AltWeeklies Wire
'Into the Wid,' Out with the Feelingnew
Sean Penn's overwrought direction elbows the feeling right out of adventure story Into the Wild.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-27-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Into the Wild, Sean Penn
'Trade' Has Vague Basis at Bestnew
There are more than 300 million sex slaves in the United States, and this number is all the more alarming because I just made it up. Kinda like the "1,000,000" being trafficked across borders (ours? all international borders?) cited at the end of the film Trade.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-27-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: trade, Marco Kreuzpaintner
Director Julie Taymor's Beatles Musical is a Huge Letdownnew
Across the Universe is rock-solid kitsch, compete with giant puppets, hidebound lyricism and chiffon-wrapped floating nudes, much like the levitating Greek oracle in 300.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Across the Universe, Julie Taymor
Richard Gere Gets a Good Shaking in 'The Hunting Party'new
Just as Richard Shepard brought out the sick-comic, caddish style of Pierce Brosnan in The Matador that wasn't often a part of Bond films, Shepherd wakes up Richard Gere.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-20-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Richard Shepard, The Hunting Party
'The Jane Austen Book Club' Isn't as Bad as it Soundsnew
The gross outline is female-buffet: a variety of types with whom the viewer can choose to identify, from salty purple-lady elder to dissatisfied wife.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-20-2007 |
Reviews
Jodie Foster Blows 'Em Away in 'The Brave One'new
Foster takes after Chuck Bronson in the new vengeance thriller.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
09-13-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Neil Jordan, The Brave One
'The Devil Came on Horseback': Seeing the Devilnew
The film doesn't flinch from the horrors of Darfur.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-23-2007 |
Reviews
'The Nanny Diaries': Madame Xnew
Although it is presweetened, the film still delivers some child-care wrath.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-23-2007 |
Reviews
'2 Days in Paris': Woody on the Seinenew
One tends to love every third minute in Delpy's film -- the Woodyisms could have been fleshed out a bit with that imitation manly-man suavity that Allen does in-between panic attacks.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-23-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: 2 Days in Paris, Julie Delpy
A Master Debater is Stillborn in 'Rocket Science'new
Blitz's well-intentioned but off-putting film wastes away in front of you like a moribund patient.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-17-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Jeffrey Blitz, rocket science
'Superbad': Virgin Springersnew
The retro side of this 1970s tribute teen comedy is deliberate, with its star-wipes and Urban Outfitter-style graphics in the title sequence -- but its attitudes are a lot more retro than it looks, even.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-17-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Greg Mottola, Superbad
'No End in Sight': Stuff Happensnew
More than any other documentary yet, this is The Dummy's Guide to the Iraq War.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-17-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Charles Ferguson, No End in Sight
'This Is England': Goon Squadnew
The film has its problems, but the failings are mitigated by Meadow's excellent nonpro cast, recruited from acting workshops, who give a sense of forlorn place and time.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-09-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Shane Meadows, This is England
'Becoming Jane': Austen Powernew
One doubts if Austen was ever halfway to running off to Gretna Green with anyone, but it's easy to suspend the disbelief for the length of a well-drawn fiction, starring an actress of mesmerizing prettiness.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-09-2007 |
Reviews
Tags: Becoming Jane, Julian Jarrold
Pascale Ferran's 'Lady Chatterley's Lover'new
Nothing could be less like our popular idea of Lady Chatterley's Lover, of the unstoppable force of the working class meeting the immovable object of the ruling class.
Metro Silicon Valley |
Richard von Busack |
08-01-2007 |
Reviews
