Review: ‘Post Tenebras Lux’ Lacks Heart, Underwhelms
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Drama, Foreign, Foreign Language, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
What I mistook as ambition and mythology for Carlos Reygadas' decision to title his film, Post Tenebras Lux, in Latin ("Light After Darkness") was simply pretentiousness. Though the movie - shot in a 1:33 ratio - was undoubtedly as stunning as a Terrence Malick film, the semi-autobiographic pic was as self-indulgent as a Tyler Perry flick.
The Mexican film - which won the Best Director award at last year's Cannes Film Festival - is comprised of a series of vignettes, mostly centering on the lives of a family who has made the transition from city to country life. Reygadas' meditation on both internal and external human conflicts is too ambitious, resulting in a film lacking cohesion and theme.
(Do not read past the jump if you wish to avoid spoilers.)
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‘Hangover III’: the Hangover That Just Won’t End
Posted by Michael Porter Categories: Warner Bros, Sequels, Comedy, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
Toy Story 3, Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade and Return of The Jedi are some of the most well reviewed films of the last 30 years. They are considered great films despite being the third film in a successful franchise. The Hangover III won't go down in history as the worst threequel of all-time, but it definitely forces itself into the discussion with characters that haven't changed one bit since the first film and a stale formula that expired about 5 minutes into Part III.
One of the things the things the film has going for it is its return to gags that center themselves around the repartee (if you can call it that) between the three major characters. Too bad this film forces Leslie Chow down our throats for the majority of the 100 minute running time, whom I have deemed the Jar Jar Binks of comedy films. Okay, maybe he's not that bad, but part of the charm of Mr. Chow in previous Hangover installments was the fact that he showed up when we least expected it.
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‘The Internship’: A Watered Down ‘Wedding Crashers,’ Mostly Bores
Posted by Michael Porter Categories: 20th Century Fox, Comedy, Upcoming Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
The Internship is one of those comedies you keep hoping will be better but deep down in your heart you knew all along that it was really just a quick cash grab.
At least that's what I felt while sitting through the latest Owen Wilson and Vince Vaugh vehicle where they try to revive their struggling careers by taking on internships at of all places, Google. The central characters are mid 40's and after being fired from a sales company that has gone belly up, they embark on a trip to California to take internships at Google, the internet search king. Running gags ensue and much of the slang the kids use is meant to be seen as over the heads of Wilson and Vaughn. Almost all of the slang used by the young co-stars is very popular and the look of bewilderment on their faces would lead one to believe that the two actors were portraying characters in their 70's rather than 40's. This running gag gets old pretty quickly.
Click to continue reading ‘The Internship’: A Watered Down ‘Wedding Crashers,’ Mostly Bores
‘Somebody Up There Likes Me’ Produces Laughs, Provokes Reflection
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Independent, Comedy, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
If you're a fan of Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman and the quirky and often dry humor the series offers, you will enjoy Offerman's latest film endeavor, Somebody Up There Likes Me.
Written and directed by Bob Byington (Harmony and Me) with Offerman producing, Somebody Up There Likes Me delivers in plenty of laughs while holding up a mirror to the perpetual disaffected teens of today. The film follows Max (Keith Poulson) - an indifferent waiter at a steakhouse whose only friend is the delightfully sardonic Sal (Offerman) - whose life is a kiddie rollercoaster of troubled relationships coupled with a general lack of interest in life.
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The Hangover 2: In Review
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Warner Bros, Sequels, Comedy, New Releases, Theatrical Reviews,
If you liked The Hangover, does that automatically mean you should like The Hangover, Part II? Well, yeah… unless you expect too much from it. If you want to watch a very funny movie with plenty of call backs to its parent flick (you know, the reason it exists), and you’re excited about seeing lovable characters a second time around, you’ll absolutely enjoy The Hangover, Part II. If you’re expecting breakthrough comedy, deep meaning, something brand-new and never-before-seen, you might be disappointed… but why would you be expecting that?
Die-hard fans of the original probably aren’t, but the critics have been rabid in their dislike for the lighthearted sequel. It’s an almost-summer, holiday weekend ensemble comedy, and most movie reviewers are screaming for blood in their respective columns. Why? Because the movie isn’t original enough.
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Early Reviews for Iron Man 2
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Paramount, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Science Fiction, Sequels, Upcoming Releases,
While most have you probably decided months ago what you’ll be doing on May 7, there are some who may still be on the fence.
Should you be buying tickets to Iron Man 2 in advance? Or will the movie disappoint like many other blockbuster sequels out there? Here are some of the early reviews:
Hollywood Reporter: “Everything fun and terrific about Iron Man, a mere two years ago, has vanished with its sequel. In its place, Iron Man 2 has substituted noise, confusion, multiple villains, irrelevant stunts and misguided story lines. A film series that started out with critical and commercial success will have to settle for only the latter with this sequel.”
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Movie Review: Valentine’s Day
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Warner Bros, Romance, Comedy, Box Office, New Releases, Trailers, Videos,
Predictably, Garry Marshall’s Valentine’s Day massacred its competition at the box office this weekend, grossing an estimated $52.4 million from Friday to Sunday. But does the all-star flick live up to its huge ensemble cast, banner director and shockingly high ticket sales? Let’s review.
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Early Reviews for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Mystery, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Upcoming Releases,
As you were busy previewing HBO’s behind-the-scenes look at Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, others were gathering their thoughts about the entire film.
The Warner Bros. film debuts on July 15. Here are some of the early reviews for the series’ sixth installment:
Variety: “Dazzlingly well made and perhaps deliberately less fanciful than the previous entries, this one is played in a mode closer to palpable life-or-death drama than any of the others and is quite effective as such.”
Click to continue reading Early Reviews for Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Movie Review: Public Enemies
What better holiday weekend cinematic fare than having guns, explosions, and the incredible acting skill of Johnny Depp? Right? Well, you’ll get all of the aforementioned in Public Enemies, however, all three do not make this movie as great as you would like. Public Enemies is a story about notorious bank robber, John DIllinger (Depp) and his love for Billie Frechette played by Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard and the impossibility of that love, all things considered. Dillinger was Public Enemy number one to the United States, but also other crime syndicates, considering the heat his actions brought to the forefront.
Overall, the movie is only okay, but at times it seemed a bit too slow and if you’re the type that gets nauseous with shaky camera scenes, be forewarned. Understand, this is a Michael Mann-directed film, so there will be a lot of pore-revealing close-ups, which actually humanizes the actors, and handheld type shots. The acting is good, particularly from Depp, Cotillard, and Christian Bale, who does a way better job than he did in The Dark Knight. In any case, the problem with the movie is that it didn’t strike a good mix between the love story and the bad deeds of Dillinger or establish certain characters and why we should care for them.
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Review - Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Posted by Todd Matthy Categories: DreamWorks, Paramount, Action, Adventure, Science Fiction, Sequels,
I’ve been waiting for this. I’ve always been a Transformers fan, the original movie from 1986 is one of my favorites. When Michael Bay was announced as the director for the first film, I was skeptical. Then I saw it and found it to be an enjoyable romp, but wanted something more. Revenge of the Fallen gives me that something more. As in more robots, more action, and of course more Megan Fox. I really liked how Bay and the writers picked and chose aspects from Classic G1, the Japanese “Masterforce” series, the Dreamwave comics, and Armada to flesh out the story as well as Easter eggs to search for. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is exactly what you expect it to be; a big, loud, action packed popcorn flick that takes itself seriously enough that it doesn’t treat the material as a joke, while at the same time not attempting to recreate “War and Peace” with giant robots.
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