-
WALL·E (2008): A-
WALL·E is Pixar’s most overtly political film, but more impressive than its ecologically minded message is its modestly profound portrait of loneliness, obligation and the desire for reciprocated affection. On an abandoned future Earth – its skyscrapers standing alongside towers of garbage, its horizon mucked up by endless fast food billboards, and its dusty atmosphere…
-
Wanted…and Left Wanting
Lots of new reviews for this Saturday evening – most of them negative – including my thoughts on this weekend’s big action film Wanted (which underutilizes a fierce Angelina Jolie), as well as the July 4th weekend tentpole release, Hancock (which only pretends to be unconventional). Happy Independence Day, all. Now Playing: Wanted (Slant magazine)…
-
Back on Track
No more NBA playoff-related excuses – it’s time to get these blog posts up-and-running on time once again. For now, here’s a belated link dump, full of new review goodness. Now Playing: Expired (Slant magazine) Coming Soon: Made in America (Slant magazine) Elsa and Fred (Slant magazine) Finding Amanda (Slant magazine) Beautiful Losers (Slant magazine)…
-
Get Smart (2008): C
TV’s Get Smart was a trifle hardly worthy of big-screen treatment, but given that Warner Bros. greenlit the project, couldn’t someone have actually put some effort into making it mildly entertaining? Peter Segal’s comedy concerns CONTROL rookie agent Maxwell Smart’s maiden mission against evil terrorist outfit KAOS, though the particulars of his assignment – something…
-
Smashingly Meh
The Incredible Hulk isn’t as good as Ang Lee’s Hulk. And M. Night Shyamalan’s The Happening isn’t very good at all. What a weekend for summer movies! Today: The Incredible Hulk (Slant magazine) The Happening (Slant magazine) Chris & Don: A Love Story (Cinematical) Human Rights Watch International Film Festival 2008: A Promise to the…
-
The Mother of Tears (2007): C
Dario Argento has been inadvertently parodying himself for years, and that trend unfortunately continues with The Mother of Tears, yet another of the horror maestro’s futile attempts to recapture the magic that made his seminal ‘70s giallos so bewitching. As with his contributions to Showtime’s Masters of Horror series, Argento’s latest feature functions as an…
