Due Date, starring Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man 2) and Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), is essentially a modern retelling of the 1987 John Hughes classic, Planes, Trains and Automobiles. In that hilarious odd couple comedy, Steve Martin was a road weary salesman struggling to get home for Thanksgiving and, at the same time, trying to rid himself of a well-meaning but lecherous misfit, played by John Candy. The movie is memorable for the “where are your hands” motel scene, as …
Category: Reviews
I oftentimes find myself grossly swindled by movie trailers, but in the case of Clint Eastwood’s new “supernatural” thriller, Hereafter, the plodding, head-scratching trailer matched the contents of Dirty Harry’s movie to the letter. I read a review this morning opining that only Clint Eastwood could have directed such a lovely movie about life-after-death, but I wholeheartedly disagree on both points: This isn’t a movie about life-after-death (more on that later), and Clint Eastwood absolutely couldn’t be the only director …
After seeing Red, the new action comedy based on the comic book series of the same name, I just have six words on the tip of my tongue: Helen Mirren is one hot grandma. I know people who are 65 years old, just like Mirren, who look like they’re already have one foot in their casket, whereas Mirren could don a bikini and turn heads at the beach. But let’s be honest, Helen Mirren isn’t just a pretty face and …
Life As We Know It isn’t an average, ho-hum movie by any fault of its lead actors, the lovely Katherine Heigl (Killers) and the dreamy Josh Duhamel (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen), both of whom, while not close to Oscar-worthy, can succeed when blended with the right co-star. These two have great chemistry in Life As We Know It, but the movie barely grunts out a C grade because it’s schizophrenic. Is it a romcom? A dramedy? A serious film? …
The American is a masterful, intelligent movie built on the trust that director Anton Corbijn has in the audience’s brainpower. This well-placed faith allows us to peacefully enjoy the somber pacing and quiet details of The American, a far cry from most movies that force-feed viewers plot and character. In fact, watching The American is like reading literary fiction, particularly the kind that transports and leaves you feeling breathless. The portrait Corbijn paints is so vivid we can feel the …
From Old School to Elf to Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and even Land of the Lost (I think I might be one of a handful who actually enjoyed this movie), Will Ferrell has proven to be one of the funniest actors of the last decade. Mark Walhberg is in the same boat talent-wise. He’s no Oscar winner (literally), but he’s capable and solid, especially in The Departed, Three Kings and Boogie Nights. You’d think with these two …
By ANDY MORGAN There are very few movies I completely and utterly abhor. Generally, I can usually find something positive or likeable in a film, even if said cinema is receiving disgust and scorn en masse from most fall-in-line movie critics. I relish the truth that I don’t always see eye-to-eye with most critics and can find some thread of hope in Hollywood’s efforts. Such is not the case with M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender. I literally hated every …
By ANDY MORGAN Making fun of Twilight fans and bemoaning Stephanie Meyer’s novels and the subsequent movies is almost as easy as drumming up sarcastic jabs about Lindsey Lohan, Paris Hilton or Miley Cyrus. There’s no effort required. It’s easy. And it’s also out of control. It’s almost as popular to dump on the vampire-werewolf franchise as it is all the rage to scoop up Team Jacob or Team Edward paraphernalia at Hot Topic. Every time I see a teen …