I can only assume that “Sadako” (not to be confused with Sudoku) grossed a whopping $16.8 million in Japan—about the same amount as the American blockbusters “Battleship” and “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”—because of its loose connection with “Ringu,” which you may remember as the J-Horror hit that Hollywood remade into “The Ring.” But […]
Blu-Ray Review: “Sadako” Read More »
James and I open this week’s edition of the Critic Speak Podcast with a new invention. Inspired by overwhelming listener feedback about James’ multiplex audience horror story from last week, we decided to put an original spin on the classic party game “Who Would You Rather?” using various movie theater patron stereotypes. The game runs
Critic Speak Podcast: Episode 8 Read More »
Given how pervasive the term “hipster” has become in the current cultural vocabulary, it’s astounding how few popular artworks have explored this segment of the population in any serious, human capacity (Lena Dunham’s HBO show “Girls” is the only one that immediately springs to mind). As a result, the relatively new social classification has remained
Review: “Frances Ha” Read More »
“The Hangover” series has turned out to be a lot like the titular post-inebriation state. There was an initial burst of wild fun that has given way to hours of pain and suffering that makes you wonder if the fun part was worth it in the first place. It is clear now that the first
Review: “The Hangover Part III” Read More »
Hello and welcome back to Box Office Beat, the column in which I predict the upcoming weekend’s box office results. After last week’s record-breaking Memorial Day frame, over which my predictions fared pretty well (10.3% off on the mondo-success “Fast & Furious 6,” 2.9% off on “The Hangover Part III,” and just 1.4% off on
Box Office Beat: Weekend of May 31 Read More »
This week on the Critic Speak Podcast, James and I are joined by screenwriter Jeremy Milks to review new theatrical releases “Fast & Furious 6” and “The Hangover Part III,” plus a couple of Steven Soderbergh films now available for home viewing, “Behind the Candelabra” (on HBO) and “Side Effects” (on Blu-Ray, DVD, and VOD).
Critic Speak Podcast: Episode 7 Read More »
“Fast & Furious 6” (or just “Furious 6,” if you go by the title card) is Justin Lin’s fourth film in this cash-machine of a franchise, and by any objective measure, the director has perfected the form. As the series has expanded its focus from street racing to action-heists with street racing involved, Lin has
Review: “Fast & Furious 6” Read More »
I’m genuinely eager to thumb through William Joyce’s picture book “The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs,” the credited source material for “Epic,” just to see how much in common the movie has with the 1996 text. That’s because the movie plays less like an original creation than the result of its (count ‘em)
Hello and welcome back to Box Office Beat, the column in which I predict the upcoming weekend’s box office results. After coming very close to nailing “Star Trek Into Darkness” last week, coming within three percent of its actual gross, I feel pretty good going into this four-day holiday frame. But with three new wide
Box Office Beat: Weekend of May 24 Read More »
“Star Trek Into Darkness” is not a film that will be hailed for breaking any new cinematic ground. Even to this critic, who regretfully hasn’t seen 1982’s “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,” which the movie apparently borrows heavily from, the story came across as little more than a chain of sci-fi blockbuster clichés.
Review: “Star Trek Into Darkness” Read More »
