Sherlock Holmes -- Film Review
The only way to revive Sherlock Holmes for contemporary audiences is by turning him into Jason Bourne and hiring someone like Guy Ritchie to overload the senses with chases, fights, effects, editing, bombastic noise and music.
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St. George Shoots the Dragon -- Film Review
Serbia's entry in this year's Oscar competition is an ambitious World War I epic, "St. George Shoots the Dragon," that boasts striking visual effects, a skillful cast and a story that sometimes gets in the way of the impressive production.
Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel -- Film Review
Having successfully made the full-length CGI transition with their 2007 smash hit, Alvin and the boys apparently had nothing left to prove, judging how very little about this contractual obligation of a sequel feels fresh or inventive.
The Last Flight -- Film Review
Karim Dridi's "The Last Flight" mostly resembles the late Anthony Minghella's "The English Patient."
The Other Side of Paradise -- Film Review
A comically tinged road movie that represents quality regional filmmaking, "The Other Side of Paradise" displays enough talent in front of and behind the camera to compensate for its sluggish pacing and general air of familiarity.
L'Uomo Nero -- Film Review
Although the title of actor-director Sergio Rubini's "L'Uomo Nero" translates into "The Boogeyman" in English, it's anything but a horror story.
Did You Hear About the Morgans? -- Film Review
As with most mainstream comedies, you get nearly all of the story line and most of the best jokes in "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" from its trailer.
The Vicious Kind -- Film Review
A dysfunctional-family drama that manages to shed its air of familiarity thanks to intriguing characters, "The Vicious Kind" reveals writer-director Lee Toland Krieger as a talent worth watching.
Avatar -- Film Review
A dozen years later, James Cameron has proven his point: He is king of the world.
It's Complicated -- Film Review
"It's Complicated" is a middle-aged sex comedy but with more rom-com urges than farcical ones.
The Blood of Rebirth -- Film Review
A masseur in Medieval Japan returns from the dead to settle scores with his nemesis in "Blood of Rebirth," a visually and aurally hypnotic mythical fantasy almost completely emptied of meaning or dramatic development.
Paa -- Film Review
The latest pairing of 67-year-old Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan and his movie-star son Abhishek Bachchan, the tear-stained soaper "Paa" ("Dad"), seems designed to evoke the frisson of Henry and Jane Fonda together in "On Golden Pond."
The Slammin' Salmon -- Film Review
The movie offers enough solid laughs to ensure a decent audience on DVD and cable. That audience could have been even larger, however, were the proceedings just a little smarter and a whole lot funnier.
Nine -- Film Review
The disappointments in "Nine" are many, from a starry cast the film ill uses to flat musical numbers that never fully integrate into the dramatic story. The only easy prediction is that "Nine" is not going to revive the slumbering musical film genre.
Armored -- Film Review
The tough-guy mugs of Matt Dillon, Jean Reno, Laurence Fishburne and Fred Ward aren't the only familiar aspects of "Armored," an old-school heist movie that doesn't exactly reinvent the genre.
Breaking Point -- Film Review
From its generic title to its overly familiar plot line to its B-list cast, "Breaking Point" has the feel of a late-night entry on Cinemax, which no doubt will be its fate sooner rather than later.
Transylmania -- Film Review
The lame gags, ineptly staged, don't produce anything in the way of genuine laughs, though there is the occasional funny line.
The Strip -- Film Review
"The Strip," Jameel Khan's new comedy about the misbegotten employees of a low-rent electronics store at a suburban strip mall, doesn't even compare in quality to the endless similarly themed sitcoms that regularly populate the airwaves.
Manila Skies -- Film Review
Conceived as a reaction to the real-time, free-form approach of some Philippine independent filmmakers, this feature is driven by character and story, with a visual aesthetic that is almost nostalgic in its lyricism.
Harishchandrachi Factory -- Film Review
So you have a man discovering cinema making a film about the first man ever to make a film in India. You can readily sense the utter joy both men experience with this new toy.
Home -- Film Review
In her assured big-screen feature debut, director Ursula Meier offers a provocative parable about individuals at war with development and the global economy.
Crazy Heart -- Film Review
Fox Searchlight's sudden decision to toss "Crazy Heart" into the heat of December and therefore the Oscar competition casts a brighter spotlight on what is a modest, rather conventional depiction of an aging and alcoholic country musician on a lengthy downward spiral.
Crazy Heart -- Film Review
Fox Searchlight's sudden decision to toss "Crazy Heart" into the heat of December and therefore the Oscar competition casts a brighter spotlight on what is a modest, rather conventional depiction of an aging and alcoholic country musician on a lengthy downward spiral.
Invictus -- Film Review
Nothing speaks so dramatically about Clint Eastwood's recent and remarkable burst of creativity as a director of awards-worthy films than the appearance of "Invictus," a historical drama that few if any filmmakers could have launched within the studio system.
The Lovely Bones -- Film Review
Peter Jackson has changed the focus and characters to such a significant degree that his film might resonate more with those who have not read Alice Sebold's best-selling novel.
The Princess and the Frog -- Film Review
"Princess and the Frog" marks Disney's rediscovery of a strong narrative loaded with vibrant characters and mind-bending, hilarious situations.
