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...]
9 Directed by Shane Acker; 2009 “9″ is the post-apocalyptic story of nine burlap sacks created by a shamed scientist to carry the key for the continuation of mankind, or at least the essence of mankind. Director Shane Acker originally conceived “9″ as a silent short for his grad school thesis, and his original film won a student academy award. While that sounds a little something like a presidential award for physical fitness, it landed the silent project a shot with Focus... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
This month’s movie reviews include District 9, G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra and The Goods: Live Hard Sell Hard. Feel free to comment and let us know what you think! District 9 Directed by Neill Blomkamp; 2009 In “District 9,” producer Peter Jackson takes a break from hobbitual bromance to give us a glimpse of what it’s like to live in a Cuban immigrant camp in the 1970s… whoops, I mean an alien internment camp in South Africa. The movie portrays an alien population... [Read more...]
This month’s movie reviews include Harry Potter and Half-Blood Prince, Orphan and Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen. Feel free to comment and let us know what you think! Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Directed by David Yates; 2009 THE BEST PART of “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” is that Dumbledore dies. That wrinkly old pedophile got what was coming to him. Nah — just kidding, Dumbledore rules. Which brings us to the real best part of the latest Potter... [Read more...]
By: Ryan Deiseroth
Article Category: Movie Review
This month’s reviews include The Hangover, Land of the Lost and Up. Feel free to comment and let us know what you think… The Hangover Directed by Todd Phillips; 2009 “The Hangover” is the latest release from the guys who brought us “Old School,” and on that fact alone the release was preceded by high expectations for a gut-splitting good time. The cast doesn’t include any comedy heavyweights on par with Will Ferrell or Vince Vaughn, but they’re not... [Read more...]
By: Andy McIlwraith
Article Category: Movie Review
This month’s movie review includes: Angels and Demons, Star Trek and X-Men Origins. Feel free to comment and let us know what you think! Angels and Demons Directed by Ron Howard, 2009 THE BEST PART of “Angels and Demons” is the smart way it is framed as a sequel to “The DaVinci Code,” which, as Dan Brown readers know, is not true to the novel. A relatively minor narrative change, its effect on the tone is major, creating a level of conflict between professor Robert... [Read more...]
By: Andy McIlwraith
Article Category: Movie Review
Adventureland Directed by Greg Mottola; 2009 THE BEST PART of “Adventureland” is that it’s not just another stupid teenage sex (and/or party) movie, as you might, for obvious reasons (due to the nature of the the director, the cast, the previews, etc.), be expecting. In actuality, it’s a rather deep (emotionally, not philosophically) and surprisingly relevant nostalgia comedy. It’s “The Graduate” meets “Dazed and Confused,” set during the height... [Read more...]
