film criticism by maryann johanson | since 1997
It had to be done: all in one place, the very best bad dialogue of the year 2009. No ranking — newer quotes are posted at the top. [Warning: May contain spoilers.] “Bella, the only thing that can hurt me is you.” –Edward (Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga: New Moon “I’m not good. I used … more…
They didn’t screen it for critics, it’s a complete piece of tripe, and it wins the weekend? Oh no they didn’t. Oh yes they did: 1. Obsessed: $28.6 million (NEW) 2. 17 Again: $11.5 million (2nd week; drops 51%) 3. Fighting: $11 million (NEW) 4. The Soloist: $9.7 million (NEW) 5. Earth: $8.8 million (NEW) … more…
opening wide The Soloist: It’s the feel-kinda-queasy-about-how-rotten-we-humans-are movie of the spring! But it’s also the feel-kinda-good-cuz-some-of-us-are-trying-fix-that-too movie of the season! Yea! Fighting: I mean this in all honesty, and not to be mean, but is there something wrong with Channing Tatum? Like, is he kinda, you know, slow? Or is there something wrong with audiences … more…
The first rule of *Fighting* is: You don’t talk about *Fighting.* So please just pretend you can hear me giggling derisively instead.
We all know how it is. You’d like to get out to see a new movie this weekend, but you can’t find a babysitter or you are the babysitter or you know that the gorgeous weather most of the U.S. is promised for this weekend means you won’t want to do anything but sit on … more…
I quite liked Battle for Terra (opens in the U.S. on May 1; no U.K. release date has been announced yet) when I saw it at last year’s Tribeca Film Festival, when it had the gentler moniker of simply Terra. I guess that was too gentle: everyone likes a good war, right? I’m looking forward … more…
The tweens have spoken, again: 1. 17 Again: $23.7 million (NEW) 2. State of Play: $14 million (NEW) 3. Hannah Montana: The Movie: $13.4 million (2nd week; drops 59%) 4. Monsters vs. Aliens: $13.2 million (4th week; drops 39%) 5. Fast & Furious: $11.8 million (3rd week; drops 57%) actual numbers, not estimates I said … more…
Take a break from work: watch a trailer… Oh, the poor baby cannot get by selling bootlegged DVDs on the sidewalks of big bad New York City? Wait! But then he is given the chance to do something much more illegal and dangerous by Obi Wan Kenobi (Terence Howard). “So wut they gots rulez?” “Yes, … more…
As of this writing, 11 movies will open wide in North America in the month of April. Which means that even if you’re an active moviegoing and see a movie each week, you’ve still gotta pick and choose (and it’s even worse if you’re in a city on the arthouse circuit, but let’s not make … more…
