Weekly Alibi | Movies+TV | Reviews | AAN.org

'Pride and Glory': When Good Cop Movies Go Badnew

The film is so dark, tonally as well as visually, the entire affair looks like it was shot during a solar eclipse. In other words, it looks and feels right. But something is off. Mostly, it's the script.

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O'Leary | 10-28-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Edward Norton, Colin Farrell, Gavin O'Connor, Pride and Glory

Middle-Aged ABBA Musical Not Quite as Cringetastic as Those Words Implynew

1994's Muriel's Wedding used the title characterâ€™s obsession with the '70s Swedish quartet's glittery lady-music to underscore Muriel's disconnected idealization of romance, glamour and marriage-centered happiness, an obsession that leaves her struggling to construct a true sense of self. Mamma Mia!, on the other hand, features ABBA as a way to ... sing along to ABBA songs. And dance.

Weekly Alibi | Erin Adair-Hodges | 07-29-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Phyllida Lloyd, ABBA, Amanda Seyfried, Mamma Mia!, musicals

Religion and Power Collide in 'Constantine's Sword'new

The film looks at several historical examples of a fused church and state and documents the marginalization, oppression and death such a merging produces--often in Christianity’s name.

Weekly Alibi | Simon McCormack | 07-22-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Christianity, church and state, Constantine's Sword, Oren Jacoby

Isn't It Funny When 'Smart People' Do Stupid Things?new

On the surface of their new film, first-time filmmakers Mark Poirier and Noam Murro are in danger of stepping into all the cliche pitfalls of the genre. Fortunately, an intelligent script and a fine cast conspire to make this a sharper-than-average slice of indie satire.

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O'Leary | 04-15-2008 | Reviews

Tags: comedy, romance, Drama, Ashton Holmes, Christine Lahti, Dennis Quaid, Ellen Page, Noam Murro, Sarah Jessica Parker, Smart People, Thomas Haden Church

'Under the Same Moon' Puts a Cute Lil' Face to Illegal Immigrationnew

It's fairly safe to say that this film was not made by right-wing-radio-listening, border-fence-building members of the Minuteman Project.

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O'Leary | 03-25-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Patricia Riggen, Under the Same Moon

'Over Her Dead Body' is Dead on Arrivalnew

The best thing about this new supernatural rom-com is the title, which allows for plenty of creative interpretation. For example: Under what circumstances should you see this film?

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O'Leary | 02-12-2008 | Reviews

Tags: Jeff Lowell, Over Her Dead Body

Corn-based Doc Unearths America’s No. 1 Cropnew

Without calls to action or divisive language, this artistic little piece of investigative journalism explores the hand-in-hand transformation of corn and the American food supply.

Weekly Alibi | Jessica Cassyle Carr | 12-18-2007 | Reviews

Tags: Aaron Woolf, King Corn

Guy Maddin Doses Audiences with Another Mad Vision of Yesteryearnew

Experimental fantasist Maddin continues his somewhat prolific career of weirdness with Brand Upon the Brain!, a curiously anachronistic horror-mystery the filmmaker describes as "semi-autobiographical."

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O’Leary | 12-11-2007 | Reviews

Tags: Brand upon the Brain!, Guy Maddin

'Martian Child': Real, Earnest and Phonynew

Now, I'm the first person to champion the cause of nonconformity, but Martian Child does something very dangerous with its weirdness: It commodifies it.

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O’Leary | 11-06-2007 | Reviews

Tags: Martian Child, Menno Meyjes

'Hatchet' Brings Back Blood-and-Boobs Filmmakingnew

Despite the fact that assorted sun-deprived internet bloggers are dubbing writer/director Adam Green the savior of modern horror, it should be noted right up front that Hatchet isn't clever, smart, original, particularly well-made or all that convincingly acted.

Weekly Alibi | Devin D. O'Leary | 09-11-2007 | Reviews

Tags: Adam Green, Hatchet