rdquo; knocked it out of the park, huh? at the next Masters of the Hollywood Universe fete. That sounds fun, doesn’t it? I’d go to a party like that. This weekend is a little smaller, but looking good nonetheless. A number of foreign films that have done well in the festival circuit, and the latest eyefeast from Burton and Co. hit theaters today, providing quite a lot of competition – if not dazzling CGI and budget – for the massive blockbuster winner of last week. Let’s see how they measure up.
playing Barnabas, a wealthy landowner-turned-vampire that is awoken after a 200-year nap in the ground, only to find that his descendents have squandered his fortune and good name. who may or may not be the reincarnation of his soul mate. Though the sets and costumes are terrific, typical of Burton’s stellar visual style, the story hardly matches up. There is little sense of structure or consistency through the film, and many potentially interesting plotlines are left frayed or just unfinished. Moreover, the raucous wall-to-wall soundtrack and less-than-great performances make for a fairly unpleasant viewing experience. co-star as Barnabas’ motley crew of a modern-day family, yet none of these stars brings their A-game. says the film “is, at its absolute best, an awful movie, an unfocused mess, and a top-notch piece of production and costume design in search of a story.
rdquo; is back! plays Frank, a recently terminated insurance agent who has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Feeling simultaneously furious and helpless, he decides to get back at a sick, twisted, terrible world by assassinating a spoiled brat reality television star. encourages him to continue on a murderous cross-country spree, joining the righteous crusade against the social ills of America. The blackly humorous moments (Frank and Roxy take out several self-absorbed teenagers talking on their cell phones during a movie) are balanced with acute parodies of some of the foulest figures in entertainment and politics, all the while providing a truly humanist, and even optimistic, perspective. says, “Goldthwait’s latest is a big accomplishment, and it puts him on a plane alongside some of the movies’ best satirists and social commentators, balancing humor with substantial insight and easy outrage with more difficult truth. we noted that "while still occasionally humorous amidst its lazy-boy-chair narrative, you expect much more from a film that initially sells itself as a counter-culture handgun wedged in your mouth. If you're going to assassinate loathsome targets it might be nice if the attack was deeper than using dynamite on a barrel of fish.
author of the source novel, opens in theaters this weekend. again) as she ditches her drunken parents in Nebraska for a better life in Las Vegas. Yes, well, you see how the story is set up now. who acts as this poor young thing’s mentor (and drug supplier). Moretz is wonderful, but the script is awful: each moment of terror and pain that Luli experiences is somehow undercut by humor or Americana charm, or both. calls the film “a classic example of how not to handle transgressive material involving teens and pre-teens -- and as an object lesson for a young filmmaker in what missteps and clumsy errors to avoid. lsquo;Hick’ was intended to be a calling card for all parties involved to point at as evidence of their talent and bravery; instead, it's a black blot of shame for everyone who had a part in its making.
is a containment action thriller that lobs its characters into a claustrophobic, tense environment from which escape is the only goal. and uses him to ransom a boatload of cocaine the cop stole. The two make a deal, and agree to meet at Marciano’s nightclub, but their exchange is hijacked by the arrival of other police officers that immediately finger Vincent and relieve him of the drugs. Suddenly, Vincent is running from the mob and the cops alike, all while trying to save his son. Humanized villains, a hero that’s just as much gangster as good guy, and abundant plot twists generate a film that’s as exciting as it is smart: the story is peppered with intriguing and multi-dimensional characters that keep the audience wondering about their respective fates. says, “as a whole, ‘Sleepless Night’ is not unlike its central location in that it’s less uniquely designed than just extremely well-crafted, combining a variety of familiar ideas into one cohesive, streamlined and supremely effective effort.
rdquo; is the rare film told from a child’s perspective that actually uses a child’s perspective, not one synthesized through cuteness and precociousness machines to make it suitable for adult viewers. The movie uses a free-spirited, childlike tone and child actors to explore the adult-geared complexities of two brothers separated by their parents’ divorce. Fully fleshed-out characters, strong performances, stylish and beautiful cinematography, and a solid script that is as devoted to the small moments as it is to the big, create a delightfully realistic and moving film. comments on the themes “explored by Koreeda with such a deft, nuanced hand that it seems as if the gifted filmmaker must know something we don't. It's probably more realistic that he's just a good listener; he pays attention to the little things. One thing's for sure: he clearly knows how to work with child actors, and he's successfully filtered all those themes through the perspective of children.
rdquo; is a quiet Chilean film that packs a powerful message and a big dose of painful authenticity. begins a complicated charade that involves writing a novel of his own that he can later type. When Julio uses his own history – the story of a lost love – as inspiration for the book, and his current lover begins to read it, the power of communication, honest and otherwise, becomes apparent. Jiménez’s talented direction and wonderful acting further solidify the film. last year – finds victory and tragedy in the slices of life. says the film “succeeds without having the vulgar energy of style or genre or sex or violence or controversy to drive it forward. Like the miniature tree-shaping art it's named for, ‘Bonsái’ reminds us that just because something's small and finely crafted doesn't mean it can't be beautiful enough to evoke big ideas.
are bored with the distinct non-rock-and-roll-dom of their 10-year relationship and thirtysomething selves, and decide to rekindle the fire of their youths with a road trip along the California coast while their home in LA is (of course) remodeled....
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