Archive for June, 2010
Friday, June 25th, 2010
Quick Picks
Brief takes on four films currently in theaters.
Comments Off - Posted in Film Review, NYC Film Critic by Ethan
Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010
Diaz Takes Knight
Knight and Day
Directed by James Mangold
Written by Patrick O’Neill
Starring Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaard and Viola Davis.
***
James Mangold’s new globe-trotting adventure/romance Knight and Day offers an interesting twist on The Bechdel Test, a three-step method of evaluating movies that often reveals just how sorely under-represented women are onscreen, particularly in big-budget Hollywood productions. [...]
Comments Off - Posted in Film Review, NYC Film Critic by Ethan
Tuesday, June 22nd, 2010
The Not-So-Dark-Knight
James Mangold, director of Walk the Line and 3:10 to Yuma, takes his first crack at a summer blockbuster with the Tom Cruise/Cameron Diaz chase picture Knight and Day. Read my interview with Mangold at Film Journal International.
Comments Off - Posted in Features, Film Journal International by Ethan
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Old Friends
Toy Story 3
Directed by Lee Unkrich
Written by Michael Arndt
Starring Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack and Ned Beatty
***1/2
You know, the world probably didn’t need a Toy Story 3. After all, its predecessor, 1999’s Toy Story 2, brought the adventures of Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the rest of Andy’s toys to a wholly satisfying and [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Film Review, NYC Film Critic by Ethan
Friday, June 18th, 2010
Woah Cowboy!
A comic-book cowboy few people have heard of gets a movie that nobody will see. Because it’s pretty terrible. Read my review over at Film Journal.
Comments Off - Posted in Film Journal International, Film Review by Ethan
Tuesday, June 15th, 2010
Doc-U-Rama
Reviews of three documentaries now in theaters.
1 Comment » - Posted in Film Review, NYC Film Critic by Ethan
Friday, June 11th, 2010
Wax On, Wax Off
The Karate Kid
Directed by Harold Zwart
Screenplay by Christopher Murphey
Starring Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan and Taraji P. Henson
**
Released in the summer of 1984, The Karate Kid remains a convincing and well-crafted coming-of-age story, a genre that’s often runs the risk of succumbing to contrivance and corn.
6 Comments » - Posted in Film Review, NYC Film Critic by Ethan
Thursday, June 10th, 2010
Not Bringing Their A-Game
The ’80s action-adventure show heads to the big screen courtesy of co-writer/director Joe Carnahan and I pity the fool who forks over good money to see it. Read my review over at Film Journal.
Comments Off - Posted in Film Journal International, Film Review by Ethan
Monday, June 7th, 2010
Firing Blanks
Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl make an excellent case for divorce as a mismatched married couple in the resoundingly unfunny action comedy Killers. Read my review at Film Journal.
Comments Off - Posted in Film Journal International, Film Review by Ethan
Saturday, June 5th, 2010
Science is Real
Whiz Kids
Directed by Tom Shepard
Co-Director: Tina DiFeliciantonio
Written and Edited by Jane C. Wagner
***
Growing up, I was never what you’d call a science whiz. I was interested in the subject sure, but didn’t have a real aptitude for it. In high school, biology and chemistry class were the twin banes of my existence and I [...]
