AltWeeklies Wire
'Thirst': Vampire Lovenew
The new film from the South Korean director of Oldboy is a stunning feast for the senses but veers off-track with its overlong meditation on vampirism.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
08-14-2009 |
Reviews
'The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard': Buyer, Bewarenew
Jeremy Piven stars in this swift-moving, cynical, equal-opportunity offender about a team of used-car liquidators.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
08-14-2009 |
Reviews
The Alien Nation of 'District 9'new
District 9 is a wrenching, riveting, occasionally violent, often heartbreaking, socially conscious science fiction film, and, best of all, a love story.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
08-14-2009 |
Reviews
'Bandslam': Surviving High Schoolnew
A citywide battle of the bands provides the grist for this endearing youth film.
Austin Chronicle |
Kimberley Jones |
08-14-2009 |
Reviews
'Adam': Star-Crossed Loversnew
Hugh Dancy and Rose Byrne co-star in this love story about a guy with Asperger's Syndrome and the girl who lives next door.
Austin Chronicle |
Kimberley Jones |
08-14-2009 |
Reviews
'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
'The Collector': A Nail in the Torture Porn Coffinnew
From the writer and director of Saw 4-6 comes this horror film about a handyman who tries to rob his employers' home but finds it rigged with a lethal maze.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
07-30-2009 |
Reviews
In 'Funny People,' A Master of Giggles Goes for Real Laughsnew
With this story about comedians, filmmaker Judd Apatow rewrites his own songbook in the key of James L. Brooks, a tricky mix of humor and heartfelt.
Austin Chronicle |
Kimberley Jones |
07-30-2009 |
Reviews
'The Stoning of Soraya M.' Preaches to the Choirnew
This impassioned work of persuasion is like a splatter film made for the Lifetime network, a screed against stoning made for audiences who already agree.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
07-30-2009 |
Reviews
'Unmistaken Child' Crawls Toward Enlightenmentnew
This documentary is a full-immersion glimpse into the ancient traditions of Buddhist reincarnation and one that no filmmaker has ever before explored with this level of freedom and insight.
Austin Chronicle |
Marc Savlov |
07-30-2009 |
Reviews
In 'The Ugly Truth,' Even the Vibrating Underpants Are on Autopilotnew
In this formulaic battle of the sexes, no one will be mistaking Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler for Hepburn and Tracy.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
07-23-2009 |
Reviews
