AltWeeklies Wire
'It's Complicated': Nancy Meyers' New Movie is Really Annoyingnew
Does Nancy Meyers hate women? The thought ran through my head not very long into It’s Complicated, Meyers’ biennial stocking-stuffer about the romantic trials and tribulations of obscenely privileged and narcissistic Southern Californians.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
12-28-2009 |
Reviews
'Red Cliff': Epic War Story is a Visual Stunnernew
Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the Chinese national epic, an 800,000-word historical saga that has been well-entrenched in the Asian mindset since its creation in the 14th century. Hence, it’s not too surprising to find that expat Chinese director John Woo has been eager for a shot at the story for decades.
Weekly Alibi |
Devin D. O’Leary |
12-21-2009 |
Reviews
In 'Precious,' Quite Possibly the Most Abusive Upbringing in Motion Picture Historynew
While there are certainly things about Precious one can’t help but admire, I’m not so sure about the picture overall. I don’t quite see, for example, the point of conjuring this vision of a girl in hell; of creating a character just to put her through it.
Seven Days |
Rick Kisonak |
12-18-2009 |
Reviews
Is it Possible 'The Road' Isn't Grim Enough?new
Wanting the movie version of Cormac McCarthy's The Road to be even more bleak may sound like the ultimate in moviegoer masochism—thank you, sir, may I have another cannibal holocaust?
Nashville Scene |
Jim Ridley |
12-18-2009 |
Reviews
'Nine': Rob Marshall Tries to Connect the Dance Numbersnew
An assault on the senses from every conceivable direction—smash zooms, the earsplitting eruption of something like music, the spectacle of a creature called Kate Hudson—Nine thrashes about in search of “cinema” the way a child thrown into the deep end of a pool flails for a flotation device.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
12-18-2009 |
Reviews
'Avatar': On Top of a Distant Worldnew
As we sit in the darkened cinema (or, increasingly, in our living rooms), so much of what is clearly meant to dazzle us feels like a demonstration more than an application, an elaborate demo reel in search of meaning and purpose. James Cameron returns to bridge the gap.
L.A. Weekly |
Scott Foundas |
12-18-2009 |
Reviews
Disney's First African-American Princess is a Modern Galnew
The Princess and the Frog begins and ends with a good story. A dynamic 19-year old African-American woman dreams of owning her own restaurant. Turned into a frog with a kiss, she’s drawn into a funny adventure, twisting and turning through Louisiana’s bayous in a quest to become human again.
San Antonio Current |
Melissa Tarun |
12-16-2009 |
Reviews
Dragging 'Titanic': James Cameron's Opus is all Wet
The most expensive film ever made leaves much to be desired. Paralyzed from the waist down, former Marine Jake Sully (Sam Worthington - Terminator Salvation) voices several movies worth of tell-don't-show narration for the benefit of audiences who like being read to when they watch a movie.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
12-15-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Avatar, James Cameron
Bloody but Unbowed: Clint Eastwood's 'Invictus'new
The two things Invictus has going for it are the use of Nelson Mandela (Morgan Freeman) as its central character and its underdog sports story. Americans like against-all-odds athletic tales. Even so, I think it may be something of a hard sell. Hoosiers this isn’t.
'Invictus' Starts Out Strong, But Devolves Into a Mediocre Sports Movienew
The film seems like it's on its way to greatness in the beginning, with Nelson Mandela dealing with the difficulties of being South Africa's first black president. Unfortunately, the film goes off track; by its underwhelming sporting-event finale, it has completely lost focus.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
12-10-2009 |
Reviews
'Bronson' Fails at Melding Violence, Artsy Filmmaking and Naked Penisesnew
Knowing that there's an audience of action-loving young men who'll pay to see violence and bloodshed, director Nicolas Winding Refn loaded his movie up with fighting, Dada-esque mime sequences and full frontal male nudity. Because: Huh?
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
12-10-2009 |
Reviews
Tags: Bronson, Nicolas Winding Refn
John Hillcoat's 'The Road': Brutalism on Celluloidnew
"One for The Road," I said to the ticket taker. "Ha ha ha, that's not the first time I've heard that," he said. And that was the last laugh I had at the movies that day.
Dig Boston |
David Day |
12-09-2009 |
Reviews
Mandela's Lessons Come Across Loud and Clear in 'Invictus'
Morgan Freeman's brilliant performance as Nelson Mandela is the kind of transformation that Academy Award members aggressively reward come Oscar season. Whether or not they'll be as impressed with Anthony Peckham's airy adaptation of John Carlin's book Playing the Enemy is questionable.
City Pulse |
Cole Smithey |
12-07-2009 |
Reviews
'Up In The Air' Steers Clear of the Predictable Route, Lands the Emotionnew
Jason Reitman's very loose and awfully affecting adaptation of Walter Kirn's 2001 novel about Ryan Bingham, who, when he's not busy traversing the flyover states delivering pink slips, delivers motivational speeches about emptying out one's metaphoric backpack.
Dallas Observer |
Robert Wilonsky |
12-07-2009 |
Reviews
'The Maid': From Chile, One of the Year’s Best Moviesnew
Not many films, or actresses, would let the central female role of a movie be underestimated for so long. Blank-faced, bone-tired, and implacable, Catalina Saavedra delivers a wonderful, slow-brewing performance as Raquel, a 41-year-old Chilean maid who's served one family her entire working life.
Seattle Weekly |
Brian Miller |
12-07-2009 |
Reviews
