revenge of the Fallen, and if it weren't for the endless, clumsily delivered exposition, the film would work like gangbusters as the ultimate garish escapism.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-25-2009 |
Reviews
'Cheri' Works as a Wax Museum of Genresnew
It takes a prim-and-properness that few Americans can fathom to make an R-rated film about a hooker and her lover and not display heaps of sweat-covered skin, but that's the headspace that master Stephen Frears inhabits in Cheri.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-25-2009 |
Reviews
'Away We Go' Is Chicken Soup for the Hipster Soulnew
Away We Go is an unequivocal triumph for Sam Mendes, above all else because the honest moment he uncovers amidst this series of vignettes packs a wallop.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-25-2009 |
Reviews
While His Band Remains Inactive, Jon Snodgrass Plays Onnew
Officially, Colorado band Drag the River are on a kind of semi-hiatus. But regardless of what happens with the band, singer Jon Snodgrass is moving forward.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-25-2009 |
Music
The Last Meatball: The Extinction of Harold Ramisnew
Ramis went missing several years ago after back-to-back flops and now, thanks to his arguable heir, Judd Apatow, Ramis returns. The problem is that he's awakened in a future much different than the time he knew.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-19-2009 |
Reviews
'Shall We Kiss?' is a Wonderful, Sexy Romance from Francenew
Director Emmanuel Mouret achieves the kind of total submission to a filmmaker that's usually reserved for edge-of-your-seat thrillers and, in a way, that's what he has made: an expertly suspenseful romance.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-19-2009 |
Reviews
Mirror Pal: The Band Who Would Be Kingnew
We Are confirms the indie rock group's spot at the top.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-19-2009 |
Reviews
Jessica Biel and Her Director Are Equally Uneasy with Cowardnew
The biggest deficit in Easy Virtue is Jessica Biel, whose clomping, smugly false grasp of Noel Coward's diction would likely have her banned from the grounds of any summer stock company worth its salt.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-11-2009 |
Reviews
The Hunted Chase Back with Closet-Cleaning Documentarynew
Outrage is a portrait of how modern politics is still getting it wrong when it comes to gay rights, made worse by the fact that many of the puppet masters behind anti-gay legislation are homosexual themselves.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-11-2009 |
Reviews
Todd Phillips Kneels at the Porcelain Altar Yet Again in 'The Hangover'new
In The Hangover, Todd Phillips has taken away the only bright spot that could come of being stuck in Vegas with middle-aged misanthropes--the drunken escapade--and opts to showcase the dull, offensive and humorlessly sober morning after.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-04-2009 |
Reviews
A Conventional Plot Hobbles 'Rudo y Cursi'new
Because of the pedigree of the artists involved in making Rudo y Cursi, you may experience a tinge of guilt when you leave the theater, your thoughts swirling with discontent and heretical words like "hack job" and "cliche." But alas, you wouldn't be wrong.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-28-2009 |
Reviews
Orlando's Prince of Peculiar Nails His Sound with Help from a Friendnew
Idiosyncratic local musician and former Heathen Sean Moore's latest effort strips away every crutch from his melodic arsenal and bravely stands on its own, enveloped by gorgeous digital amplification, while the narrative builds.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
Ben Stiller Is a Strong Anchor for the Unstable 'Museum' Franchisenew

The first installment of Night at the Museum may have been a pithy, middle-of-the-road, grade-B comedy lark with grade-A special effects, but when it grossed a half-billion dollars worldwide, its days as an inoffensive guilty pleasure were over.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
'T:4' Benches John Connor During the Big Endgamenew
Taking on a new Terminator movie is like accepting an ambassadorship: Many different factions want something out of you. Often, they have conflicting desires. There's no way all of them can be satisfied.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
Orlando's Peter Baldwin Builds Steamnew
In addition to a solo acoustic CD he’s releasing in December, Baldwin is splitting his two halves – acoustic and band – into separate entities.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
11-14-2008 |
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