AltWeeklies Wire
Everything Is Illuminatednew
The paths of a seemingly unconnected, multicultural group of Los Angelenos cross in the most compelling American movie to come around in a long while.
Austin Chronicle |
Steve Davis |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Crash, Paul Haggis
Lots of Waxy Build-upnew
This remake of the 1953 horror classic is mostly rote but occasionally creepy, with some putatively clever jibes at a certain high-profile hotel heiress.
Austin Chronicle |
Marrit Ingman |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: House of Wax, Jaume Collet-Serra
What Goes Around Comes Aroundnew
Nominally the story of a 13-year-old girl who longs for a baby, Todd Solondz's latest is provocative, wicked, even bleakly funny, and ultimately empty.
Austin Chronicle |
Marrit Ingman |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Palindromes, Todd Solondz
Once and Future Kingdomsnew
Ridley Scott's Crusades epic is a historical spectacle on the order of Gladiator and a dissection of war, as gritty and illuminating as Black Hawk Down, that takes flight when it becomes a canvas for ideas and ideologies in action.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Ridley Scott, Kingdom of Heaven
European Sonsnew
Director Jan Hrebejk's stylishly interwoven tales of modern-day Prague add up to a melancholy, comedic riff on what it means to be European these days.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Jan Hrebejk, Up and Down
Secret Agent Mannew
A homophobic Israeli assassin insinuates himself into the life of a former SS officer's gay grandson in hopes of learning the Nazi's location in a well-intentioned but ultimately simplistic plea for tolerance all around.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
05-06-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Eytan Fox, Walk on Water
Shoot to Killnew
A nonstop orgy of bullets, bombs and booty aims low and hits the bull's-eye with enough firepower to sink the Bismarck.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
The Winters and Our Discontentnew
Neither a change of seasons nor truly wonderful performances can breathe life into this dismally enervated drama.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Josh Sternfeld, Winter Solstice
Seoul Survivornew
This 2003 revenger from Korean upstart Chan-wook Park is a multilayered, intensely performed, shockingly violent, and viscerally visual tour de force.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Chan-wook Park, Oldboy
Don't Pay Upnew
A mirthless comedy about venal people doing stupid things, King's Ransom has little chance of box-office success.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Jeff Byrd, King's Ransom
House of Painnew
Here’s an interesting surprise: Dour, dry David Duchovny’s directorial debut is more weepy than creepy, a conventional coming-of-age story that flashes back to 1970s New York City.
Austin Chronicle |
Marrit Ingman |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: David Duchovny, House of D
Brothers From Another Planetnew
Fans of the novel can exhale, finally; panic is unwarranted. On the other hand, audiences unfamiliar with Douglas Adams’ bizarre world may wonder what all the fuss is about.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Corruption and Complicitynew
Based on the book by Fortune writers Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, this film documents the collapse of Enron in vivid detail and with cinematic flourish.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Rough Road Aheadnew
The Baja 1000, the longest and shaggiest off-road race in the world, is captured in a middle-of-the-road documentary.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
04-30-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: Dana Brown, Dust to Glory
Cult Director Misfiresnew
Takashi Miike's latest is a disappointing, second-rate Japanese horror film.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
04-22-2005 |
Reviews
Tags: One Missed Call, Takashi Miike
