NYC Film Critic

George Clooney gets political in the new drama The Ides of March, which he co-wrote, directed and starred in.  It’s a well-acted, competently-made movie that nevertheless manages to be vaguely disappointing.  I discuss why in my review over at TWoP.  Follow the links below to check out this week’s content.

Decoding The Ides of March
Indie Spotlight: The Human Centipede II and Dirty Girl
George Clooney, Actor vs. George Clooney, Director
I Want My DVD
Robot Duels We Most Want to See
TV on DVD
Martin Scorsese’s George Harrison Doc
American Horror Story recap
Up All Night recap
Community recap

It’s only September, but Jeff Nichols’ marvelous sophomore feature Take Shelter is sitting on top of my Best of 2011 list.  Read my review of this utterly unique American parable and the rest of this week’s TWoP content by following the links below.

Take Shelter: The Storm is Threatening
Margaret: The Only Living Girl in New York
50/50: Life As He Knew It
New York Film Festival Preview
Long Delayed Films
Life After Bond
I Want My DVD
TV on DVD
Community Recap
Serious Subjects, Funny Movies
Act Together, Stay Together?
TV’s Worst Alpha Males

I don’t generally get very personal in my reviews, but in the case of The Lion King it felt appropriate somehow.  I wanted to work through how this viewing of the film differed from my first seventeen years ago and also talk about how the movie played for my young son, who tagged along with me.  I’m quite pleased with the way the finished piece turned out; maybe we’ll try it again when his first viewing of Star Wars rolls around.  Check out that review and the rest of this week’s TWoP coverage below.

The Lion King: Fathers and Sons 
Drive: Ease on Down the Road
Restless: Live Like You Were Dying
Straw Dogs: Unleash the Hounds
I Don’t Know How She Does It: And I Don’t Care
Up All Night: Mommy’s Alright, Daddy’s Alright
TV on DVD
I Want My DVD
I Want My VOD
Working Moms in Movies
Ryan Gosling: Cinema’s Worst Boyfriend?

Jessica Chastain and Helen Mirren embody the past and present versions of the same Mossad operative in the new thriller The Debt, a passable potboiler that plays like the cinematic equivalent of good airplane fiction.  The actors elevate it, the ending almost ruins it.  Get my full thoughts over at TWoP and also check out my review of Kevin Smith’s latest and a post about the state of horror movies today.

The Debt: Keep On Playing Those Spy Games 
Red State: God’s Lonely Man
The Sorry State of Contemporary Horror Movies
I Want My DVD
TV on DVD
The Six TV Superhero Shows That Should Be Rebooted
Kevin Smith’s Most Hateable Characters
Five Thoughts About The Hunger Games Trailer

I’ve been off the past two weeks on vacation, but content has continued to be posted on TWoP in my absence.  Here’s a roundup of links to those reviews–including one for the new action acomedy 30 Minutes or Less from Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer–and features that have gone up since July 29.  Look for regular posting to resume this week.

30 Minutes or Less: A Star is Born
The Change-Up: I Don’t Want Your Life
Scenes From the 30 Minutes or Less Press Conference
I Want My DVD: August 9
I Want My DVD: August 2
TV on DVD: August 2
Fall Movie Preview: And the Nominees Might Be
Fall Movie Preview: Did Somebody Say Action?
Fall Movie Preview: Don’t Forget the Little Movies