Category Archives: Reviews, previews, profiles and movie news

The Hungarian World War II film “The Notebook” makes for a grim but utterly fascinating parable, a tale of compassionate, city-bred twins who teach themselves the cruelty they need in order to survive the horrors of war. The pre-teen boys … Continue reading →

Animators may use the same digital computer-assisted palette the world over, but the world is still diverse enough that distinct styles and sensibilities exist outside of the Disney/Pixar/Dreamworks/Sony orbit. “Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart” is a Franco-Belgian production adapted from … Continue reading →

There was a time when the tall, thin brunette Michelle Monaghan walked the catwalks of high fashion, appearing in shows from Milan to Hong Kong and on magazine covers of the late ’90s. But when she transitioned to acting for … Continue reading →

He made a big impression in “Zero Dark Thirty,” and the Venezuelan hunk has dazzled in such films as “Carlos,” built from the German TV series about the infamous terrorist, and in a “Bourne” movie here, a “Wrath of the … Continue reading →

It’s got Steve Carell as the unflappable “positivity” stay-at-home “fommy” dad, Jennifer Garner as the increasingly frantic breadwinner whose potty training book is about to get flushed, and kids hoping to get through a prom, opening night starring in “Peter … Continue reading →

Nothing blew up the tomatometer among this weekend’s new movie releases. There are no Oscar contenders in this lot, no potential blockbusters, but nothing as bad as “No Good Deed,” either. The Kevin Smith “comeback” “Tusk” is the worst reviewed … Continue reading →

The effects aren’t much and the story is something of a confused psycho-muddle. But the graphic novel adaptation “The Scribbler” travels to the screen in healthy doses of R-rated grit, gore and hedonistic sex. It’s about madness and sanity and … Continue reading →

This month’s “young adults save the future” film franchise is “The Maze Runner,” an indifferent quest tale about boys trapped in a gigantic maze with no idea how they got there. A teen boy (Dylan O’Brien) wakes up, screaming, on … Continue reading →

With its latest thriller, Universal arrives a day late and a few dollars short in the Liam “Particular Skills” Neeson revenge sweepstakes. “A Walk Among the Tombstones” has the veneer of high mindedness that the “Taken” movies lack. But it … Continue reading →

She’s one of the loveliest ladies ladies working in the movies. But Michelle Monaghan has a thing about dressing down and playing working class. Think of her in “Gone, Baby Gone,” or “Trucker.” And in “Fort Bliss,” she really delivers, … Continue reading →