Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides represents the fourth entry in this unlikely series. Not bad for a series whose source material is a Disney theme park ride. They are, perhaps, the face of disposable, inconsequential summer films, but On Stranger Tides has the faint stink of a phoned-in… Continue reading

I Am Number Four (2011)

I Am Number Four (2011)

I Am Number Four is being billed as a high-octane superhero movie. It does eventually become one in the third act, but it happens long after anyone could possibly care about the story, characters, or anything else in this teenybopper cross-pollination of every superhero film ever made and the Twilight… Continue reading

TRON: Legacy (2010)

TRON: Legacy (2010)

Watching TRON: Legacy, the long-awaited follow-up to 1982’s TRON, I was reminded of Siskel’s and Ebert’s 1995 roasting of Jumanji. Ebert stated that special effects have to be “at the service of the story.” It was correct then, and it is correct now. There will be very little debate regarding… Continue reading

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)

The primary fear with a movie like Prince of Persia: The Sand of Time, other than the fact that it’s another film based on a video game, is that it will take itself too seriously. Nothing can sink a would-be summer diversion more than self-importance, and while Prince of Persia… Continue reading

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

A quick search on IMDb reveals that no less than twenty-three adaptations, including this one, of Alice in Wonderland have been produced over the years. That would at least partially explain why Tim Burton’s big-budget refitting feels so familiar, but it doesn’t quite explain why it’s so bland. On paper… Continue reading

When in Rome (2010)

When in Rome (2010)

When in Rome is an aggressively bad movie; perhaps one of the most pathetically manic rom-coms ever made. We’re not talking Because I Said So bad, but at least Couples Retreat bad. That this is the current state of the romantic comedy is pretty sad, as Hollywood continues to expel… Continue reading

WALL-E (2008)

WALL-E (2008)

As any filmgoer knows, Pixar is the gold standard for animated film. They continually write clever, audience-pleasing screenplays that are brought to life by cutting-edge, breathtaking animation. WALL-E certainly fits the Pixar bill, but it is also a departure for a company that has traditionally played it safe (this is… Continue reading