AltWeeklies Wire
Elton Strikes Backnew
Elton John finds balance in his life while hitting another creative peak with ‘Gnomeo & Juliet’
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski and Carla Sameth |
02-14-2011 |
Movies
Tags: Elton John, Gnomeo & Juliet
J. Lo's Back in 'The Back-Up Plan'new
Jennifer Lopez is both a good sport and one funny mother in The Back-Up Plan
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
04-26-2010 |
Reviews
A Perfect 'Night' Outnew
Steve Carell and Tina Fey put the marvel back in marriage with Date Night.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
04-12-2010 |
Reviews
Tags: Date Night, Shawn Levy
Sundance Sensation 'Precious' Brings Hope to a Girl Utterly Lacking Anynew
The book and its attendant film are drawing extensive comparisons to the classic novel and movie of The Color Purple; besides sharing the subject matter of African-American women learning to stand up for their dignity and self-worth, they both feature what should be career-making performances from heretofore unknown or disregarded actresses.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
11-16-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Precious, Lee Daniels
Robin Williams Turns in a Career-Best Performance in 'World's Greatest Dad'new
With Dad, Bobcat Goldthwait accomplishes several remarkable feats. He manages to take a detestable subject -- death by autoerotic asphyxiation -- and still deal with it in a way that won't drive people from the theater. He also pulls a stunning performance from Williams that easily ranks among the Oscar-winner's career best.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
09-15-2009 |
Reviews
It's Only Up from Here for the Director of the New Cult Classic 'The Room'new
Greg Sestero's film is regarded as one of the great camp classics of all time, a movie considered so bad it's brilliant. Its monthly midnight showings in West Hollywood routinely sell out all five of the theater's screens simultaneously, with crowds that have turned the viewing experience into the craziest interactive movie party since The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
08-31-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
'Flame & Citron' Looks Over its Shoulder at the Nazi Occupation of Denmarknew
Even “good” wars are complicated. In director Ole Christian Madsen's Flame & Citron, the loyalties and motivations of citizens in Denmark during the Nazi occupation become so murky that the two title characters aren’t sure who can be trusted.
Pasadena Weekly |
Jana J. Monji |
08-17-2009 |
Reviews
'Funny People' Get Serious About Comedynew
A happy-sad dichotomy is at the heart of the new film “Funny People,” featuring Adam Sandler and Seth Rogen joined by Judd Apatow regulars and a galaxy of major star cameos.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
08-03-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Funny People, Judd Apatow
Latest 'Ice Age' Shamelessly Plucks Plot Twists from a Number of Other Worksnew
As it is, there's little satisfaction and even less humor to be extracted from problems attributed to the central characters that are distilled down to saccharine sound bites.
Pasadena Weekly |
Lisa Miller |
07-13-2009 |
Reviews
‘The Commune' Is a Great First Film for Two Women Artistsnew
Heidi Hornbacher and Elisabeth Fies have joined the ranks of Hollywood first-time filmmakers with a horror movie as their starter flick. You could say that, instead of a "chick flick," they've made a "her-ror" movie.
Pasadena Weekly |
Ellen Snortland |
06-08-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Puppy Love Blooms at 'Hotel for Dogs'new
The kids are cute and the pooches are even more so in this latest addition to the doggie genre of the past year. Hotel For Dogs falls short of earning a loud bark, but still deserves a big paws-up for its animals-as-part-of-the-family theme.
Pasadena Weekly |
Lisa Miller |
01-26-2009 |
Reviews
Conservative Comedy 'An American Carol' Misses the Marknew
Satire has to be brutal sometimes, but festooning a story with essentially baseless putdowns is not only gratuitously mean-spirited, it also blunts the real point. In An American Carol, all leftists and all pacifists -- in fact, everybody except gun-toting militarists -- are mindless, hypocritical sheep.
Pasadena Weekly |
Andy Klein |
10-14-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: David Zucker, An American Carol
'Lakeview Terrace' Takes Liberties with One Couple's True Storynew
It seems Neil LaBute's Lakeview Terrace is an artistic rendition of the real-life story of John and Mellaine Hamilton, an interracial Altadena couple that has been locked in a number of bitter disputes with next-door neighbor Irsie Henry, an African-American former LAPD officer who has ended up in court over his disagreements with the Hamiltons.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
09-23-2008 |
Movies
Tags: Neil LaBute, Lakeview Terrace
'Ping Pong Playa' Slams Stereotypes About Asian Americans and Sportsnew
Ping Pong Playa is fast-moving and truly funny family fare. Yu's direction packs each scene with action that's both physical and mental -- visual puns, a bit of slapstick, verbal zingers and a lot of humorous moments drawn from real life.
Pasadena Weekly |
Jana J. Monji |
09-08-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
Errol Morris Casts Light on the Torture Chambers of Abu Ghraibnew
Standard Operating Procedure is perhaps the most thorough record to date of one of the lowest points of American foreign policy.
Pasadena Weekly |
Carl Kozlowski |
05-05-2008 |
Profiles & Interviews
