AltWeeklies Wire
Vin Diesel Mopes a Lot As He Returns to the Film Franchise That Made Him a Starnew
Vin Diesel returns to the series that made him a big star with Fast and Furious, a tiresome speedy-car movie. Things have really deteriorated since the fun original.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
04-08-2009 |
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
Seth Rogen Takes a Detour That Works in 'Observe and Report'
At some time in the career of every screen comedian, there comes a point where he has to make peace with The Character. Seth Rogen seemed to get this concept early on. So why now do we find him in something as wrong for him as Observe and Report?
Salt Lake City Weekly |
Scott Renshaw |
04-07-2009 |
Reviews
Technology Trumps Story in Eye-Sizzling Glorynew
DreamWorks' Monsters vs. Aliens doesn't have the soul, energy or wit of Kung Fu Panda (or any of the Pixar flicks for that matter), but with its eye-popping animation and Seth Rogen putting in overtime, it's a pretty good time ... if you see it, and this is important, in 3-D.
Metro Times |
Jeff Meyers |
04-07-2009 |
Reviews
Seth Rogen Takes Charge, and We Get to Laugh
Writer/director Jody Hill makes a quantum leap from his low-budget 2006 debut feature The Foot Fist Way with a hilarious subversive black comedy about America's post-9/11 culture of authority-abusing misfits, commonly referred to as security guards.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
04-06-2009 |
Reviews
Sci-Fi Revival Without Causenew
This deadpan homage hardly lifts an eyebrow at the aliens, horny teens, eccentric scientists, and dopey lawmen in the small desert town where a flying saucer lands. We know these conventions, from The Blob to The Day the Earth Stood Still, which Alien Trespass dutifully recreates. But why?
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
04-06-2009 |
Reviews
DreamWorks Edges Ever Closer to Pixar Territorynew
Monsters vs. Aliens, from the DreamWorks animation factory, looks impressive. It's not as good as some of Pixar's greater works, but it's a cut above the last couple of Shrek films and much better than garbage like Space Chimps.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
04-02-2009 |
Reviews
Jesse Eisenberg Shines in Realistic, Funny Coming-of-Age Flicknew
Eisenberg is like a dramatic version of Michael Cera, and with Adventureland he really gets to show off his dramatic range, which goes from A all the way to those made-up letters from Dr. Seuss' On Beyond Zebra!.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
04-02-2009 |
Reviews
'Adventureland' Finds Charm in the Mysteries of Pittsburghnew
Flashing back to the '80s, the charming coming-of-age comedy Adventureland sets up tension between Falco and Lou Reed to convey the crossroads facing its young heroes.
Creative Loafing (Atlanta) |
Curt Holman |
04-01-2009 |
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
Greg Mottola Remembers the Mysteries of Pittsburghnew
When it's not sidetracked by clowning, Adventureland is finely observed. Its tranquil, forgiving vibe exactly captures how someone who came of age in 1987 Pittsburgh would prefer to remember it. Which is also the movie's problem.
Willamette Week |
Aaron Mesh |
04-01-2009 |
Reviews
Slow and Hesitant: Car Porn Franchise Stalls Out
For such a simple action/adventure template, the filmmakers behind Fast & Furious fall down on the job at every turn.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
03-30-2009 |
Reviews
Nicolas Cage Finally Stops His Suck Streak in 'Knowing'new
Alex Proyas wants to make some sort of strange statement about the origins of everything, and it doesn't quite work. What does work is the total annihilation of the planet--finally, an apocalypse movie that doesn't puss out!
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
'Two Lovers' Is a Great New York Movie that Feels Both Classic and Contemporarynew
Director James Gray must have watched every old movie that took place in New York, because he swipes scenes from about half of them in his strange new drama, Two Lovers. Which is not a bad thing; Gray knows his movies and knows what to take from them.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
Delve Even Deeper into 'Watchmen' with 'Tales of the Black Freighter'new
Not content with his three-hour-long, hyper-dense feature, director Zack Snyder has executive-produced two supplemental short films for DVD, both based on material absent in Watchmen, but present in the comic books the film is based on.
The Portland Mercury |
Erik Henriksen |
03-26-2009 |
Reviews
