Alex Armstrong
Article Category: Movie Review
Predators Directed by Nimród Antal Producer Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City”; “Desperado”) has employed up-and-coming director Nimród Antal (“Control”; “Armored”) to direct the latest episode of the “Predator” franchise. Royce, played by Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”), leads a group of soldiers from different origins through an alien jungle after being sedated dropped into a Predator game preserve. At its core, this installment... [Read more...]
Alex Armstrong
Article Category: Movie Review
The A-Team Directed by Joe Carnahan Hollywood has brought us yet another television remake with “The A-Team,” but this time they’ve employed veteran indie filmmaker Joe Carnahan (“Smoking Aces;” “Narc”) to write and direct. Even though he’d cast two fantastic actors — Liam Neeson (“Batman Begins;” “Darkman”) as Col. John “Hannibal” Smith and Bradley Cooper (“The Hangover;” “Wedding Crashers”)... [Read more...]
Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
Movie Reviews: June ‘10 • Ryan Dieseroth • Robin Hood Directed by Ridley Scott Ridley Scott, well known for directing stunning historical epics, has given us a new version of the classic Robin Hood tale. Previews of raging battle scenes and stars Russell Crowe (as Robin) and Cate Blanchett (as Maid Marian) had me filled with anticipation for this new twist on the popular legend. I was surprised to discover how different “Robin Hood 2010″ was from the tale I’m used to,... [Read more...]
Ryan Dieseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
Clash of the Titans Directed by Louis Leterrier The new remake of “Clash of the Titans” is sure to get bad reviews from most critics, and while I can’t disagree with their reasoning, I must admit that despite the poor acting and awful plot I enjoyed it tremendously. I have fond memories of the original and recall watching it on TV often back in the ’80s, as it seems to have been played twice a year between different stations. For those of you unfamiliar with the original version,... [Read more...]
Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
Alice in Wonderland Directed by Tim Burton “I’ve never been so captivated being let down.” Once again, Tim Burton got me all wound up on hype, lured me in with Johnny Depp and the promise of visual spectacle… and left me utterly disappointed. The tool he used this time was his rendition of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Wonderland.” Burton, who hasn’t really excited me since “Beetlejuice,” took what could have been perhaps one of the most amazing... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief Directed by Chris Columbus “Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief” is the fun, heartwarming tale of a teenage boy who lives a in a low-income neighborhood with his loving mother in the home of a drunken and abusive man. Through the culmination of freakish events, Percy discovers that he is a demigod, part of an elite group of people (all of whom are teenagers, for some reason) who are the half-blood offspring of the... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
MOVIE REVIEWS By Ryan Deiseroth The Book of Eli Directed by Albert Hughes In this post-apocalyptic action/drama flick, Denzel Washington wanders a scorched and barren earth as a man with a divine mission. Washington’s character, Eli, has possession of the last bible on earth, and he has dedicated his life to preserving the word of God. The plot of the movie is relatively slow (and doesn’t quite support the surprise at the end of the film), but an action scene always seems to pop up just... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Dieseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
Avatar Directed by James Cameron “Avatar,” the most expensive movie made to date, is the latest release by the King of “the Most Expensive Movies to Date,” James Cameron (“Terminator;” “Alien;” “Titanic”). The main selling point of “Avatar” is the 3-D visual spectacle of an alien planet and creatures created by the most cutting-edge digital science available today. “Avatar’s” plot is reminiscent of the manifest destiny philosophy of the early American colonists. In the... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
The Men Who Stare at Goats Directed by Grant Heslov “The Men Who Stare at Goats” is a “sort of real” movie based on the book of the same name by Jon Ronson about a seemingly outlandish military program during the end of the cold war that saw the training of paranormal “Jedi” warriors. With a cast made up of such powerhouses as George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Kevin Spacey, Jeff Bridges, and Stephen Lang, I had high expectations for this film. I expected an off-the-wall... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
The Invention of Lying Directed by Ricky Gervais and Matthew Robinson Ricky Gervais, the British actor best known to Americans for his role in the original “The Office,” stars in this story set in a world in which no one has ever told a lie or been anything but completely honest. Loser Mark (Ricky Gervais) leads a miserably depressing life but discovers the concept of being dishonest, and soon becomes a kind of prophet among a deceit-free population who believe everything he says. Gervais... [Read more...]
