AltWeeklies Wire
The Controversial 'Antichrist' Is 'Saw VI' As Told By Carl Dreyernew
I'm torn between dismissing the film as gross-out juvenilia and regarding it as raw religious mythmaking. Either way, you won't find a livelier time at the movies these days, if only because of the outraged groans and dumfounded gasps from the audience.
Boston Phoenix |
Peter Keough |
10-23-2009 |
Reviews
Hilary Swank Talks About Mastering Amelia Earhart's Walk and Talknew
"You may think you know how it ends," Swank says about Amelia, "but you have to see it to see if it ends the way you think it does, because there are a lot of theories about it."
Artvoice |
M. Faust |
10-23-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Sebastian Silva Takes a Searing Look Inside the World of 'The Maid'new
Cleanliness may be next to godliness, but for the title character of the pitch-black Chilean comedy The Maid, it's closer to infernal torment.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
10-23-2009 |
Reviews
'Coco Before Chanel' is an Inspiring Portrait of a Rebel Feministnew
Though its subject is arguably the most recognizable in fashion, Coco Before Chanel is more concerned with individuality than clothing. As Coco Chanel herself once famously put it, "Fashion passes, style remains."
The Portland Mercury |
Marjorie Skinner |
10-22-2009 |
Reviews
'The September Issue': Wintour of our Discontentnew
R.J. Cutler's documentary examines the assemblage of Vogue's September 2007 publication, which became the single largest issue printed of any monthly magazine. The film, however, never really finds its mark.
Boise Weekly |
Jeremiah Wierenga |
10-21-2009 |
Reviews
The Notorious Subject of 'Bronson' Inspires a Star-Making Performancenew
Bronson is utterly revved up in a way that's showy but not at all dumbed-down. Tom Hardy's prankster-rageaholic portrayal emerges amid several flavors: ironic Pulchinella à la contemporary music-theater sensation Anthony Newley; Tom of Finland bad-muscle-daddy fantasy; and adrenaline exercise of mainstreamed, po-mo directorial testosterone.
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
10-21-2009 |
Reviews
The Americanized 'Astro Boy' is an Illogical Messnew
Actually it's all pretty lame, and not helped at all by the ridiculous dialogue and voice work, featuring several name actors (Sutherland, Bell, Theron) delivering their lines with the sort of single-take disinterest generally reserved for rushed bargain-bin-anime overdubs.
San Antonio Current |
Jeremy Martin |
10-21-2009 |
Reviews
'Paranormal Activity' Offers a Surprisingly Taut Storynew
Thanks to steady word of mouth, writer-director Oren Peli's debut feature has received a major-studio release after years of bouncing around the festival circuit.
The Georgia Straight |
John Lekich |
10-20-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Oren Peli, Paranormal Activity
LeBron James Doc 'More Than a Game' is an Incurious and Narcissistic Puff Piecenew
This slick 90-minute promo film -- tarted up to resemble a doc -- for Nike's crown jewel overflows with energy, style and a great soundtrack, but shows zero insight and honesty.
Metro Times |
Corey Hall |
10-20-2009 |
Reviews
Kids' Horror Movie 'Cirque du Freak' is all Trick and No Treat
Cirque du Freak is an obvious grab at the current vampire-crazed teen audience spawned by the Twilight franchise. That it fails so miserably is a predictable symptom of overreaching greed.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
10-19-2009 |
Reviews
'Black Dynamite': Like 'Shaft' Played for Laughsnew
Thoroughly silly and enjoyable for film geeks who know the old '70s blaxploitation canon, Black Dynamite suffers from the Grindhouse paradox: As Quentin Tarantino discovered, not everyone outside his immediate circle of friends actually cares that much about lovingly reviving cinematic curios of the past.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
10-19-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Black Dynamite, Scott Sanders
'Law Abiding Citizen' is the Silliest Episode of 'Law & Order' Evernew
Whoever to combine torture porn with an indictment of our legal system should be chopped limb from limb.
The Portland Mercury |
Courtney Ferguson |
10-16-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Law Abiding Citizen, F. Gary Gray
Documentary 'Taqwacore' Examines Muslim Punk Musiciansnew
Director Omar Majeed doesn't try to hide the artists' laziness and contradictory ideologies. His film embraces the musicians for the confused, irresponsible, sometimes delusional yet often admirable punks that they are.
NOW Magazine |
Radheyan Simonpillai |
10-16-2009 |
Reviews
An Impressive Amount of Top Talent is Wasted in 'Couples Retreat'new
One would think that casting Vince Vaughn, Jon Favreau, Kristen Bell and Kristin Davis would've gotten Peter Billingsley comic gold. However, the film proves that it's ill-advised to send a bunch of swell actors to an island paradise -- especially when you have a shitty script.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
10-15-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Couples Retreat, Peter Billingsley
'Big Fan' Succeeds Because the Loser at its Center Isn't Ridiculed or Reformednew
Right now, Big Fan is easily one of the best, and most creative, films of the year. Its originality comes not from wild ideas or fantastic plot devices, but from exploring from the inside, and with sympathy, a form of life that has in the past only been subjected to ridicule and reform.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
10-15-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Big Fan, Robert Siegel
