Exchange Student: Woody Allen takes his affairs abroad again in Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

It used to be that you couldn’t get Woody Allen out of New York at gunpoint. For decades, New York City seemed to be Allen’s muse and inspiration even more... read on»

By Curt Holman posted August 14, 2008 12:00 AM

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Silly Salvo: Ben Stiller abandons subtle satire for broad gags in Tropic Thunder.

Ben Stiller is not a subtle guy. On his short-lived, self-titled Fox comedy series in 1992, Stiller oversaw some terrific satire, but the style was often broad. In the decade... read on»

By Scott Renshaw posted August 14, 2008 12:00 AM

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A Vine Romance: Bottle Shock’s filmmakers Randall Miller and Jody Savin pour it on.

When father-and-son winery owners Jim and Bo Barrett start to argue, they climb into a homemade boxing ring built in the dirt near their rows of vines. At least, the... read on»

By Shaun Brady posted August 14, 2008 12:00 AM

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Estate Tax: In this new version of Brideshead Revisited, times takes its toll on the film’s two protagonists.

I’m not sure that Evelyn Waugh, a Roman Catholic convert, would have endorsed this accomplished adaptation of his 1945 novel about the pre-World War II chasmic divides of class and... read on»

By Kimberley Jones posted August 07, 2008 12:00 AM

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High Times: Pineapple Express takes a funny but unfocused stroll through 1970s cinema.

Like Ric Ocasek and Paulina Porizkova, the match just did not compute. Screenwriters Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg were part of the Judd Apatow comedy stable, the guys behind the... read on»

By Scott Renshaw posted August 07, 2008 12:00 AM

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American Iconoclast: Skilled documentarian Alex Gibney trains his lens on Hunter S. Thompson in Gonzo.

Hunter S. Thompson wasn’t just a great storyteller; he was a great story himself, partly because he became his stories. As inventor of the “gonzo” style of journalism– with its... read on»

By David Lee Simmons posted July 31, 2008 12:00 AM

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Tell Everyone: Rousing French thriller Tell No One barrels along at a thrilling pace.

Tell No One, French director Guillaume Canet‘s excellent adaptation of Harlan Coben’s best-selling novel, has everything a great personal-paranoia/persecution movie needs: a citizen-hero who refuses to capitulate to unseen and... read on»

By Josh Rosenblatt posted July 31, 2008 12:00 AM

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R-rested Development: The vulgar immaturity of Step Brothers’ main characters extends to the filmmaking.

Brennan Huff (Will Ferrell) and Dale Doback (John C. Reilly) are 40-year-old losers, unemployed and still living at home with their respective single parents (Mary Steenburgen and Richard Jenkins) when... read on»

By Scott Renshaw posted July 24, 2008 12:00 AM

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Ready for ‘90s nostalgia? The Wackness is ill to the core.

The makers of The Wackness would like us to visualize its setting inside a concise set of coordinates: New York City in the early ‘90s, the era of Rudy Giuliani... read on»

By Kelly Vance posted July 24, 2008 12:00 AM

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Unbalanced Ledger: The Dark Knight delivers more than a menacing farewell performance.

Here is the ugly truth nobody at Warner Bros. can possibly utter aloud: The death of Heath Ledger will be good for The Dark Knight’s bottom line. Make no mistake,... read on»

By Scott Renshaw posted July 17, 2008 12:00 AM

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Bottom’s Up: Werner Herzog’s latest doc brings Antartica to the fore.

I have an idea for a terrific new board game– for kids of all ages! It’s called Where in the World Is Werner Herzog? ... read on»

By Marc Savlov posted July 17, 2008 12:00 AM

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The Big Picture: Will high-tech film formats like Journey to the Center of the Earth rekindle the love for movies?

Every generation or two, the pitched rivalry between cinema and video erupts into full-fledged war. At times wary allies, the movie house and the home entertainment system engage in a... read on»

By Curt Holman posted July 10, 2008 12:00 AM

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Father Hood: When Did You Last See Your Father? looks at a strained familial relationship.

Based on the British poet Blake Morrison’s written memoir, the film When Did You Last See Your Father? is a very particular yet universal story about the eternal knot between... read on»

By Marjorie Baumgarten posted July 10, 2008 12:00 AM

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Heroic Failure: Hancock does more damage than good.

The most awesome power of Will Smith’s comic-bookish dramedy Hancock is its ability to turn superhero clichés upside down. As John Hancock, Smith demonstrates talents comparable to Superman’s: incredible strength,... read on»

By Curt Holman posted July 03, 2008 12:00 AM

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Firing Blanks: Wanted has a serious gun fetish.

If Maxim magazine ever decides to branch out into filmmaking, Wanted is just the kind of ear-throttling nonsense it’s bound to produce. Based on Mark Millar’s ultra-violent comic-book miniseries of... read on»

By Josh Rosenblatt posted July 03, 2008 12:00 AM

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