Home stretch: The must-see movies to view before the year is out
With throwaway action movies bridging the gap between the thrill of summer and the prestige of fall, here is the opportunity to examine what the… Read more »
Writer archives: Sam Littman
Splice : Euro slip: Latest Clooney thriller, The American,' chooses style instead of story substance
'The American'Director: Anton CorbijnStarring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Paolo Bonacelli2/5 popcorns Masked behind expressive depictions of the Italian countryside and smooth tracking shots, 'The American' contains… Read more »
Splice: Genre exorcise: 'The Last Exorcism' chills as 'real life horror film, but doesn't break mold
'The Last Exorcism'Director: Daniel StammStarring: Patrick Fabian, Ashley Bell, Louis Herthum3.5/5 popcornsWhile most faux-documentary horror films are littered with uninspired scares that build to a… Read more »
Splice : Young blood: Mysterious and powerful, 'Get Low' establishes Schneider as talent to watch
Director: Aaron SchneiderStarring: Robert Duvall, Bill Murray, Lucas Black, Sissy Spacek4/5 popcornsAn occasionally mesmeric drama worthy of its talent, 'Get Low' creates a feeling that… Read more »
Splice : Fool's mold: Even Carell cannot save routine comedy, 'Dinner For Schmucks'
Director: Jay RoachStarring: Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, Stephanie Szostak, Zach Galifianakis, Jemaine Clement Popcorns: 2/5 In his successful career, Director Jay Roach has been blessed with an abundance of comedic talent. Be… Read more »
Splice : Sweet dreams: Despite weak character development, 'Inception's' originality outweighs flaws
Director: Christopher NolanStarring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Marion CotillardPopcorns: 4/5 It's not surprising that when allotted a bottomless budget and complete creative control, director… Read more »
Splice : Chilled to the bone: 'Splice' bypasses pointless shock value for disturbing horror film
Director: Vincenzo NataliStarring: Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley4/5 popcorns The horror genre generally produces just one or two decent films a year. The medium practically requires… Read more »
Splice: Combustive Comedy
'Macgruber'Director: Jorma TacconeStarring: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Val Kilmer 3.5/5 popcorns A film that tries relentlessly to please its audience should not be confused with… Read more »
Bucket list: As summer approaches, there are 10 blockbusters, films to see before season ends
The summer movie season is all about mega-blockbusters and highly anticipated sequels that have the potential to inevitably disappoint fans of the movie's previous installments.… Read more »
Filmmaker to screen award-winning documentary, 'Fig Trees'
IF YOU GOWhat: 'Fig Trees' ScreeningWhere: Life Sciences AuditoriumWhen: Today, 7:30 p.m.How much: FreeA singing albino squirrel and unfair distribution of AIDS treatment drugs are… Read more »
Splice : Graphic Violence: 'Kick Ass,' honors source material with desensitizing violence, realism
'Kick-Ass'Director: Matthew VaughnStarring: Aaron Johnson, Chloe Grace Moretz, Nicolas Cage, Mark StrongRating: 4/5 popcornsQuentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' (2003) may well be one of the only films… Read more »
Dream Date: Quirky Chemistry between Carell, Fey places 'Date Night' ahead of romantic comedies
‘Dream Date'Director: Shawn LevyStarring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark WahlbergRating: 3.5/5 popcornsFeaturing a match made in heaven in the talents of Steve Carell and Tina Fey,… Read more »
Splice: Indie insight
When in the midst of an outpouring of brainless studio pictures, scanning the market for fine independent releases is always a smart move. With Roman… Read more »
Wet 'n wild: Hot Tub Time Machine soaks in raunchy humor and one-liners with self aware absurdity
'Hot Tub Time Machine' Director: Steve PinkStarring: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson, Clark DukeRating: 3.5 popcornsThe occasionally hilarious 'Hot Tub Time Machine' is the… Read more »
Splice : In the zone
'Green Zone' Director: Paul GreengrassStarring: Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Khalid Abdalla, Yigal Naor, Amy RyanRating: 4 of 5 popcornsNo filmmaker takes more pleasure in disorienting… Read more »
Fall from grace
'Alice in Wonderland' Director: Tim BurtonStarring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham CarterRating: 1.5 out of 5 popcorns With an uninspired remake of 'Alice in Wonderland,'… Read more »
Mental Case
Director: Martin ScorseseStarring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Michelle Williams, Ben Kingsley2.5 popcornsA brooding, hard-nosed and unrelentingly intense thriller, 'Shutter Island' is a virtual textbook of… Read more »
Old pro
'Crazy Heart'3 out of 5 Leave it to novice filmmaker Scott Cooper to bring out the full potential of actor Jeff Bridges' scruffy handsomeness, effortless… Read more »
Clean record
s Jason Reitman is ready to receive his second, and perhaps third, Academy Award nomination next Tuesday, the 32-year old director is also ready to… Read more »
Believe in the Hype
The post-apocalyptic wasteland in which 'The Book of Eli' is set is an arid, crater-drizzled dust bowl populated by heartless outlaws and starving peasants. This… Read more »
The greatest movies of the 00's
Compiling a list of the best films of the decade naturally leaves one filled with regret, for such a brief list cannot possibly include every… Read more »
Heavy weights
Due to the recession, studios are now more conservative than ever when it comes to picking and choosing projects. As a result, there will be… Read more »
Family Matters l 'A Serious Man' beautifully portrays the trials and triumphs of a Jewish-American family
'A Serious Man'Directors: Joel and Ethan CoenStarring: Michael Stuhlbarg, Richard Kind, Fred MelamedGrade: AThe Coen brothers' newest production is their most personal work to date,… Read more »
Close call
'Where the Wild Things Are'Director: Spike JonzeStarring: Max Records, Catherine Keener, James GandolfiniGrade: C+Maurice Sendak's sublime distillation of childhood fears and wonderment is so beloved… Read more »
