Daily Archives: February 1, 2013

Ghost Town serves as a very nice vehicle for the comedy stylings of Ricky Gervais, the Brit originator of The Office and showbiz-savvy (not really) star of Extras. Gervais does clueless, wounded misanthropy well, and his Ghost Town character, Dr. … Continue reading →

This must have been what that first night was like. Nijinsky passing on last-moment instructions to the dancers, musicians scratching their heads, Igor Stravinsky nervously taking his seat, and impresario Sergei Diaghilev grinning at the society swells in the audience … Continue reading →

Some movies are a more shared experience than others, and that’s certainly the case with “Paranormal Activity”, a micro-budget horror flick about things that go bump in the you-know-what in a nice new home. It’s opening in select college towns, … Continue reading →

The great ones get you, tell you their story, with just a look. The opening shot of “Conviction” has Oscar winner Hilary Swank lock eyes with the splendid Sam Rockwell. Just a couple of seconds of emotional screen foreshadowing and … Continue reading →

Maybe the world didn’t realize it needed a giddy Aussie Aboriginal High School Musical, but here it.  “Bran Nue Dae” is so cute and off-kilter you may wonder how we ever got along without it.

It’s dated, theatrical and over-the-top. In the 35 years since the play’s premiere, it still doesn’t cut black men a lot of slack. But Tyler Perry’s film adaptation of  Ntozoke Shange’s legendary 1970s play, “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered … Continue reading →

Israeli filmmaker Dror Moreh has earned prizes, near and far, for his Oscar nominated documentary, “The Gatekeepers.” Groups such as the National Society of Film Critics have singled him out not just for his film’s daring subject – he interviews … Continue reading →

All this “Argo” awarding — all the pre-Oscars honors for Anne Hathaway, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jennifer Lawrence and (maybe) Tommy Lee Jones has one wondering if Oscar night is already decided. Once the field was announced and the Academy had neglected … Continue reading →