AltWeeklies Wire
'The Invention of Lying' is High-Concept Done Rightnew
As a high-concept comedy, Invention gets to cover a lot of ground, from commercialism to religion and societal conventions. Fortunately, Gervais actually has insight into most of those issues, which means the film never gets overly sanctimonious.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Peter Hemminger |
10-01-2009 |
Reviews
Ricky Gervais Lands in Cloudcuckooland With 'Invention of Lying'new
Ricky Gervais, the film's star and co-writer/co-director, doesn't do philosophical scrutiny or hermeneutic analysis; he merely undermines religion using the glib condescension of Hollywood leftists who assume the only people who still believe in God live in fly-over America. A hostile new trend has begun.
New York Press |
Armond White |
10-01-2009 |
Reviews
'Zombieland' is Comic Goldnew
Flesh-eating monsters are still so popular that it's hardly surprising to see a comic action send-up of the genre like Zombieland. The fact that it's really damned good, on the other hand, is as welcome a surprise as a hidden cache of weapons in a post-zombie wasteland.
Fast Forward Weekly |
Jeff Kubik |
10-01-2009 |
Reviews
The Coen Brothers Clarify Their Jewishness -- Without Guiltnew
The Coens admit their own Jewishness the way their best recent films admit Americanness: with genuine feeling for the complexities, abundance and absurd conventions that give us our identity.
New York Press |
Armond White |
10-01-2009 |
Reviews
New Mexico's Youth May be its Best Chance for Transforming its Economy -- and Futurenew
Many on the local frontlines of the green-jobs movement believe the chasm between rhetoric and reality is growing. They say the state's best hope for transformation -- environmental and economic -- may lie with its youth.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Laura Paskus |
10-01-2009 |
Environment
Thrift Store Cowboys Bring Their Semi-Antique Road Show to Townnew
"We started off definitely on more of an alt-country route. It's just kind of evolved over the years. We just play what we play. I don't really know what to call it."
Colorado Springs Independent |
Kirsten Akens |
10-01-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
A More Tolerant Colorado Welcomes a More Levelheaded Paula Poundstonenew
Poundstone remembers two things about Colorado Springs: "that the Yellow Pages had eight pages of churches," and that it was covered with billboards. Her billboards.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Kirsten Akens |
10-01-2009 |
Comedy
Tags: Paula Poundstone, NPR
The Resurrection of Ted Haggardnew
The former New Life pastor talks about the scandals that led him to the brink of suicide, the disconnect between his preachings and practices, and his prospects for creating a new ministry back in Colorado Springs.
Colorado Springs Independent |
Bill Forman |
10-01-2009 |
Religion
Ellen Page Whips it Good in Her Best Post-'Juno' Rolenew
After seeing Juno, my outraged teen daughter rightly asked, "Where is the girl's version of Ferris Bueller's Day Off?" Whip It steps into that void.
Michael Moore's Antics are Finally Justified in 'Capitalism'new
To summarize the sentiment fueling Michael Moore's latest agitprop, one need only quote Tony Montana: "You know what capitalism is? Gettin' fucked!"
With 'American Casino,' Andrew and Leslie Cockburn Recast the Recession as Civil Rights Storynew
With more spark than a Frontline documentary and less pretense than whatever Michael Moore has cooking, American Casino is the best film so far to explain the US economic crisis.
Santa Fe Reporter |
Corey Pein |
10-01-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Jane Goodall on Her New Book, North Korea and Bible-Thumping Conservativesnew
The good news is, to break the doom-and-gloom cycle of cynicism, we have Dr. Jane Goodall whose optimistic new book, Hope for Animals and Their World details how a variety of endangered species have been rescued from the brink of extinction.
Boston Phoenix |
Lance Gould |
10-01-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
In a New Book, Ethan Gilsdorf Tracks His Global Quest to Visit the Holiest Nerd-World Sitesnew
A former teenage Dungeons & Dragons nerd, author Ethan Gilsdorf has rediscovered his past obsession and gone global, making pilgrimage to the planet's temples of dorkdom, from a visit to Tolkien's home in the UK to a jam with Boston wizard rockers Harry and the Potters.
Boston Phoenix |
Mike Miliard |
10-01-2009 |
Author Profiles & Interviews
Harmony Korine Talks About Creating a World of 'Killing, Fucking and Burning'new
When I sat down with Korine last week before the world premiere of Trash Humpers, he hadn't done any interviews about it yet, and admitted that he wasn't quite sure how to express his intentions. So we hammered it out together.
New York Press |
Eric Kohn |
10-01-2009 |
Profiles & Interviews
Tags: Trash Humpers, Harmony Korine
Patrick Kennedy is a Square Peg in His Family's Historic Round Tablenew
With his father's recent passing, Patrick is now the electoral flag-carrier of the Kennedy clan, and he's representing Rhode Island with a smaller, productive vision.
Boston Phoenix |
David Scharfenberg |
09-30-2009 |
Politics
