Just five months after The Last Exorcism showed us there is still life in religio-horror pics, this new entry falls into the same old same old category. The filmmakers avoid twisting heads and pea soup effects -- instead framing their story around an almost academic debate about the nature of possession. Priest Anthony Hopkins (mostly) … Continue reading THE RITE

I won't go so far as to call BLACK SWAN a turkey...but I will say it didn't impress me as much as it did Oscar voters or most mainstream critics. Natalie Portman gives a blistering performance that deserves all the praise she's received...but (SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!!!!!!!) you pretty much know she's nuts when the movie starts … Continue reading BLACK SWAN

When you first hear about WINTER'S BONE and it's setting, one's prejudices might immediately kick in. A drama set in the Ozarks.  Must be a story about how a brave man or woman is struggling against their station in life to achieve better for their family. That's what came to my mind. Just goes to … Continue reading WINTER’S BONE

There are romantic comedies. BLUE VALENTINE is more of a romantic tragedy. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are Cindy and Dean, a couple living a modest existence in Pennsylvania. They have a daughter, Frankie. And while all seems pretty normal, it soon becomes apparent that Cindy is just going through the motions. Dean is unambitious … Continue reading BLUE VALENTINE

A go for broke performance by Ryan Reynolds drives this intense, gritty, and extremely uncomfortable thriller. All of Buried takes place inside a coffin and the way the story unfolds is clever and original. Through a cell phone that barely gets a signal, we learn who Reynolds is and why he's ended up six or … Continue reading BURIED

There's no Big Top. The clowns don't have giant shoes or water- squirting flower lapels. No lions or tigers or bears. But oh my! Has anyone ever seen a circus quite like this? It's Gogol Bordello meets Cabaret; Tim Burton meets Bob Fosse; Ringling Brothers meet Scissor Sisters. There are aerialists who not only leave … Continue reading CIRQUE BEZERK

Wow! This movie had so much potential. Michel Gondry, Christop Waltz, Tom Wilkinson, 3D, a modified 1965 Chrysler Imperial(very cool). But not even 3D helped this from falling flat. Based on the radio serial of the same name, The Hornet is newspaper publisher Britt Reed. He's a spoiled rich kid who parties all night and … Continue reading THE GREEN HORNET

Despite some fun gore and carnage in the final 30 minutes, Piranha lacks any real bite. Watching it in 2-D, I realized the only thing I missed without the 3-D were lots of boobs, and several floating body parts (including one cast member's "member"). The biggest problem is that it spends too much time trying … Continue reading PIRANHA

DEVIL plays out like a longer version of a Twilight Zone episode. Five people trapped in an elevator. One is a devil. There you go. A simple story with some clever moments and several "wait, it's him! No, her!" moments make this whoizzzit a fun little thriller. Don't let the fact that M. Night Shamalyan's … Continue reading DEVIL

TRON: LEGACY has to be one of the most entertaining movies I have seen all year. Watching this sequel reminded me the sheer fun you can have at the movies, and the 3D made it even more spectacular. While the original is a bit dated FX wise and the story never felt fully developed, LEGACY … Continue reading TRON: LEGACY