AltWeeklies Wire
The Seductive World of Home-Improvement TVnew
It's frivolous, it's out of touch, and I can't get enough of it. Why? Because most HGTV shows embody the triumph of style over substance, of beauty over function. And their notions of what looks good in a home are almost as ephemeral as high fashion. Talk about escapist entertainment.
Seven Days |
Margot Harrison |
11-21-2008 |
Movies
'Bolt' is a Starry Dog Storynew
As I laughed my head off, I wondered what it means that children's movies have become the playground for Hollywood's self-loathing.
L.A. Weekly |
Ella Taylor |
11-21-2008 |
Reviews
'Quantum of Solace': The Evolution of Bondnew
Campy gadgets are replaced with revenge and exciting action in Quantum of Solace.
Tucson Weekly |
Bob Grimm |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
Heroically 'Happy-Go-Lucky'new
Mike Leigh's latest film, about an impossibly cheerful woman, will leave viewers intrigued.
Tucson Weekly |
James DiGiovanna |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
Jean-Claude Van Damme's JCVD is ... Brilliant?new
Before you think JCVD is just another excuse for the aging action star to try and roundhouse kick his way into our hearts one last time, wait up: JCVD is as wildly entertaining and daring as cinema comes, and that's something you don't necessarily associate with the train-wrecked career of the weathered action star.
The Portland Mercury |
Ezra Ace Caraeff |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
'Special' is for Every Guy Who Still Dreams He May be Superhumannew
A chronicle of mental decline masquerading as science fiction, Special stars perennial character actor Michael Rapaport as Les, a likable dolt whose momentary respite from the monotony of his life as a lonely meter maid comes from reading comic books.
New York Press |
Eric Kohn |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
Arnaud Desplechin Serves Up Haute Holiday Fare in 'A Christmas Tale'new
A Christmas Tale isn't repugnant, just regressive. The modern family film has moved beyond this Gallic update of I Remember Mama.
New York Press |
Armond White |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
Vampire Romance 'Twilight' Makes an Awkward Leap from Page to Screennew
Stephenie Meyer's dunderheaded brick of a book may be poorly written pap, but it affords its audience a level of pure escapism as alluring as it is unrealistic and unhealthy. Twilight the movie brings all of that crashing down to earth, and inspires only nervous laughter.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Josh Bell |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
'Twilight' Makes a Far Better Movie Than Booknew
Largely freed from Stephenie Meyer's ponderous prose, the movie is surprisingly campy and fun, with a cheerful sense of humor about its own ridiculousness.
The Portland Mercury |
Alison Hallett |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
'Bolt' Never Bores, But Never Gets Beyond Mild Amusement Eithernew
It's the kind of solid, middle-of-the-road entertainment that Disney can reliably churn out while audiences await the next exciting achievement from Pixar.
Las Vegas Weekly |
Josh Bell |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
'I've Loved You So Long': The Lady Banishesnew
I've Loved You So Long wouldn't be much of a movie if its climax were more important than the nearly two hours of quieter drama that precedes it.
Washington City Paper |
Tricia Olszewski |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
'Bolt' and 'JCVD': Star Stucknew
Two films take a smirking glimpse into the limitations of fame.
Washington City Paper |
Tricia Olszewski |
11-20-2008 |
Reviews
RSVP to 'Rachel Getting Married'new
Rarely has patience been such a virtue than when faced with Rachel Getting Married, which gets off to an extremely rough start before eventually finding its stride.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Matt Brunson |
11-19-2008 |
Reviews
Innocence is Lost in 'Boy in the Striped Pajamas'new
Movies about the brutality of the Holocaust seem to automatically earn R ratings, yet The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, perhaps because it's based on a novel (by John Boyne) that was originally targeted to teen readers, escapes with a PG-13.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Matt Brunson |
11-19-2008 |
Reviews
'Ashes of Time' Revisitednew
The motion picture as mood ring, Ashes of Time Redux is another Wong Kar Wei production that relies as much (if not more) on the sensations created by its aural and visual flourishes than on any narrative devices.
Creative Loafing (Charlotte) |
Matt Brunson |
11-19-2008 |
Reviews
Tags: Wong Kar Wei, Ashes of Time Redux
