Review for The Dark Knight: The IMAX Experience - Must Go! - Simply the Best Comic Movie Ever What a tremendous film this was. When it was over, I really couldn't do anything except clap and shake my head. It transcendent of a comic book film and took more the shape of an urban crime drama, that incorporated certain fantastic elements.
Though I think very highly of a number of films from this genre, this is the only one I rank a 10. It's just masterful. The character portrayals (especially as compared to their comic counterparts), the thematic messages, the action sequences etc. I was most impressed with the Batman/Joker dynamic; it's one of the finest rivalries in all of fiction and was a joy to see come to life in such a manner.
The Dark Knight does live up to it's PG-13 rating. The violence, implied and shown, isn't really child's fare. However, for those of us who are into or beyond our teenage years, this is a sure treat. The message of heroism is resoundingly trumpeted in an end exchange that truly speaks to why Batman continues to captivate audiences. Review for The Dark Knight - Must Go! - Blown away This is a must see summer blockbuster. Full of plot twists and turns, plenty of action and drama, it kept me engrossed from beginning to end. I would make a strong recommendation,however, against younger viewers who might be affected by the late Heath Ledger's commanding yet incredibly dark portrayal of the Joker. Christian Bale gave a great performance as well, although the husky Batman growl began to bother me a bit after after awhile. The film itself is beautifully taking us along to the dizzy heights and the lower depths of Gotham. I loved every second of it from parts that choked me up to the parts that made me gasp out loud. I plan to work up the nerve to see it again in IMAX, because it is worth a second viewing. Enjoy! Review for Tropic Thunder - Must Go! - Tropic Thunder I thought it was insanely funny, the whole theater was cracking up especially the character simple Jack. With a team of comedians like that it had to be. The story and plot were great! But it is not a movie for those who are always taking movies too seriously like the PC's and the race rioters. If you want to laugh then go see this movie now.
L.A. Times - Movie Reviews
'Beautiful Losers' is a freewheeling portrait of modern artists Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700 Also reviewed: 'I Served the King of England'; 'Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone Wild!'
The age-old question "What is art?" is again considered in the colorful and spirited documentary "Beautiful Losers," an absorbing look at how a circle of dispossessed young artists from the 1990s eventually found its way to mainstream success.
'Red' Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700 Small-town rifts are convincingly exposed as hatred is unleashed.
In "Red," an elegant and deceptively straightforward dramatic thriller, Av Ludlow (Brian Cox) is out fishing one day with his old dog when a trio of teenagers comes along and shoots the pooch dead for no reason. That act of violence sets in motion a chain of events that profoundly changes the characters, with effects more far-ranging than any can imagine.
'Babylon A.D.,' 'College,' Disaster Movie' reviews delayed Fri, 29 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0700 Film distributors decline to make the movies available for early screenings.
"Babylon A.D.," a PG-13-rated science-fiction film starring Vin Diesel; "College," an R-rated comedy starring Drake Bell; and "Disaster Movie," a PG-13 spoof, open in theaters today. The films' distributors -- 20th Century Fox, MGM and Lionsgate, respectively -- did not screen the movies for critics.
Movies
Trouble the Water Richard Brody Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:00:00 -0000 The Film File Tropic Thunder Anthony Lane Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:00:00 -0000 The Film File Momma's Man Richard Brody Mon, 25 Aug 2008 04:00:00 -0000 The Film File
Rolling Stone Movie Reviews
Trouble the Water Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:31:14 -0700
Starring:
Kendall "Wink" Rivers, Scott Roberts
Review:
A star is born. Her name is Kimberly Rivers Roberts. Your never
heard of her. Not yet. Roberts didn't write or direct Trouble
the Water, the behind-the-camera artistry in this wallop of a
movie is handled by the extraordinary team of Tia Lessin and Carl
Deal. Trouble the Water is a documentary, an unforgettable
one. It's an account of Hurricane Katrina from the inside. Kimberly
Rivers Roberts and her husband Scott Roberts were stuck in New
Orleans, without the money to get out. So they stayed and helped
their neighbors and shot footage of Katrina as she attacked,
footage like you've never seen, jaw-dropping scenes of the city
before, during and after Katrina struck. The heroism on view here
is indisputable. You never see fear as Kimberly, 26, rushed to help
her friends and...
Rating:
3.5 Stars
Vicky Cristina Barcelona Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:51:48 -0700
Starring:
Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Scarlet Johansson
Review:
Woody Allen goes latin (you heard me), and the romantic, richly
comic result — powered by a dream cast — is his sexiest
movie ever. Shooting in Spain has loosened up the Woodman. You want
plot? Two American girls, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina
(Scarlett Johansson), spend the summer at the Barcelona hideaway of
Vicky's pals, Mark (Kevin Dunn) and Judy (the ever-glorious
Patricia Clarkson). No sooner do the girls spot Juan Antonio
(Javier Bardem), a bedroom-eyed painter, than he's hitting on both
of them. So far, so predictable. What sparks the movie is
Penélope Cruz as Maria Elena, the painter's ex-wife, a
fireball given to strong emotions — hell, she once stabbed
Juan Antonio during an argument. You haven't lived till you've
heard Cruz and Bardem trading Woody Allen o...
Rating:
3 Stars
Hamlet 2 Mon, 04 Aug 2008 11:46:18 -0700
Starring:
Steve Coogan, Catherine Keener
Review:
Don't expect a night with The Bard. This cuckoo farce asks: Can an
L.A. actor stuck doing ads for herpes cures find happiness by
moving to Tucson and teaching drama to high schoolers? Probably
not. But you'll be wearing a happy face for two hours watching the
brilliant Brit comic Steve Coogan play him. Him being Dana Marschz
(pronounced Mars-chhh-zzz by those who dare), a sterile
recovering alcoholic who gets slagged regularly by a snotty kid
critic for staging movies (Dead Poets Society, Erin
Brockovich) as plays. "He fisted us," cries Dana. Pumped by
the addition of Latin students to his class of whitey Christians
and closeted gays, Dana rouses himself — not with his wife
(the dry, dazzling Catherine Keener), who's boinking their friend
(David Arquette), but by creating an original...
Rating:
3 Stars
Rotten Tomatoes: Top Movies
84% Tropic Thunder Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:05:02 -0700 With biting satire, plenty of subversive humor, and an unforgettable turn by Robert Downey, Jr., Tropic Thunder is a triumphant late Summer comedy. 40% The House Bunny Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:05:02 -0700 Anna Faris is game, but she can't salvage this middling, formulaic comedy. 40% Death Race Fri, 29 Aug 2008 14:05:02 -0700 Mindless, violent, and lightning-paced, Death Race is little more than an empty action romp.
NPR Topics: Movies
'Year Of The Fish': A Cinderella Story, In Chinatown Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:15:00 -0400 A pretty, plucky heroine, a wicked massage-parlor proprietress, and a handsome-prince figure more perceptive than most — this modern fairy tale stays breezy, brisk and down to Earth. Summary Judgment: Yet Another 'College' Movie? Fri, 29 Aug 2008 13:00:00 -0400 Do we really need another SuperBad-esque comedy? Slate.com's Mark Jordan Legan tells us what the critics are saying about College as well as the latest sci-fi flick, Babylon AD starring Vin Diesel and Traitor starring Don Cheadle. 'Trouble The Water' Captures Katrina On Camcorder Fri, 29 Aug 2008 11:05:00 -0400 As New Orleans' levees buckled, Kimberly Rivers Roberts turned her video camera on marooned friends, relatives and neighbors. Roberts' footage has been adapted into a powerful documentary that is as much about America as it is about the deadly storm.
NYT > Red Carpet
The Lawsuit Over Producer Credit for 'Crash' Gets Personal SHARON WAXMAN Thu, 09 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0400 A top executive of the movie academy described one of the producing team behind the best-picture winner, "Crash," as throwing a tantrum in suing over credit for the film. News Analysis: Los Angeles Retains Custody of Oscar DAVID CARR Tue, 07 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0400 Los Angeles, a place where race is discussed rarely, saw itself in "Crash," a film where encounter and understanding are just a random fender-bender away. 'Crash' Walks Away With the Top Prize at the Oscars DAVID M. HALBFINGER and DAVID CARR Mon, 06 Mar 2006 00:00:00 -0400 In a stunning twist, the motion picture academy turned its back on "Brokeback Mountain," awarding the Oscar for best picture to "Crash."
Village Voice | Films
A Dreyer Duo—Day of Wrath at the IFC and Vampyr on DVD Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500 Before there were Luis Buñuel, Robert Bresson, Ingmar Bergman, or Andrei Tarkovsky (not to mention Lars von Trier, Carlos Reygadas, and Guy Maddin), there was Carl Theodor Dreyer (1889–1968), the original solitary, uncompromising film artist.
A product of the Danish film indu...
Disaster Movie Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500 In the Adam Sandler vehicle Little Nicky, Hitler spends eternity in Hell in a frilly smock getting pineapples shoved up his butt. Compared to anyone watching Disaster Movie, he got off light. Rushed into production with no better drape for its threadbare gags than Cloverfield...
John Carpenter Lives in a BAM Retrospective Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:00:00 -0500 I'm not sure if John Carpenter ever actually spoke the oft-reproduced quote: "In France, I'm an auteur; in Germany, I'm a filmmaker; in England, I'm a genre director; in the U.S., I'm a bum." But as an Old West newspaperman once advised a certain U.S. senator: "When the legend becomes fact, print...
American Film Institute - Dedicated to identifying and training the next generation of film makers. Guide to workshops and schedule of exhibitions.
American Motion Picture Society - Hosts the American International Film Festival. Membership information, festival details and history, film submission information, and links.
Association of Film Commissioners International - Network of film liaison professionals worldwide.
Meta Description: [ Association of Film Commissioners International - Global Resources for Global Production ]
BAFTA East Coast - The British Academy of Film and Television Arts provides overview of organisation, news and information on events and membership.
Meta Description: [ BAFTA East Coast, The British Academy of Film and Television Arts East Coast ]
Centre for Cinematic Research - Endeavours to bring together international professionals from various branches of film studies. General information, seminars, and journal.
Chicago Institute for the Moving Image - Nonprofit organization that encourages filmmakers to take responsibility for the way their films affect their audiences. Includes details of current projects and information on events.
500Cinemedia - Encourages and assists the development, production, exhibition and knowledge of film, television and new media in Australia.
Meta Description: [ The Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) is a world-leading centre for experiencing the moving image in all its forms - film, television, internet, games, video and digital media. ]
Cultural Industries: Cinema and audiovisual media - UNESCO encourages the design of national or regional policies in the field of cinema and audio-visual, in order to create environments conducive to development.
European Children's Film Association - Organization for those interested in high quality films for children and young people.
Meta Description: [ ECFA is the organisation for all, who are interested in high quality films for children and young people: film makers, producers, promotors, distributors, exhibitors, TV-programmers, festival organizers and film educators. ]
Florida Motion Picture and Television Association - Organization of Florida motion picture and television professionals. Officers, events, membership information, contact information, newsletter, and links.
Latin-American Cinemateca of Los Angeles - Nonprofit viewer-sponsored film exhibition and cultural organization dedicated to supporting and cultivating every aspect of Latin-American cinema.
Media Resource Centre - South Australian organization providing support for local filmmakers. General information, membership details, support service details, and job opportunities.
Muse Film and Television - Non-profit company which uses film and digital media to create films on the visual arts and culture. Background information, and synopses of films produced as well as projects in development.
National Black Programming Consortium - Non-profit media service organization devoted to the preservation, production, distribution and promotion of diverse film and videos about African Americans and the experiences of the African Diaspora.
Meta Description: [ NBPC funds, commissions, acquires, and rewards grants to producers and directors of quality films and video projects that reflect African Americans and the African Diaspora. ]
National Projects - A civic-minded organization dedicated to the artistic production, presentation and promotion of the motion picture medium.
Omni Short Films - Extensive interactive on-line selection of short films from around the world. Omni distributes in all media.
Meta Description: [ Omni Short Film Distributor ]
Puerto Rico Film Commission - Non-profit organization aims to provide resources for audiovisual production as well as to promote the development of the film industry in the region. Background, locations, resources, local details, and links.
Meta Description: [ Puerto Rico Film Commission ]
Real Institute - A nonprofit film events organization based in Gwynedd, North Wales. Background information, members, and links.
Meta Description: [ Real Institute is a voluntary not-for-profit arts organisation, providing North Wales with a wide range of high quality entertainment together with opportunities for artists. ]
Swiss Film Center - National agency for promotion of long feature and documentary films. Site available in Dutch, English and French.
Meta Description: [ SWISS FILMS ]
The Dove Foundation - Suggestions, reviews and approval information on family-oriented movies and videos.
Meta Description: [ The Dove Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to encourage the creation, production, distribution and consumption of family friendly movies, videos, network television and video games. ]
The Florida Room - Aims to facilitate the collaboration of local arts and community organizations and to aid in the development of existing venues for artists to present their work. Overview programs, staff, and links.
Meta Description: [ The Florida Roomª and its Documentary Film Festivalª, are a new concept in promoting community building amongst Miami and Miami Beach's artistic constituency. ]
The Hollywood Sign Trust - View The Hollywood Sign from six Panasonic security cameras and learn about the Hollywood SignTrust and how it helps maintain the Hollywood landmark.
Meta Description: [ View The Hollywood Sign from six Panasonic security cameras and learn about the Hollywood SignTrust and how it helps maintain the Hollywood landmark. ]
The Irish Screen - Nonprofit arts organization promoting Irish directors, actors and cinema in Los Angeles.
Meta Description: [ The Irish Screen LA is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to the appreciate of the Irish Voice in cinema. ]
Young Artists Awards - A non-profit organization which awards scholarships to financially challenged and physically handicapped teens and younger individuals seeking a future in the entertainment industry.
Meta Description: [ Nominations and winners for Hollywood's Young Artist Awards - pictures of past & present winners! ]