It’s been two years since boy wizard Harry Potter graced the silver screen, and he’s not so boyish anymore. Fact is, Potter and the now monumentally famous actor who portrays him, Daniel Radcliffe, have become strapping young men, which seems appropriate for a fantasy saga that has grown increasingly bold and dark.
“Harry Potter and the [...]
Entries Tagged as ‘Movie Reviews’
July 15, 2009
Harry Potter is still magical
April 4, 2009
‘Witch Mountain’ is fun despite flaws
RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN
2 ½ stars (out of four)
Rated PG for sequences of action and violence, frightening and dangerous situations, and some thematic elements
98 minutes
Walt Disney Pictures
Disney’s re-imagining of the 1975 family adventure “Escape to Witch Mountain,” has its share of flaws but it’s still a likable feature, in large part thanks to the winning [...]
March 24, 2009
It’s worth watching ‘Watchmen’
WATCHMEN
3 stars (out of four)
Rated R for strong graphic violence, sexuality, nudity and language
162 minutes
Warner Brothers
“Watchmen” may be a superhero movie, but it’s got more in common with “Sin City” and “V for Vendetta” than the traditional caped crusader flick. That’s because it’s dark, gritty and built around a traditional detective story. It’s also because [...]
December 25, 2008
‘Doubt’ open to viewer interpretation
It’s no surprise when Meryl Streep turns in a powerhouse performance, but it is worth noting. So, let’s get that out of the way.
Streep is wonderful as Sister Aloysius Beauvier, the uber-strict principal of St. Nicholas Catholic School in the Bronx. The children fear her, the other nuns/schoolteachers treat her with kid gloves, and she [...]
December 19, 2008
Don’t kick ‘Slumdog’ to the rear
Feeling bad about America’s economic woes? Then settle into a screening of “Slumdog Millionaire,” director Danny Boyle’s fresh and inventive tale of a parentless Indian boy named Jamal who becomes a contestant on that country’s version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?”
Despite little formal education and a young adulthood spent in poverty, Jamal is [...]
December 11, 2008
‘Milk’ uplifting despite tragic ending
It’s difficult to imagine a film ending with a double homicide as uplifting, but “Milk” is exactly that.
No, it isn’t a spoiler to say that San Francisco supervisor Harvey Milk (Sean Penn) and Mayor George Moscone (Victor Garber) were murdered on Nov. 27, 1978, by former supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin). For West Coast residents, [...]
November 27, 2008
‘Transporter 3′ for action junkies only
It’s ordinary, silly and often borrows from other movies in its genre. In other words, “Transporter 3″ is exactly what one should expect from the second sequel in a franchise that has never really distinguished itself.
The main thing “Transporter” has going for it is star Jason Statham, who is a blast to watch when he [...]
November 21, 2008
‘Bolt’ is a canine classic
Disney’s latest animated adventure is about a perky canine who believes he can jump incredible distances, shoot lasers from his eyes and stop speeding military vehicles with his bark. And the film is appropriately super.
With a top-tier voice cast, likable characters and an endearing story, “Bolt” could wind up in the Oscar race for best [...]
November 21, 2008
‘Synecdoche’ a complex drama
Writing a newspaper-length plot synopsis for “Synecdoche, New York” is akin to explaining a complicated scientific principle in 100 words. Whatever is written will miss an important detail, overlook a plot point or simply come across as vague.
To be understood, “Synecdoche” must be watched. That’s because writer Charlie Kaufman (“Adaptation,” “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless [...]
November 14, 2008
Ask Forrest: Do others influence you?
Question: Sometimes, you are the dissenting voice on a picture, either one of the few critics who likes a universally panned movie or one of the few who hates a critical favorite. Does it bother you to be on the “wrong” side of the masses?
Answer: In a word, “No.”
Click here for full story: http://www.rgj.com/article/20081114/COL14/811140411/1117/ENT01
