film criticism by maryann johanson | handcrafted since 1997
A brilliant, if demented, concept could have been The Purge for parenthood, but it is inadequately explored, and then abruptly dropped by a sudden ending. The entire third act of the film is missing.
The first Ghost Rider was awful, but this one might not be so bad, if Neveldine and Taylor bring their Crank insanity…
UPDATED 11.30: Just cuz it’s awards season doesn’t mean there isn’t crap to be found… UPDATED 10.16: When will someone make a horror movie that can stand up to the critics? UPDATED 9.21: Another horror movie, not screening for critics… UPDATED 9.09: Two more not-at-all surprising additions to the list… UPDATED 8.21: Shocking news! End-of-August … more…
Just a quick look at last weekend’s box office as we head into the new weekend: 1. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs: £1.6 million (NEW) 2. District 9: £.8 million (3rd week; drops 32%) 3. Gamer: £.6 million (NEW) 4. 500 Days of Summer: £.5 million (3rd week; drops 12%) 5. The Final Destination: … more…
Now there’s a scenario for horror: Quentin Tarantino nipping at your heels: 1. The Final Destination: $15.295 million (2nd week; drops 44%) 2. Inglourious Basterds: $14.950 million (3rd week; drops 23%) 3. All About Steve: $14.1 million (NEW) 4. Gamer: $11.2 million (NEW) 5. District 9: $9.1 million (4th week; drops 11%) actual numbers, not … more…
It’s visually incomprehensible, emotionally empty, thematically nihilistic, almost entirely plotless… and it thinks those are virtues.
We know how it is: You’d like to go to the movies this weekend, but it’s the last weekend of the summer and the last chance to burn dead animals on the barbecue — yum! — before the cool weather sets in. But you can have a multiplex-like experience at home with a collection of … more…
UPDATED: It’s turning out to be a much busier screening week than I expected. I’ve added two movies: The Boys Are Back (opens in the U.S. on September 25, and in the U.K. on January 15, 2010), starring Clive Owen as an Australian single dad, and Broken Embraces (opened in the U.K. on August 28; … more…
Fun for Wednesdays! We look at an image from an upcoming movie and write snarky, witty, or otherwise entertaining captions for it. No prizes, it’s just for fun. Gamer, from the guys who gave us the Crank movies, will open on Friday without benefit of press screenings. I’ll be there, however, and will report asap … more…
As of this writing, 15 movies will open wide in North America in the month of September. Which means that even if you’re an active moviegoer 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…
