Venus (review)

You’ve probably heard more about *Venus* than its limited, under-the-radar release would seem to have warranted. It’s the movie that earned star Peter O’Toole his eighth Academy Award nomination. It’s the movie about a May-December romance between a dirty old man and a tough twentysomething chick. It’s a celebration of old age; it’s a vindication of spunky youth; it’s this; it’s that.

The Number 23 (review)

Twenty-three reversed is 32, and 3 minus 2 is 1, which how many stars I’d give ‘The Number 23’ if I gave stars, which I don’t. And that one star is dedicated purely to Jim Carrey and his rangy, ragged, totally fascinating performance as an actor on the precipice of his career– I mean, a man on the precipice of madness.

The Lady in Question Is Charles Busch (review)

The Village Voice calls it a “drag to riches story,” and that perfectly sums up this valentine to Charles Busch — playwright, director, drag queen, fixture of the New York downtown theater scene who transferred his unique outlook on the drama inherent in all our lives to mainstream Broadway with unique success. From his underground … more…

My Sister Maria (review)

Legendary screen goddess Maria Schell died in 2005, but not before her brother, actor and Academy Award-nominated documentarian Maximilian Schell, created this loving, lovely tribute to her life and her work. But this is no effort of mere journalism: this is a demanding, ultimately triumphant film, one that embraces all its subject’s difficulties as well … more…

Samoan Wedding (review)

It was a huge hit in New Zealand, which only goes to show: people the world over like the same old junk. And it turns out that the immigrant Samoan culture Down Under looks remarkably like immigrant cultures all over the Western world: Irish, African, or even big fat Greek, you’ve seen this all before. … more…

Stan Lee’s Lightspeed (review)

“It’s a comic book world, sir.” A spear-carrier offers this by way of explanation — to his boss, no less, a secret government agent played by, no kidding, former Six Million Dollar Man Lee Majors — for the fact that the local newspaper is full of news of a superfast crimefighter. It’s the “sir” that … more…

A Soap (review)

It’s all really rather shockingly unshocking, for so seemingly provocative a setup. Charlotte (Trine Dyrholm) leaves her indifferent boyfriend, moves into her own apartment, and strikes up an unusual friendship with her new neighbor, Veronica, a pre-op transsexual (David Dencik). Both are depressed, confused people, and hardly pleasant to be around, and their tentative relationship, … more…

Factory Girl (review)

If you’re like most people, you’ve been asking yourself for several years now, ‘Just who the hell is Sienna Miller, why is she famous, and why must I endure the latest gossip about her?’

Bridge to Terabithia (review)

Oh, devastating, *devastating* and lovely and bittersweet and entirely wonderful, this enchantingly old-fashioned movie about the power of friendship and imagination and art and learning and expanding one’s horizons.

Breach (review)

This is one smart thriller: it lets you draw your own conclusions, assumes you’re connected enough to current events to understand the context in which it occurs — no, actually, it *requires* that you’re connected in order to get the full brunt of the anxiety and dread bubbling under its surface.