AltWeeklies Wire
Blaxploitation-Inspired French Action Flick 'Black' is Rife With Weirdnessnew
Turning thumbs up or down on this movie would be a complete waste of time. Why? Because your opinion will change every five minutes (which is, perhaps, more than enough reason to justify its existence).
The Georgia Straight |
Mark Harris |
09-22-2009 |
Reviews
Has Kathryn Bigelow Made the 'Apocalypse Now' of Iraq?new
Although everyone makes a point of director Kathryn Bigelow's gender and height and good looks, what's germane is that even if she were short and had bushy eyebrows like Martin Scorsese, she still would be directing action pictures like no one since Sam Peckinpah and Sergio Leone. With her latest, The Hurt Locker, maybe she'll start getting the recognition she deserves.
Boston Phoenix |
Peter Keough |
07-09-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
The 'Transformers' Sequel Makes Me Want to Tear Off My Facenew
Michael Bay has officially re-entered the Land of the Suck. Revenge of the Fallen is an effort that cements his place in cinematic-dickwad hell. This guy is the biggest dipshit to ever be handed a $200 million movie.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
07-02-2009 |
Reviews
The Latest 'Transformers' Ups the Ante on Big and Dumbnew
Revenge of the Fallen might not be louder than its predecessor, but it's assuredly "noisier" in the sense that the film is a clanging, full-metal racket from start to finish, with only the rare narrative pause for dramatic scenes devoted to exclusively human interactions.
Austin Chronicle |
Marjorie Baumgarten |
06-26-2009 |
Reviews
Tedious Exposition Slows Michael Bay and His Toys in the 'Transformers' Sequelnew
Everything is bigger, bolder and badder in Revenge of the Fallen, and if it weren't for the endless, clumsily delivered exposition, the film would work like gangbusters as the ultimate garish escapism.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
06-25-2009 |
Reviews
Michael Bay Pimps His Transformers Ridenew
The sequel to 2007's Transformers is measurably better, simply by virtue of its utter commitment to spectacle.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
06-24-2009 |
Reviews
Special-Effects Guru Behind 'Transformers' Sees the Field Morphingnew
The computer-generated side has thoroughly taken over from hands-on engineering, which is what John Frazier studied back at the start of his long career. "The last movie we did that was all mechanical, other than maybe one visual-effects shot, was Speed," he says.
The Georgia Straight |
Ken Eisner |
06-22-2009 |
Movies
'Pelham' Works as a Lowbrow Thriller, but Travolta is Just Awfulnew
John Travolta is a lousy actor. Let's just be honest about this: I mean, he has an act, but he's not acting. He just spits back the shtick he memorized in Pulp Fiction while quietly praying to Xenu that no one notices.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
06-17-2009 |
Reviews
The New 'Pelham': Just Another Mindless Tony Scott Productnew
Like almost every single one of Scott's movies since 1998's Enemy of the State, though, Pelham's inevitable critical drubbing probably won't stop it from making pretty good money.
Baltimore City Paper |
Bret McCabe |
06-16-2009 |
Reviews
Tony Scott Continues Hijacking Denzel's Career in 'The Taking of Pelham 123'
How does one of the most universally respected actors of this generation come to trust this particular director -- and his obvious fascination with style over substance -- so implicitly?
Salt Lake City Weekly |
Scott Renshaw |
06-09-2009 |
Reviews
Style Unfortunately Rules Over Substance in 'Terminator'new
While Terminator Salvation looks interesting, it lacks soul and suffers from mundane, sloppy storytelling.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
05-27-2009 |
Reviews
Ben Stiller Is a Strong Anchor for the Unstable 'Museum' Franchisenew
The first installment of Night at the Museum may have been a pithy, middle-of-the-road, grade-B comedy lark with grade-A special effects, but when it grossed a half-billion dollars worldwide, its days as an inoffensive guilty pleasure were over.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
'T:4' Benches John Connor During the Big Endgamenew
Taking on a new Terminator movie is like accepting an ambassadorship: Many different factions want something out of you. Often, they have conflicting desires. There's no way all of them can be satisfied.
Orlando Weekly |
Justin Strout |
05-21-2009 |
Reviews
Tom Hanks and Ron Howard Need to STOP Making Robert Langdon Movies!new
Angels and Demons presents scenarios so illogical, so preposterous, that it makes the Alien vs. Predator, American Pie and Beethoven franchises look like high art.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
05-20-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Ron Howard, action movies
Spectacle Trumps Satire in 'Terminator Salvation'
More of a 21st century Mad Max than a continuation of the Terminator franchise that seasoned audiences are familiar with, director McG's post apocalyptic man versus industrial-robot-military-complex lurches through fits and starts of spectacle that almost add up to a story.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
05-18-2009 |
Reviews
