AltWeeklies Wire
Mock Star: Carrie Brownstein is Making Fun of Younew
Don’t get offended, Portland: One of the generation’s most beloved indie rockers is about to ridicule America’s most unassailably indie city.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
11-04-2010 |
Profiles & Interviews
Status Updatenew
Twenty-five random things about The Social Network.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
09-29-2010 |
Movies
Tags: David Fincher, The Social Network
When in Romania, Do as the Romanians Do: Nothingnew
A Romanian cop named Cristi gathers evidence on some poor kid for smoking a little hash. See Cristi follow the kid to school. See Cristi pick up a joint. See Cristi eat lunch. See Cristi pick up another joint.
Willamette Week |
Alistair Rockoff |
03-10-2010 |
Reviews
Portland Stays Weird at TV’s 'America’s Got Talent' Auditionsnew
The AGT crew was in Portland looking for more talented and crazy people. It was the last and smallest stop on an eight-city audition circuit that included New York, L.A. and Chicago. Jason Raff, one of the show’s executive producers, says AGT chose Portland this year in part because “not many shows are filmed here.” In other words, we’re fresh meat.
Willamette Week |
Ari Phillips |
03-03-2010 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: America's Got Talent, Portland
Willamette Week's Top 5 TV Shows of 2009new
Yes, I know, it’s already 2010. I’m sure by now 2009 is now a distant memory. We’d rather forget the year that cultivated both the recession and MTV’s The City. While it’s a bit tough to summarize the best TV in a given year, as most shows run across years, these five stand above the rest.
Willamette Week |
Ali Rothschild |
01-06-2010 |
TV
The House of the Devil Brings Back the Beelzebubnew
While he never actually appears in director Ti West's retro screamer The House of the Devil, Satan's little helpers make a welcome return to the screen, bringing their funky rituals and pentagrams along.
Willamette Week |
AP Kryza |
12-04-2009 |
Reviews
'Where the Wild Things Are' Left Me Out in the Coldnew
It's standard practice to praise children's movies by saying they'll be enjoyed by parents and children alike, but in this case I suspect that some parents will sink blissfully into a reverie watching the characters throw clods of dirt, while their offspring tug on sleeves to ask when they can go outside and throw clods of dirt.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
10-14-2009 |
Reviews
'Law Abiding Citizen' Wants to Have its Gore and Condemn it Toonew
Somewhere in here is a call to reform for a flawed system where innocence is undermined by bureaucracy. But it's hard to hear that message with all the explosions and brooding. Say what you will about Saw -- at least it doesn't preach pacifism as its characters are eviscerated.
Willamette Week |
Ap Kryza |
10-14-2009 |
Reviews
'Bright Star' is the Tasteful Older Sibling of 'Twilight'new
The film is likely to be fairly admired by English professors and Oscar voters, but mark my words: It is going to become the unequaled favorite movie of homeschoolers in the girls' dormitories of evangelical colleges nationwide.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
09-23-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Bright Star, Jane Campion
'The Burning Plain' is an Interminably Spiritless Ordealnew
Beneath the film's tragic poses and ludicrous melancholy, one can almost hear Arriaga muttering to himself: "Do I have anything here? Let's maybe move this scene here, that one there, yeah, that'll do it, that looks like something. Right? Right?" Wrong.
Willamette Week |
Chris Stamm |
09-23-2009 |
Reviews
'Jennifer's Body' is 'Heathers' as a 'Maxim' Photo Spreadnew
Jennifer's Body begs for outraged reviews condemning it as repellent and vindictive, when in fact it is derivative and incompetent. If it were not written by Diablo Cody, it would be completely ignored. In fact, it can still be ignored.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
09-16-2009 |
Reviews
'Big Fan' Piles Shame Upon Failure for Patton Oswalt's Football Lovernew
The director of Big Fan, Robert Siegel, is the screenwriter of last year's The Wrestler. I was not an admirer of that movie, but I'll concede that its patronizing melodrama was elevated by the grace notes of Mickey Rourke. Big Fan, however, is pure, concentrated condescension.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
09-09-2009 |
Reviews
Why is Tarantino's Opus Being Greeted With Indifference, Even Disdain?new
Some of the blase reception may be ingrained distaste for the Weinstein Company, or Grindhouse fatigue. But I suspect it has just as much to do with the way we have all been bought off by Hollywood marketing -- our loyalty purchased not with payola, but with proximity to the hot new thing.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
08-19-2009 |
Reviews
Buried Deep Under the Muck and Sludge of 'Taxidermia' is a Surreal Gemnew
Palfi has crafted a strikingly original film that veers completely out of control in ways that would make David Cronenberg sick. Is it recommended? Only to those who can see past the graphic deviant sex, seas of fluid and some pretty nasty gore.
Willamette Week |
Ap Kryza |
08-19-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Gyorgy Palfi, Taxidermia
The Aliens in 'District 9' Aren't Very Sharp ... the Director Thinks You Aren't, Eithernew
I have faith that Neill Blomkamp will one day make a film that's a marvel from beginning to end. The question is whether he can muster the necessary faith in us. We're smart enough for you, Blomkamp. Take your best shot.
Willamette Week |
Chris Stamm |
08-12-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: District 9, Neill Blomkamp
