5 Questions for Sarah Jessica Parker
May 27, 2008 - Videos | No comments
The mercurial star of Sex and the City answers five questions about her new, much anticipated film.
In Theaters: Young@Heart
April 14, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
Simply put, Young@Heart is one of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen, and one of the best films of the year so far. It chronicles a “senior” choir (average age is 78) as they prepare for a concert of rock, punk and contemporary jazz music. Be forewarned, there are tearful moments when some of the singers don’t make it to the concert, and the end credits reveal even more. Still, you’ll feel enlightened, uplifted and highly entertained by this stellar film. It’s on a platform release, so it might not be in a theater near you quite yet, but when it arrives, be the first in line to see it–you won’t regret it.
Straight from the House’s Mouth
April 8, 2008 - Film Reviews, Filmstew, Videos | No comments
What’s this? A confession of a man crush from one of TV’s best known curmudgeons? That’s right – straight from the House’s mouth, Hugh Laurie tells me he’s “more than a little in love” with his Street Kings co-star Keanu Reeves.“Does Keanu know this?” I ask. “No, he doesn’t,” Laurie responds with perfect deadpan dejection. “I used to leave little notes, but I wouldn’t sign them. One day…” Read more
In Theaters: Nim’s Island
April 8, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
Based on a popular children’s book of the same name, Nim’s Island is an excellent family film that allows children and adults alike to enjoy some good old-fashioned family fun and fantasies. Nim (Abigail Breslin) and her father (Gerard Butler), live on their very own tropical island, with seals, pelicans and lizards for companions. When something goes awry, it looks like Nim’s favorite adventure novel writer (Jodie Foster) is the only one who can save them. See Jodie Foster as you’ve never seen her before, doing broad comedy and even pratfalls. Now that she has two sons of her own, she’s more interested in doing family fare, and she does it splendidly. Rated PG
In Theaters: Be Kind Rewind
February 23, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
I think this film is terminally hip–either that, or I just didn’t get it. It takes place in an alternate universe where people still watch VHS tapes and are, at best delightfully naive, at worst as dumb as rocks. Mos Def plays a simpleton who works in a dusty, musty, condemned VHS store owned by a kindly, old, deceitful character played by Danny Glover. Jack Black plays the neighborhood crackpot who, while trying to sabotage the local power plant, becomes magnetized, walks into the store and erases all the video tapes by proximity. To keep from getting in trouble with the owner, who has gone out of town, Jack and Mos decide to do their own, lame, versions of all the tapes, mostly ‘80’s favorites like ‘Driving Miss Daisy,’ ‘Ghost Busters’ and ‘Robocop.’ Not my favorite film of the year, but then again, I’m not in the intended demo.
In Theaters: Charlie Bartlett
February 22, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
A ‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’ for this generation, ‘Charlie Bartlett’ is clever, charming and just plain fun. Anton Yelchin (’Alpha Dog’) stars as the wealthy, precocious teen who gets kicked out of private school and becomes a bathroom pseudo psychologist (complete with drug prescriptions) in an effort to be popular at his new public school. Hope Davis is adorable as his long suffering mother, and Robert Downey Jr. plays the principal in a cunning casting twist. You’ll find both laughter and tears in this well crafted flick. No need to compare it to ‘Juno,’ as many are doing — there’s plenty of room in theaters for two well-made films about high school life. Great for teens and adults.
In Theaters: In Bruges
February 18, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
Until I saw this film, I was completely nonplussed by Hollywood’s incessant infatuation with the hit man. But this brooding and original comedy about a couple of professional killers hiding out in Belgium made me see the light. I don’t care if Colin Farrell does have a potty mouth both onscreen and off, I think it’s sexy, and I believe he is superlatively talented. Farrell has remarkable chemistry in this film with his senior partner in crime, played by Brendan Gleeson. At this writing, Focus plans to open ‘In Bruges’ in a about 112 theaters at most, so you might have to travel to your nearest big city to see it, but it’s definitely worth the drive, especially with the dearth of other great films out this time of year. Enjoy the trailer below:
Teeth
February 18, 2008 - New on DVD, Videos | No comments
Call me perverted. Call me a misanthrope. Call me sick and twisted. But I think this clever film, about a high school girl who discovers (in the worst possible way) that she has the legendary, “Vagina Dentata,” is one of the most shockingly humorous movies I’ve seen in ages. Not one for the kiddies, of course, but it fulfills every woman’s revenge fantasies. It’s not a great date movie, either, especially if you’re hoping to get a little sumpin’ sumpin’ afterwards. But it’s ideal for a girls’ night out–best if one of you is going through a bad breakup. Just so you’ll know I’m not alone in my enjoyment of this film, it won a Special Jury Prize at Sundance last year, and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
Sweet ‘Caramel’
February 11, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
In Theaters: Fool’s Gold
February 11, 2008 - Film Reviews, Videos | No comments
Okay, even though we critics warned you about the new Kate Hudson/Matthew McConaughey movie ‘Fool’s Gold,’ you went and saw it anyway, didn’t you? You and everyone else paid a little over $22 million to see it, making it number one in its opening weekend. But you went on the strength of the chemistry between the two stars in ‘How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days,’ and you came away disappointed, because the plot was so ridiculously far-fetched and Matthew McConaughey’s mugging was unbelievably annoying, even if he did look amazing without his shirt on. Kate Hudson was adorable, as always, but that’s not enough to make the movie worthwhile. Told you so. (See video below)