AltWeeklies Wire
'The Time Traveler's Wife' Burns Up in Space
Amy McAdams and Eric Bana are easy enough on the eyes to distract from the script's Grand Canyon-sized plot holes, but not enough to keep your mind off the insipid storytelling. Even from its gooey sentimental standpoint, The Time Traveler's Wife is two pints short of a gallon.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
08-10-2009 |
Reviews
'The Garden' is Another Eco-Borenew
This documentary fails to tease out the dirty particulars of how a city-owned lot in South Central L.A., bought to be a garbage incinerator site in the '80s, somehow reverted back to its owner, and at what price. It's more insinuation than journalism.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
08-10-2009 |
Reviews
'Ex-Drummer': Battle of the Belgian Bar Bandsnew
This gutter-punk cult movie about an unlikely bar band's rise and fall might've been scripted during a drunken Russian-roulette session among Charles Bukowski, Lars von Trier, Harmony Korine, and Irvine Welsh.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
08-10-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Ex-Drummer, Koen Mortier
In 'Julie & Julia', Two Biopics Boil Down to Half-Greatnessnew
There's half of a great movie in Julie & Julia -- but since Meryl Streep has already starred in one titled Julia, perhaps it was merely necessary to tack on the "Julie" half to distinguish Nora Ephron's butter-basted effort from its Lillian Hellman's mayonnaise-covered predecessor.
Dallas Observer |
Robert Wilonsky |
08-10-2009 |
Reviews
'Somers Town' Gets at the Heart of Working-Class Londonnew
Without ever trivializing his characters’ meager circumstances or resorting to the rags-to-riches fantasy of Slumdog Millionaire, Shane Meadows has made a lovely film about the ability of the imagination to offset the harshness of reality.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
08-10-2009 |
Reviews
Can Chris Kattan be a Bollywood Hero?new
Here's something Chris Kattan probably rarely hears in real life: "In Night at the Roxbury, you were awesome!" Such, however, is the encomium proffered by two young Indian fans in IFC's new mini-series Bollywood Hero, which finds the former SNL cast member traveling to the subcontinent to star in a saffron-colored, jasmine-scented music-and-dance extravaganza.
Boston Phoenix |
Mike Miliard |
08-07-2009 |
TV
Making a Compelling Film is Not Julia Child's Playnew
A Talking Heads song gives this pedestrian, snobbish film a couple minutes of genuine art - and fun. Julie & Julia doesn’t match the delights of sensual/aesthetic food movies ... it merely dramatizes Julia Child and Julie Powell's contrasting routes to media success.
New York Press |
Armond White |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Just What You Wanted on Vacation: Stabbings!new
"Nothing bad ever happens in Hawaii," one touristy character in A Perfect Getaway naively notes.
The Portland Mercury |
Courtney Ferguson |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: A Perfect Getaway, David Twohy
'Julie & Julia' Will Make Foodies Furiously Masturbatenew
More or less entirely delightful, Julie & Julia has a pretty foolproof formula: It's a movie based on a popular book that's based on a popular blog that, in turn, was inspired by America's most popular chef.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Some of Your Beeswax: Director Andrew Bujalski Chatsnew
If the word “mumblecore” ever meant anything in the first place, it definitely had something to do with Andrew Bujalski. The lo-fi indie director of Funny Ha Ha and Mutual Appreciation debuted his third feature, Beeswax, in March, and speaks about the film festival favorite.
New York Press |
Eric Kohn |
08-06-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Little Ashes': Once Upon a Time in Madridnew
Robert Pattinson costars as Salvador Dalí in this sexually speculative history of the artist's student years spent with friends, Federico García Lorca and Luis Buñuel.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Little Ashes, Paul Morrison
'The Cove': What Hath 'Flipper' Wrought?new
This marvelously made agitprop documentary exposes the dark secrets that underpin the world’s dolphin mania.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Louie Psihoyos, The Cove
'Julie & Julia': Kiss the Cooknew
Meryl Streep is irresistible as Julia Child as is Nora Ephron's direction, but Amy Adams' Julie Powell is a dud – a mousy, grouchy irritant.
Austin Chronicle |
Kimberley Jones |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Julie & Julia, Nora Ephron
'A Perfect Getaway' is an Above-Average Thrillernew
This is a smartly paced and ultimately pure exploitation head trip that's a lot of fun if you can get past its third-act meltdown.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: A Perfect Getaway, David Twohy
'O'Horten' is a Danish Treatnew
This strange little Danish gem tells the story of the aptly named Odd Horten, a man cut from his moorings when he's forced to take retirement at age 67.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
08-06-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: O'Horten, Bent Hamer
