Movie Reviews
Journey 2: The Mysterious Island IMAX 3D (8/10)
I had yet to be impressed by any movie shown in 3D since Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008). Generally the 3D is flat and the colors horrible. ... Full story
One for the Money (5/10)
Steve Cannell (The Rockford Files, etc.) introduced me to Janet Evanovich when I asked him what mystery writers he liked. I started reading her books (all of which have a number in the title, and it goes up chronologically, now on 18), and hers are the most consistently risible books I read. So I was looking forward to this film, especially when it stars Katherine Heigl, one of the most beautiful of Hollywood actresses. ... Full story
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (9/10)
Paramount is an oddly run studio. When I went to the screening at Paramount for Benjamin Button (2008), I asked for a list of cast and crew. I was told there wasn't one. I asked why not. They said they were trying to save money. ... Full story
Rise Of the Planet of the Apes (9/10)
The true star of this prequel (it started with the 1968 classic starring Charlton Heston) is the performance capture technology that enables Andy Serkis, who plays Caesar the Chimpanzee, to really look like an ape with intelligence. ... Full story
New Year's Eve (7/10)
These "calvacade of stars" movies are generally a complete waste of time. This one, directed by Garry Marshall, is better than most, mainly because Marshall knows his way around a comedy, plus he gets good performances from some members of his cast, like Zac Efron, Katherine Heigl, Jon Bon Jovi, and Michelle Pfeiffer, who gives her Diane Keaton impersonation. ... Full story
J. Edgar (1/10)
Clint Eastwood and Leonardo DiCaprio are to be commended for wanting to make an old-fashioned biopic, educating people on an American legend. But did they have to make it so long, boring, and uninformative? ... Full story
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (9/10)
So the big question is, why do a remake of a film that came out just last year? The answer? Money. The facts are stark. While the Swedish original collected over $94 million worldwide, it only collected a little over $10 million in the United States (translating to less than 1 million viewers). ... Full story
Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (3/10)
I didn't like Robert Downey, Jr.'s first iteration of Sherlock Holmes (2009) and I don't like this one, either, also directed by Guy Ritchie. If possible, I liked this less than the first. ... Full story
Margin Call (9/10)
I don't know if it is just me, but recently I have enjoyed the performances by the actors more than I have enjoyed the actual movies. The Ides of March was a pretty good movie, made exceptional by the performances of Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti. ... Full story
Red Riding Hood (8/10)
This isn’t the Red Riding Hood I remember from childhood. It’s much better. It also isn’t the horror film that advertisements would lead you to believe. In fact when I checked into my screening I asked if it would scare me. One lady said yes and the other said no. The “no” was right. It’s not a scary movie. ... Full story
CPJ says 46 Journalists Killed in 2011
An international media rights group says at least 46 journalists were killed worldwide last year, with Pakistan the deadliest country for the second year in a row. ... Full story