Archive By Section - Movies
Review: Julia Roberts and Clive Owen crackle in ‘Duplicity’
Julia Roberts and Clive Owen generate fierce electricity in "Duplicity," but we (and they) don't know if it's romantic, or wicked.
Review: 'Knowing' is frightening, suspenseful, sci-fi thriller
"Knowing" is among the best science fiction films I've seen - frightening, suspenseful, intelligent and, when it needs to be, rather awesome. In its very different way, it is comparable to the great "Dark City," by the same director, Alex Proyas. That film was about the hidden nature of the world men think they inhabit, and so is this one. The plot involves the most fundamental of all philosophical debates: Is the universe deterministic or ...
Review: 'The Last House on the Left'
I have seen four films inspired by the same 13th-century folk ballad: Ingmar Bergman's "The Virgin Spring" (1960), Wes Craven's "The Last House on the Left" (1972), David DeFalco's "Chaos" (2005) and now Dennis Iliadis' remake of the 1972 film, also titled "The Last House on the Left."
Review: ‘Race to Witch Mountain’ is innocuous family entertainment with a likable cast
Before the sneak preview of "Race to Witch Mountain," they had a little quiz show and gave away T-shirts. One question: "Who plays Jack Bruno?" Half the audience roared, "The Rock!" Not one lonely vote for Dwayne Johnson.
'Watchmen' reviewed by Ebert and Lemire
Four Stars After the revelation of "The Dark Knight," here is "Watchmen," another bold exercise in the liberation of the superhero movie. It's a compelling visceral film - sound, images and characters combined into a decidedly odd visual experience that evokes the feel of a graphic novel. It seems charged from within by its power as a fable; we sense it's not interested in a plot so much as with the dilemma of functioning in ...
Oscar wins for 'Milk'
Sean Penn amazes me. Not long before seeing "Milk," I viewed his work in "Dead Man Walking" again. Few characters could be more different, few characters could seem more real. He creates a character with infinite attention to detail and from the heart out.
'Fired Up'
After the screening of "Fired Up," one of my colleagues grimly observed that "Dead Man" was a better cheerleader movie. That was, you will recall, the 1995 Western starring Johnny Depp, Robert Mitchum, Billy Bob Thornton and Iggy Pop. I would give almost anything to see them on a cheerleader squad.
The best 'Friday the 13th'
"Friday the 13th" is about the best "Friday the 13th" movie you could hope for. Its technical credits are excellent. It has a lot of scary and gruesome killings. Not a whole lot of acting is required. If that's what you want to find out, you can stop reading now.
Confessions of a Shopaholic
I liked "Confessions of a Shopaholic" about as much as I disliked "Sex and the City."
The International -- Style meets substance
"The International" is equal parts globe-trotting thriller and architecture porn, as perfectly crystallized by its mind-blowing central set piece - a seemingly endless shootout at the Guggenheim Museum.
'Coraline'
The director of "Coraline" has suggested it is for brave children of any age. That's putting it mildly. This is nightmare fodder for children, however brave, under a certain age. I know kids are exposed to all sorts of horror films via video, but "Coraline" is disturbing not for gory images but for the story it tells. That's rare in itself: Lots of movies are good at severing limbs, but few at telling tales that ...
'The Pink Panther 2'
If there's a huge error behind "The Pink Panther 2" - other than the mistake of producing the sequel in the first place - it's pairing Steve Martin with John Cleese, then failing to capitalize on their potentially explosive verbal exchanges.
‘He’s Just Not That Into You'
"He's Just Not That Into You" isn't exactly a romantic comedy - at least, not in the most traditional sense. Yes, the characters work themselves into the same sorts of tizzies over falling in and out of love - or finding love in the first place - but mixed in with the fizziness is an unexpected seriousness, an attempt at injecting realism and even failure.
‘The Reader’ is Hard to Love
As in 2002's "The Hours," director Stephen Daldry and screenwriter David Hare's last pairing, "The Reader" has the flawless production values and sheen of prestige that make it easy to admire, yet an emotional detachment that makes it difficult to embrace fully.
‘Taken’ with Liam Neeson is a mindlessly entertaining and blissfully brief thriller
A great deal of the allure in "Taken" comes from the wild juxtaposition of its premise: the idea of Liam Neeson - esteemed, acclaimed, 56-year-old Liam Neeson - kicking all kinds of butt in a Euro B-revenge thriller.
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