VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Going the Distance
- IMDB: link
Romantic comedies are far from my favorite genre. The cream of the crop are passable at best, and for the rest, well, just take a look at Kate Hudson’s filmography sometime. Perhaps it’s because the bar is set so low that Going the Distance finds a way to be a halfway decent, and at times even funny, entry into the genre.
The story focuses on the burgeoning relationship between low-level record company exec Garret (Justin Long) and waitress Erin (Drew Barrymore) which is put on indefinite hold when Erin’s internship working for a major metropolitan newspaper ends and she leaves New York for San Fransisco.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: The American
- IMDB: link
Is there anything we won’t forgive George Clooney on-screen? Con man, thief, lawyer, killer – it seems his charm can overcome just about any handicap the script attempts to throw at his character. And that’s why he’s the perfect choice for a role just like this, especially when you surround him with such beautiful women.
In his latest foray into cinema Clooney stars as an assassin chased from the warmth of a beautiful woman (Irina Björklund) and warm fireplace in Sweden. Retreating to the Italian countryside he attempts to lay low while accepting a job creating a custom made rifle for one beautiful woman (Thekla Reuten) as he throws his passions into the arms of another beautiful woman, a local prostitute named Clara (Violante Placido). (Did I mention this film includes beautiful women?)
The American is an art film turned thriller. Some might be put-off by it’s slow pace, including long stretches between action scenes, and unwillingness to force the action (at least early on), but they’d be missing the point.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
I love heist flicks and I’m usually willing to cut them an awful lot of slack. On my DVD shelf alongside of Heist, To Catch a Thief, and Sneakers, I own copies of The Newton Boys, How to Beat the High Co$t of Living and After the Sunset. When a new heist flick comes along I’m willing to give it several chances to prove itself. After seeing Takers I might have to reevaluate that position.
It took four writers to put Takers together, and it shows. The film is a mediocre mess of both shots and storylines best left of the cutting room floor. I’m sure the attempt here was to merge the coolness of the Ocean’s Eleven franchise (without Clooney, Pitt, and Cheadle) with the feel of Michael Mann’s Heat (without DeNiro, Pacino, and Kilmer). Not surprising, it’s a disaster in every sense of the word.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Hubble 3D
- IMDB: link
What is it about space that so captures our imagination? Is it the vastness that seems to becon, almost tease us, upward and outwards to explore its seemly endless wonders, or is it simply how it allows us another perspective in order to see how small and relatively unimportant one tiny blue dot is in the grand scheme of things? Whatever the reason, since man first turned his gaze to the sky we’ve been captivated with that final frontier just outside our grasp.
Since it’s launch two decades ago the Hubble Space Telescope has been responsible for several breakthroughs in the areas of astronomy and an increased understanding of the known universe. The new IMAX documentary Hubble 3D gives us a short history on the telescope, and its early struggles, before exploring the final service mission of to repair the telescope by the Atlantis crew.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
- IMDB: link
Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novel series Scott Pilgrim relies heavily on video game style and super-hero fantasies built over an emotional story between a slacker Canadian and, quite literally, the girl of his dreams.
Eric and our own alphamonkey have a few words of their own to say on the subject of the new film from director Edgar Wright, so I thought I’d take things to another level putting the film to the test in the form of an old school video game review.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Batman: Under the Red Hood
- IMDB: link
Jason Todd. The mere mention of his name can lead to hour-long discussions between longtime Bat-fans. The street thug, who took over the mantle of Robin after Dick Grayson moved on to a new persona, died at the hands of the Joker (and, to be fair, at the hands of thousands of Batman fans). It took 17 years but, as comic characters have a habit of doing, Jason returned to the DCU in the guise of a sociopathic anti-hero: The Red Hood.
The latest direct-to-video feature from Warner Premiere and Warner Bros. Animation is a faithful recreation of the Under the Hood storyline by Judd Winick (who also penned the script to the film). The film begins with the brutal death of Jason Todd (Jensen Ackles) from Batman: A Death in the Family before jumping right into the Red Hood’s first appearance in Gotham cowing local drug lords and forcing them under his thumb in his attempt to take the role as Gotham’s #1 crimelord from Black Mask (Wade Williams).
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
Originally intended as a vehicle for Tom Cruise Salt was shelved and then given an impromptu sex change operation to ready the way for Angelina Jolie to headline the shoot ‘em up. When your leading man becomes a leading lady the original script by Kurt Wimmer (Ultraviolet , Street Kings) had to be rewritten by Brian Helgeland (Conspiracy Theory, Assassins, Man on Fire), and director Philip Noyce (The Bone Collector, Clear and Present Danger) was tasked to make it all work. That’s an awful lot of time and effort to put into a project well before shooting was scheduled to begin. Too bad it wasn’t worth it.
Angelina Jolie stars as CIA Agent Evelyn Salt, a fugitive on the run after being accused, by the questionalbe word of a dying former Russian spy (Daniel Olbrychski ), of being part of a top secret Russian sleeper cell doomsday scenario more than three decades in the making.
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VN:R_U [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Inception
- IMDB: link
The latest from writer/director Christopher Nolan is complicated, reality bending, multi-layered look inside the world of unconscious imagination. In the near future the ability to enter into an individual’s dreams and extract information has become a profitable, but highly illegal, enterprise. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as Dom Cobb the leader of a group of experts who are the best at this type of information extraction.
As Cobb’s past catches up with him, both in the real world and that of his dreams, he’s offered a single chance to reclaim the life which was taken from him if he can perform the impossible: Inception. The idea is not to steal information from the latest subject, the heir to a business empire (Cillian Murphy), but instead implant an idea in his mind which will grow naturally and change one choice in the real world which could mean billions for Cobb’s client.
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- Title: Condorman
- IMDB: link
There are movies which live in my childhood. Viewing them years later, no matter the length of time which may have passed, I’m instantly transported back in time to that darkened theater, fond memories, and childhood wonderment.
Condorman, based on the James Bond spoof by Robert Sheckley, is one of those films. From the Pink Panther-style opening featuring the rousing score of Henry Mancini to the final unheard whispered line at a crowded Dodger game (and everything in-between), I’m hooked. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
In the film Woody Wilkins (Michael Crawford) is a comic book writer living in Paris while working on his latest creation: Condorman, “Vulture of the western world.” When his best friend, a pencil-pusher for the CIA (James Hampton), needs a civilian to deliver some not-so important secret papers in Istanbul Woody happily volunteers, passing himself off as a top secret spy codenamed Condorman.
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VN:R_N [1.9.3_1094]
- Title: Despicable Me
- IMDB: link
Pixar seems to have cornered the market on family films that provide equal measure of comedy and action with the kind of dramatic moments assured to pull at your heartstrings. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a niche left to be filled. Sometimes you just want to sit down to an animated film and have fun (without that punch to the soul or shedding a tear). For those looking for good kid films filled with plenty of laughs and paced within an inch of their life you could do far worse than Despicable Me
Gru (Steve Carell) is a super-villain who never quite hit it big. Sure he’s caused trouble with his freeze ray at the local Sarbucks or terrorized traffic with his giant tank-like automobile. And with the help of his legion of minions he’s stolen small artifacts from around the world. But Gru has never made the big score, and his chances are running out as new, younger super villains like Vector (Jason Segel) are looking to take his place. His latest scheme involving a shrink ray and an attempt to steal the moon may be his last chance to grab the fame which has forever eluded him.
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