The livin' is easy: Summer welcomes epic movie selection with some familiar faces
I’ve always loved writing about movies. There’s a creative freedom in losing yourself for two hours in a story onscreen, then sitting down and gathering… Read more »
Writer archives: Rob Marvin
Old-time hero: Jackie Robinson biopic is conventional, but inspiring, heartfelt portrayal of No. 42
When people think of symbolic sports figures triumphing over adversity, Jackie Robinson is one of the first to come to mind — the man who… Read more »
Celebrating 'Sandlot': Revisiting the most gloriously nostalgic kids movie of all time for 20-year anniversary
Every generation has an iconic childhood movie, the one that encapsulates the sense of naïve freedom and unabashed innocence only experienced while running around with… Read more »
Home of the brave: Eye-catching special effects, gratuitous violence drive predictably enjoyable patriotic action flick
Action movies have shamelessly ripped off “Die Hard” for 25 years. “Speed” was “Die Hard” on a bus. “Air Force One” and “Con Air” were… Read more »
Girls gone wild: Debauched, blood-soaked indie art film “Spring Breakers” accomplishes trippy, bikini-clad fever dream
Skrillex music blares as thousands of screaming bros and half-naked co-eds line a sunbathed Florida beach, bouncing and gyrating in booze-drenched ecstasy in the slow-motion… Read more »
Under the rainbow: ‘Wizard of Oz’ prequel is corny and clumsy and humdrum, oh my!
There’s no place like Oz – the weirdly wondrous land a ruby-slippered Judy Garland roamed with the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Cowardly Lion by her… Read more »
Tall tale: Amusing fairytale reboot provides mildly fun but forgettable entertainment
After Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” grossed more than $1 billion worldwide in 2010, every big studio joined the mad rush to churn out as… Read more »
Built to last: The Vanderbuilts release new album, prepare to graduate and keep playing music
It’s 6:15 p.m. at The Westcott Theater and The Vanderbuilts can’t get on stage for a sound check. The other bands are taking too long,… Read more »
Over the hill: Lifeless sequel is a B-movie stuffed with mindless action, a 'Die Hard' only in name
John McClane is one beloved action hero who should’ve stayed retired. Sadly, with the last two “Die Hard” sequels, he’s joined fellow aging icons Rocky,… Read more »
The Oscars preview: Inside the longest, most infuriating award show that people still watch anyway
Whether you watch the Oscars religiously, shun the mind-numbingly boring ceremony or watch just to yell at the screen, the 85th annual Academy Awards are… Read more »
Syracuse-based Indie-folk rockers The Vanderbuilts release new single
The Vanderbuilts are on the brink of releasing a second full-length album, and if “I Wish I Was A Saber Toothed Tiger” is any indication,… Read more »
25 Years of Die Hard: John McClane has aged a lot since 1988, but he can still kick your ass.
I was probably too young when I first watched “Die Hard” with my dad, but John McClane was the coolest guy I’d ever seen. I… Read more »
Dead like me: Cute but conventional zombie love story makes for amusing undead entertainment
A zombie outbreak has spread throughout pop culture for years, stampeding through movies, television, books and video games. A few gullible folks even think huffing… Read more »
Make it stop: Star-stuffed flick 'Movie 43' proves star power isn't enough to keep the movie from going down the drain
Public service announcement: The following situation may lead to a pointlessly wasted hour and a half of your life. You’re bored and looking for something… Read more »
Mad love: Passionate acting, lively writing spark unconventional, wildly entertaining 'Silver Linings Playbook'
Romantic comedies are disappointing by nature. Their whole concept is based on reinventing love from scratch, despite the fact we’ve been obsessed with it for… Read more »
Manhunt: It took more than a decade to find and kill Osama bin Laden. “Zero Dark Thirty” is the true story of what happened from 2001-11.
We all know when the story begins: Sept. 11, 2001. We all know when it ends: May 2, 2011 at a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.… Read more »
Floating away: Breathtaking visuals and moving lead performance buoy fantastical CGI adventure
Hollywood loves marketing films as “journeys of self-discovery”—a worthless umbrella phrase covering everything from “Forrest Gump” to “Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.” So… Read more »
Making history: Deft acting, nuanced filmmaking bring Spielberg’s absorbing ‘Lincoln’ to life
4/5 Popcorns “Lincoln” is a thinking-man’s movie. There are no grand-scale battles and few impassioned speeches. Instead, it’s an intimate window peering into the final… Read more »
License to thrill: Latest Bond film showcases talented cast against breathtaking backdrops
4.5/5 Popcorns There is nothing quite like a great Bond movie. The exotic locations, fast-paced action sequences, voluptuous Bond girls and the criminal masterminds —… Read more »
Virtual playground: Animated arcade quest is a winning combo of childish excitement and nostalgia
As a kid, it is often more fun to root for the bad guys. They’re cool, mischievous and a lot more interesting than the typical… Read more »
Time warped: Array of stars and eye-popping visuals can’t salvage convoluted adaptation
3/5 Popcorns If nothing else, “Cloud Atlas” is ambitious. The elaborately abstract story explodes on screen with bold vision. But like countless other adaptations churned… Read more »
Mission accomplished: Vivid direction, lively performances bring "Argo" to life
Spoiler alert: They get away. Before the movie even begins, everyone already knows Ben Affleck will get the six American hostages out of Iran. It’s… Read more »
Holy Shih Tzu: Dog-napping hijinks, eccentric actors tie together madcap comedy
4/5 Popcorns What do you get when you cross an alcoholic screenwriter, a psychotic gangster, two eccentric dog kidnappers and a fluffy little Shih Tzu… Read more »
Film festival lets students view movies through different lens
This weekend, films and filmmakers worldwide appeared in the Palace Theater, CNY Jazz Central and locations on the Syracuse University and Le Moyne College campuses… Read more »
