AltWeeklies Wire
'Revanche': Crime and Self-Punishment in Austrianew
This deliberate, meticulous heist-gone-wrong flick eschews all the usual excitement of crime. Instead, Austrian writer-director Gotz Spielmann concentrates on the slow buildup to a bank job and its simmering moral aftermath.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
05-04-2009 |
Reviews
'The Soloist' Serves As a Career Warm-Upnew
Given the number of films in which the basic plot could be summed up as "homeless person unaccountably turns out to be a musical genius,," it might be expected that little else could be wrung from such a dirty, tattered rag of a scenario. Fortunately The Soloist is an interesting, visually rapturous tale based on a true series of events.
Boise Weekly |
Jeremiah Wierenga |
05-01-2009 |
Reviews
Freaks and Freaks: 'Frownland'new
Like a signal flare rising above the streets of L.A.'s Fairfax District, Frownland announces that underground cinema is alive and well.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
05-01-2009 |
Reviews
'Fighting' Packs No Punchnew
Channing Tatum's sputtering performance and a stereotypical plot lead Fighting to failure.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
04-29-2009 |
Reviews
'The Informers': Slightly Greater Than Zeronew
With The Informers, director Gregor Jordan seems to take Bret Easton Ellis' vapid observations at face value and delivers a glitzy study in obviousness.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Curt Holman |
04-29-2009 |
Reviews
'The Soloist' Is As Much About the Power of Music to Transform As It Is About Friendshipnew
You can learn more about the story of mentally ill musical prodigy Nathaniel Ayers in a 12-minute segment of a March 60 Minutes broadcast than in the 109 minutes of The Soloist. But what a wonderful 109 minutes they are.
San Antonio Current |
John Thomason |
04-22-2009 |
Reviews
'Lymelife' Nails a Savvy Balance of Comedy and Dramanew
Do we really need another dysfunctional-family flashback with the requisite retro pop hits, pot smoking (back when it came dirt cheap), awkward virginity loss, and nostalgically horrible decor? Sure, why not?
San Francisco Bay Guardian |
Dennis Harvey |
04-22-2009 |
Reviews
Bare-Knuckles: Dito Montiel Hits His Sophomore Slump
Writer/director Dito Montiel drops down a few rungs after his promising debut film A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, with an undernourished drama about small-town fighter Shawn MacArthur (played by Channing Tatum) who comes to Manhattan where he meets two-bit hustler Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard).
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
04-20-2009 |
Reviews
'The Soloist': Mispronounced Orchestration
Heartfelt performances from Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx can't counteract a lack of narrative focus that prevents the film from taking hold, although they are entrancing in and of themselves.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
04-20-2009 |
Reviews
Compelling Case: '12'new
12 is like 12 Angry Men, except that it's Russian, and it takes place in a high school gym.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
04-16-2009 |
Reviews
Hollywood Explains the Fall of Real Journalismnew
I am a profound fan of State of Play, the tele-cinematical crumpet of solemn and fervent perfection the BBC offered us in 2003. Therefore, I am so glad to be able to say Hollywood didn't fuck up boiling down that six-hour story into a two-hour, 2009 version.
Charleston City Paper |
Maryann Johanson |
04-15-2009 |
Reviews
'Un Secret' Exposes One Family's Wartime Mythsnew
Un Secret could be a companion film to The Reader in its exploration of sexuality and World War II survivors' guilt. Instead of focusing on German culpability, Un Secret explores a family's repressed memories and ambivalent feelings toward its own Jewishness.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Curt Holman |
04-10-2009 |
Reviews
'Gomorrah': 'Goodfellas' These Are Notnew
Gomorrah is a bleak, unrepentant crime drama that never stylizes the violence it depicts. It is at once tender and vicious.
Eugene Weekly |
Jason Blair |
04-09-2009 |
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
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
