If this is where so-called “epics” are headed, count me out. Ugly, lunk-headed, and apparently written by a middle school class, 300 is just the kind of “visionary epic” that studios love to hype this time of year as a precursor to the summer movie season. Padded with so much… Continue reading
Critics attempt to critique films like Ghost Rider with a straight face, but it never works out. That’s why I’m going to just come out and say it: Ghost Rider is a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Sure, it makes next to no sense and has some… Continue reading
2006 was really the year that moviegoers became more discerning about their animation. With the genre as prevalent as ever, the days of the “do no wrong” animated film are officially over. Look no further than Happily N’Ever After as Exhibit A in the case for an official studio back… Continue reading
How does one even begin to approach a film as silly, boring, and self-indulgent as M. Night Shyamalan’s Lady in the Water? Considering the current trend is to bash Shyamalan mercilessly (a surprising number of people just can’t seem to get over The Village), I have no shame whatsoever in… Continue reading
Now we’re getting somewhere. Monster House plays like a living, breathing entity: it’s loaded with humor, spirit, scares, and even has an oddly touching side. This is full-fledged get-lost-in-the-story material and it’s easy to do so since nearly everyone grew up with that scary-looking house in the neighborhood that seemingly… Continue reading
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest certainly has a darker side than its predecessor, 2003’s The Curse of the Black Pearl, but that won’t stop me from making a general and simplistic statement: If you liked Black Pearl, you’ll like this one. The same goes for if you disliked… Continue reading
If anyone out there ever had any doubts as to whether Superman was a metaphor for Jesus Christ, those doubts will be quickly quashed after viewing Superman Returns. Superman’s only weakness appears to be that he’s a human with the power to lift up a boat and stop a crashing… Continue reading
The Hollywood mis-marketing machine strikes again! Touted as a signature Adam Sandler comedy in the trailers, Click is actually a heavy-handed drama that uses up its comedy points in the first thirty minutes. Those going in expecting Happy Gilmore Gets A Remote will be gravely disappointed. That’s not to say… Continue reading
How the era of computer animated films has changed in just the past few years. When the original Ice Age was released back in 2002, the genre was virtually unstoppable. Every offering was not only a box office cash cow, but also quite inventive and fun. I was not a… Continue reading
I love family films that are not condescending. Today’s kids are subjected to, for the most part, recycled tripe that probably even seems old to them by now. Nanny McPhee contains all of the key ingredients of a successful family film as well as some off-the-wall and edgy British humor.… Continue reading