AltWeeklies Wire
Vin Diesel Mopes a Lot As He Returns to the Film Franchise That Made Him a Starnew
Vin Diesel returns to the series that made him a big star with Fast and Furious, a tiresome speedy-car movie. Things have really deteriorated since the fun original.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
04-08-2009 |
Reviews
If You Like Sappy, Cute, Formulaic Films Go See 'The Black Balloon'new
There are some nice things to say about The Black Balloon. I mean, it's sappy and cute and formulaic, and people enjoy that. Who am I to stop them?
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
04-08-2009 |
Reviews
Technology Trumps Story in Eye-Sizzling Glorynew
DreamWorks' Monsters vs. Aliens doesn't have the soul, energy or wit of Kung Fu Panda (or any of the Pixar flicks for that matter), but with its eye-popping animation and Seth Rogen putting in overtime, it's a pretty good time ... if you see it, and this is important, in 3-D.
Metro Times |
Jeff Meyers |
04-07-2009 |
Reviews
Seth Rogen Takes Charge, and We Get to Laugh
Writer/director Jody Hill makes a quantum leap from his low-budget 2006 debut feature The Foot Fist Way with a hilarious subversive black comedy about America's post-9/11 culture of authority-abusing misfits, commonly referred to as security guards.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
04-06-2009 |
Reviews
Jesse Eisenberg Shines in Realistic, Funny Coming-of-Age Flicknew
Eisenberg is like a dramatic version of Michael Cera, and with Adventureland he really gets to show off his dramatic range, which goes from A all the way to those made-up letters from Dr. Seuss' On Beyond Zebra!.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
04-02-2009 |
Reviews
Art and Horror Converge in Steve McQueen's Uncompromising 'Hunger'new
Hunger is completely realized, without compromise. It's convincingly ugly in an aesthetically beautiful way, cool to the touch, admirably near-perfect, and off-putting.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
04-01-2009 |
Reviews
Greg Mottola Remembers the Mysteries of Pittsburghnew
When it's not sidetracked by clowning, Adventureland is finely observed. Its tranquil, forgiving vibe exactly captures how someone who came of age in 1987 Pittsburgh would prefer to remember it. Which is also the movie's problem.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
04-01-2009 |
Reviews
Slow and Hesitant: Car Porn Franchise Stalls Out
For such a simple action/adventure template, the filmmakers behind Fast & Furious fall down on the job at every turn.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
03-30-2009 |
Reviews
'Two Lovers' Is a Great New York Movie that Feels Both Classic and Contemporarynew
Director James Gray must have watched every old movie that took place in New York, because he swipes scenes from about half of them in his strange new drama, Two Lovers. Which is not a bad thing; Gray knows his movies and knows what to take from them.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
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
'The Cake Eaters': Not as Interesting as Cakenew
The Cake Eaters is another well-intentioned indie drama you don't need to see.
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallett |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
'The Least of These' Looks at the Incarceration of Immigrant Familiesnew
To the list of bizarre, wasteful and cruel failures of the Department of Homeland Security under the Bush Administration, add this program to imprison children.
'Sunshine Cleaning' Is Too Neatnew
Mystifyingly buzzed-about at Sundance 2008, Christine Jeffs' Sunshine Cleaning is a serviceable but none-too-distinct take on the second-chance story. Also reviewed: The Edge of Love.
Philadelphia City Paper |
Sam Adams |
03-24-2009 |
Reviews
'Monsters vs. Aliens' Avoids the Pixar Comparisons by Wallowing in Genre Pleasures
What works about Monsters vs. Aliens is when it is retro in a good way.
Salt Lake City Weekly |
Scott Renshaw |
03-23-2009 |
Reviews
'Last House on the Left' Remake Is Horrifying -- Not Necessarily in a Good Waynew
Trying to add sweetness and hope to sludge like this is like pouring a bag of sugar into raw sewage laced with cyanide. It's not going to help.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
03-19-2009 |
Reviews
