Movie Review: “Amelia”

In the 1930s, Amelia Earhart broke records and defied stereotypes with her skillful aviation and affinity for wearing pants. The new biopic “Amelia” follows her rise to fame and sudden disappearance with mixed results. With star-studded leads and awe-inspiring panoramas, it is an enjoyable film only slightly tainted by dark clouds.
Anyone with a basic knowledge [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: Whip It

Take a group of tough-as-nails female roller derby players and a teenage misfit from rural Texas, and the result is a witty, fast-paced comedy. “Whip It” is the first film that Drew Barrymore has directed, and she has proved herself highly capable of that challenge. Call it a chick flick, a girl-power movie or a [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: The Invention of Lying

Imagine a world where no one lies. Every thought is expressed, regardless of how offensive or questionable it may be. No more calling work and faking sick or telling your bad blind date you had a great time. That’s the world of “The Invention of Lying”, a surprisingly creative gem that plays with the notion [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: Love Happens

“Love Happens,” but successful romantic comedies rarely do. This film doesn’t join those ranks. Rather than delighting an undemanding audience and setting comforting but unrealistic expectations of love, it walks the line between melodrama and outright sappiness. In what could have been a marginal success, “Love Happens” strays from the cliché of boy-meets-girl with disappointing [...]

Read Full Post »

National Ballet Twirls for CCA

Few people have more grace than ballet dancers, who move in unexpected ways and yet make it look it easy. The 13-member dance troupe American Ballet Theater II is no exception. Last Friday, they wowed a small crowd at the Collins Center for the Arts. Among their varied dances were a piece from “Swan Lake,” [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: Duplicity

These days, it’s getting more difficult to find a movie that is both entertaining and thought-provoking. Among the many mindless movies in theaters today, it’s refreshing to find one that is clever and original. “Duplicity” succeeds as a smart spy caper that is as delightful as it is witty.
Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and Claire Stenwick [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: Fast & Furious

If fast cars, short skirts and huge muscles could carry a movie to greatness, “Fast & Furious” would be at the top of the heap. Unfortunately, a well-formed plot, dialogue and good acting are generally required for an enjoyable film experience. “Fast & Furious” follows the previous three testosterone-driven vehicles in a highly predictable fashion.
Although [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: Adventureland

It is the age of the underdog on the big screen today, and losers everywhere should take note. “Adventureland” takes its rightful place in a long line of recent films chronicling the life of the unnoticed and underappreciated. Unlike its predecessors, however, “Adventureland” is neither comedy nor drama, and it can’t be described as strictly [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: The Haunting in Connecticut

Take an old house, an unassuming family and a few evil spirits. Put them together and you’ve got the recipe for a horror movie. Despite these key ingredients, “The Haunting in Connecticut” falls far short of terrifying. It wants to be scary, but aside from a few jumpy moments, it’s nothing audiences haven’t seen.
The Campbells [...]

Read Full Post »

Movie Review: I Love You, Man

If comedy is an art, Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in “I Love You, Man” rank among Monet and Picasso. This film delivers laughs relentlessly, and while it’s not the most civilized production, it’s simultaneously clever and delightfully juvenile. Even in the opening credits, “I Love You, Man” reaches a level of hilarity that comedies [...]

Read Full Post »