67 posts tagged “theatrical review”

Released: April 18, 2008
Director: Nathan Frankowski
*****
As hosted by Ben Stein, "Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" purports to tell the story of why the creationism theory is "under attack." Quite simply, as we´re told in the film, the upper levels of scientific academia are slavishly attached to evolution and Darwin, rejecting any and all contrary opinions. Several professors and scientists recount their excommunication from the scientific community after merely mentioning intelligent design.
*****
Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed Review

Released: May 2, 2008
Director: Jon Favreau
*****
Tobey Maguire may be the quintessential Peter Parker while Patrick Stewart was a shoe-in for the role of Professor X. Jennifer Garner looked like Elektra and Hugh Jackman became a star based on Wolverine. But none of those casting choices holds a candle to Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark. From the first moment we see him, in an armored Humvee crossing the Afghan desert, he exemplifies the hard drinking, womanizing playboy the script demands him to be. There is a snark to him, an easy repartee with the entire cast. Even as the most sexist Marvel movie character, he ingratiates himself to the audience, making us fully aware of the words coming out of his mouth as well as the undeniable charm exuding from every pore of his being.
*****
The full Iron Man review

Released: April 25, 2008
Director: Michael McCullers
*****
It´s kind of sad, honestly, how much I was looking forward to "Baby Mama." Oh, I knew it would be a low-brow comedy, but with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and a cast of enjoyable actors, it couldn´t be any worse than the Judd Apatow productions from last summer. Besides, I personally find Fey to be a top notch comedian capable to rescuing just about any material from the gutter. Maybe my expectations were just too high. It´s not that "Baby Mama" isn´t funny-it is. It´s not that the story isn´t grounded in reality-it is. The narrative takes one turn too many, opting to introduce a character for no reason other than to give Fey´s Kate Holbrook a romantic interest. (Yeah, I know he has one other purpose, but that would be a spoiler.)
*****

Baby Mama Review

Released: April 11, 2008
Director: David Ayer
*****
"Street Kings" asks the audience to define corruption. Is a cop who goes outside the system to bring criminals to justice corrupt? How about a police department full of officers who watch each other´s backs in an off-the-books investigation when one of their own is killed? Is a commander protecting his subordinates when they get out line corruption? These are the questions the film poses to the audience and asks us to navigate as the characters work their way through a web of deceit and, yes, corruption.
*****

Street Kings Review

Released: March 28, 2008
Director: Robert Luketic
*****
Card counting is not illegal. That point is made several times, quite pointedly. So when Ben eventually gets found out (please, it´s not a spoiler…anyone who´s seen a movie knows it´s going to happen) and subsequently gets beaten up, a thought ran through my head: how is this legal? It can´t be, quite simply. A law suit would boil down to "he said, she said" most likely and bring undue media attention to the participants; as the movie tells us, though, it´s not illegal to count cards. Holding someone against their will, not to mention beating them up, has to be. It´s really the one false note in the film.
*****
21 Full Review

Released: March 18, 2008
Directors: Jimmy Hayward, Steve Martino
*****
On the surface, "Dr. Seuss´ Horton Hears a Who!" is a fun, decently paced animated adventure based on a 1954 book. Dig deeper, as some groups and critics have, and a whole new side to the story comes to light: the oft-repeated "a person´s a person, no matter how small" seems to suggest an anti-abortion approach by the good "doctor," not to mention a more ethical debate about standing up for the little guy. Seuss´ widow, Audrey, has maintained there was no political motive in creating the story, just the desire to create an entertaining read. There is one inalienable conclusion, regardless of the story, when it comes to Dr. Seuss on the big screen: stay away.
*****
Horton Hears a Who! Full Review

Released: March 7, 2008
Director: Roland Emmerich
*****
I can´t quite decide if "10,000 B.C." is a rich man´s "Pathfinder" or a poor man´s "300." Or maybe an ancient version of "The Lost World: Jurassic Park." How about an even older "Dances with Wolves"…only except wolves, woolly mammoths and saber tooth tigers roam the countryside. Whichever previous film director/co-writer Roland Emmerich´s latest takes its cues from, it still ends up being as tediously boring as the name suggests.
*****

10,000 B.C. Full Review

Released: February 22, 2008
Director: Pete Travis
*****
At a terrorism conference in Spain, the president of the United States is shot. Television cameras capture the attempted assassination. At a terrorism conference in Spain, the president of the United States is shot. A group of assassins put a plot into motion. At a terrorism conference in Spain, the president of the United States is shot. A vacationer captures footage on a video camera. At a terrorism conference in Spain…oh hell, you get the idea.
*****

Vantage Point, the full review

Released: February 14, 2008
Director: Doug Liman
*****

See, nothing much makes sense in "Jumper" and the story doesn´t much mind. It doesn´t mind to explain the teleportation mutation or anything about Roland´s organization…outside of a small mention of jumpers being against god´s plan. That´s where the film should have spent most of its time: exploring the history of jumpers and their pursuers, how the mutation develops and the like. If this is to be a franchise (based on the ending, Fox clearly has designs on making more "Jumper" films), the first installment has to explain the universe, bring the audience into it and deliver a standalone story.

*****

Jumper, the full review

Released: January 18, 2008
Director: Anne Fletcher
*****
When a movie comes along in a tired genre, say the romantic comedy for instance, it´s too much to expect the story to bring us something new. After all, according to convention, we know how the main character, usually a heroine, is going to end up with the right guy for her. We know him from all the other males by excessive screen time and an adversarial relationship with the heroine. They find their way towards one another through the film; some sort of manufactured drama comes between them before the eventual happy ending. Almost without fail, this is how romantic comedies run. Shockingly, "27 Dresses" doesn´t deviate from the formula, yet feels fresh, thanks mostly to Katherine Heigl and James Marsden.
*****

Read the full review of 27 Dresses.