I’m sure you get as tired of hearing it as I get of writing it: Here is yet another horror remake. At least this new version of “The Crazies” has one thing that the 1973 George Romero original was lacking—a real sense of community among the soon-to-be-afflicted. It may be achieved through mere glimpses and […]
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Up until about a week ago, not much was known about “Shutter Island.” It’s the fourth collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio, it’s based on a Dennis Lehane novel of the same name and its release date was spontaneously pushed back from October 2009 to February 2010. Add to that, DiCaprio’s relative low profile […]
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You know the kind of thriller that works only at surface value, skirts cliché at every turn, keeps stringing you along, and—in the end—hinges 100 percent on whether you buy the twist ending or not? “Shutter Island” is not that kind of thriller. Directed by Martin Scorsese, “Shutter Island” has enough gothic atmosphere, deep emotional […]
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Not every book deserves to be made into a multi-million dollar movie. “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief” attempts to mix Greek mythology with the modern day problems of teens into an epic adventure. The results are mixed. Shortly after learning his son had be diagnosed with both Dyslexia and ADHD, Rick Riordan […]
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While it’s true that perseverance can yield great rewards, such is not the case for Universal’s “The Wolfman.” Originally the movie was to be directed by Mark Romanek, but the music-video maven left shortly after signing because of creative differences. Shortly thereafter, Joe Johnston edged out Brett Ratner, Frank Darabont, James Mangold and Martin Campbell. […]
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Eric Melin and guest host Ryan Magnuson (Sports Buddaye) review the remake of the 1941 Universal horror classic “The Wolf Man.” This 2010 version stars Benicio del Toro as the man-turned-wolf, Anthony Hopkins as his father, and Emily Blunt as the romantic interest. “The Wolfman” was delayed several times and switched directors at the last […]
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The new hyperspeed action movie “From Paris With Love,” starring John Travolta as a bald, goateed, and leather-jacketed U.S. FBI agent named Charlie Wax, is so dumb—so obnoxiously over the top, so asinine—that you have to wonder if Travolta knew what kind of a movie he was in and tailored his performance to match. Well, […]
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The first thing you need to know about When in Rome is it doesn’t take place in Rome (give or take ten minutes). I wanted to like this film. But nothing, not even the talents of Veronica Mars and Tad Hamilton, could save the film from a flurry of romantic comedy clichés and contrivance we […]
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The following is an Instant Messenger conversation between Scene-Stealers contributor Trevan McGee and myself: Eric: So last night we saw Mel Gibson’s big “comeback” movie, “Edge of Darkness.” I was wondering to myself how many familiar cinematic Gibson themes would pop up in this film and it turns out: quite a lot: Revenge, gratuitous violence, […]
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There is a lot of self-awareness going on in “Crazy Heart,” a movie about an alcoholic old-school country singer named Bad Blake (played by a grizzled Jeff Bridges) who’s seen better days. It’s something that most movies of its ilk are missing and its one of the keys to its modest success. Bad isn’t the […]
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Making films about the “afterlife” can be tricky. Director Peter Jackson (“King Kong,” “The Lord of the Rings”) is wrangling with this potentially divisive subject matter and the prospect of adapting a beloved book with his newest film “The Lovely Bones.” The end result is a movie that feels like several disjointed parts rather than […]
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As far as I can tell, Pedro Almodóvar is the most well-known Spanish filmmaker, and has a shot at being the most well-known European one, too. It’s been a lonely three years since his last film, Volver crossed the Atlantic, but now we get Broken Embraces, another story of the consequences and rewards of love. […]
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Stop me if you’ve heard this before. In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, a wanderer (Denzel Washington) travels across a ruined landscape avoiding robbers, thieves, and cannibals. He carries with him something important and valuable which the intelligent but mean-spirited head of a small town (Gary Oldman) will kill to possess. This is The Book of Eli, […]
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As a fan of Arrested Development, one of the few facts of life that consoled me after the show’s cancellation was that, not only would Michael Cera go onto star in films on his own; but it would serve as a decent opportunity to revisit his character from the late series. But one has to […]
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Terry Gilliam, more than most filmmakers, is the kind of director you either love or hate. It’s a distinctive taste that even as a fan, I must admit, I’m not always up for. His latest film, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, is sure to divide its audience as well; but even at its low points […]
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