Daily Archives: January 23, 2013

He’s a longer than long shot at the Oscars this year, but he’s nominated and he’s in that company. He’s box office, having mostly a string of hits under his belt as leading man. Let’s forget about “The Words.” And … Continue reading →

No big surprise here. Adele gives a little Top 40 Pop oomph to a show that is always scrambling to find a “youth audience” tune in trick. The real surprise would be if she did it as a duet with … Continue reading →

“Cold Weather” is a conventionally unconventional indie dramedy, one of those well-shot, thoughtfully-played movies that exists in the dead space that a Hollywood movie mystery would skip right past. This new example of the European fad “Slow Cinema,” by Portland … Continue reading →

Jason Statham is put on fine display in Simon West’s remake of the Charles Bronson hired-killer thriller, “The Mechanic.” We’re treated to the Statham stare, the Statham strut. And the Statham sternum. Because Statham wouldn’t be Statham without Statham shirtless. … Continue reading →

Take “Independence Day” and “Skyline” or pretty much any aliens-invade-L.A. thriller. Strip it of Will Smith and any one-liners the heroes might snap off upon killing a space invader. What you’ve got is “Battle: Los Angeles,” a straight-no-chaser war movie … Continue reading →

“Country Strong” is a little like modern country music — odd moments of sincerity, heart and authenticity peek through the plastic, the hype and the manufactured hokum. Moving once or twice, maudlin and mawkish the rest of the time, this … Continue reading →

Discuss This: Comments Off | Add to del.icio.us | Digg it Too cute, too star-studded and entirely too long, “How Do You Know” is a jocks’ romance that offers more proof that James L. Brooks has lost his fastball.  The … Continue reading →

“Little Fockers” is possibly the last and certainly the least among the trio of comedies about the power struggle between a nebbishy male nurse and his menacing, control-freak father-in-law. It’s a desultory, patchwork affair — competently made, comfortably played, but … Continue reading →

There are two movies titled “Casino Jack,” and both are about the infamous lobbyist, DC double-dealer and scandal magnet Jack Abramoff. And truthfully, you don’t need to see them both. If you saw Alex Gibney’s “Casino Jack and the United … Continue reading →

Ron Howard’s “The Dilemma” presents the viewer with one. Is it OK to laugh at what was plainly intended as a semi-serious relationship dramedy? Because the best scenes in this Vince Vaughn/Kevin James buddy picture, where one buddy’s wife is … Continue reading →