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- Thursday, May 23, 2013 Gainesville, Georgia
Archive By Section - Movie reviews
For your consideration: An early look at Oscar
This week we begin a series previewing the movies that will likely compete for Best Picture and for acting awards at the Oscars and other major ceremonies. (Let's hope some of them make it to our area!)
Muppets' reunion is a witty delight
There is nothing I didn't love about "The Muppets." No movie has made me laugh so much or lifted my spirits so high in years.
Fangs for nothing: Twilight's dim 'Dawn' is a drag-ula
The Twilight movies put reviewers in a no-win situation. Most moviegoers, even some ardent fans, know that these are not great movies. At least, not "great" in the same sense as "Citizen Kane" or "Gone With the Wind." Yet people just keep on buying tickets. So what is there to say? The Twilight movies are an indulgence, just like Thanksgiving desserts. My biggest problem with this series is that ...
Hoover biopic ignores darkest side of his character
Two things are wrong with "J. Edgar." The first problem is J. Edgar Hoover. The second problem is that the movie is about him.
‘Shrek’ yarn plays out with well-heeled feline
The Shrek franchise keeps trudging along, thanks to "Puss in Boots." The swashbuckling, boot-shodden kitty goes solo this time, though, without a single mention or appearance of Shrek, Donkey or any of the other franchise characters. Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas) is re-introduced to us as a feline Zorro. The opening scene has Puss sneaking out of a bedroom after a one-night stand with a female cat who purrs lustily at him as he goes. ...
Murphy back in form in funny ‘Tower Heist’
Allow me to lead by answering what I think most of you are wondering about "Tower Heist." Yes, Eddie Murphy is funny in this movie. What a strange career Murphy has had. Those of us who are old enough remember how he exploded into American culture in the early '80s. Within a few episodes, he became the star of "Saturday Night Live's" second cast then proceeded to become the funniest, most bankable comedian of' '80s ...
Old suspense trick works to save ‘In Time’
Alfred Hitchcock once summed up the difference between surprise and suspense perfectly. Imagine two people sitting at a table talking. Suddenly, a bomb explodes under the table. The audience, unaware of the bomb, is surprised.
‘Rum Diary’ a loving tribute to ‘gonzo’ master
Hunter S. Thompson wrote "The Rum Diary" in the early '60s when he was a young man and green writer. It was the second novel he had completed, and he couldn't get either work published. "The Rum Diary" didn't make it into print until 1998.
‘Footloose’ is shopworn ’80s rehash
As the prophetic philosopher Huey Lewis once wrote, "Gotta get back in time." What Professor Lewis obviously meant is that the movies desperately need to get out of the '80s and return to the present.
'The Thing’ is back, and still a good scare
Is there anything new under the sun? Apparently not in the southern California sun, at least. This week's two biggest releases are both nods to '80s movies. "Footloose" attempts to remake the Kevin Bacon star vehicle, while "The Thing" is a prequel that rehashes some of the best scenes of John Carpenter's 1982 movie of the same title (which was itself a remake of the 1951, "The Thing From Another World"). Carpenter's movie opens with ...
‘Real Steel’ is a rusty mess of a movie
Rather than my usual review, I offer an infomercial instead. Are you tired of watching somebody else make money off lame movie ideas? Sick of working hard for little pay while folks in Hollywood earn so much for being so bad at their jobs? Wish you were on the receiving rather than the losing end of the Hollywood box office? Well, now you can be! Hollywood studios churn out uninspired yet profitable product all the ...
‘50/50’ an honest, emotional look at cancer’s impact
"50/50," which the marketing has told us is about a young man with cancer, opens with a point of view shot of a jogger choosing music on his iPod, which in a way says it all. This is a movie about how the iPod generation handles a disease that strikes terror in the hearts of every sentient adult.
‘Moneyball’ cleverly delves into the game within the game
"Moneyball" is a thinking man's sports movie, although it's less about the sport than about "the game," the culture and business that drive professional baseball.
‘The Debt’ a top-line thriller just right for fall
We must be close to autumn. How can I tell? Not because the leaves have begun to turn, and certainly not because cool breezes suddenly greet me as I leave the house in the morning.
‘Contagion’ is gritty realism in search of a point
The word "sobering" was coined for movies like "Contagion." Director Steven Soderbergh's latest tells the story of an unknown virus that spreads across the world at an alarming pace and threatens to wipe out much of the population. That idea is anything but new. The list of movies based on an out of control viral epidemic is long. "The Andromeda Strain," "The Stand," "Outbreak," "Twelve Monkeys," "28 Days Later," "28 Weeks Later," and hundreds of ...
Articles by Section - Movie reviews
'Fast & Furious 6' takes car worship to the extreme
Nothing about "Fast & Furious 6" makes sense. The initial premise, every aspect of character development, and every plot point are all ridiculously, shockingly mindless.
‘Mayan Blue’ a stunning film with Ga. ties
"Mayan Blue" is an atypical Georgia film. Most of the crew either come from or live in North Georgia, yet the film was shot entirely in Guatemala and features an abundance of breathtaking underwater cinematography.
‘Gatsby’ all glitz and little substance
Sandwiched among the usual superheroes and science-fiction epics comes a very odd summer tentpole release, an extravagant, big budget adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's literary masterpiece, "The Great Gatsby," directed by Baz Luhrmann ("Moulin Rouge!", "Romeo + Juliet") and in 3-D.
Jeff Marker’s summer 2013 movie preview, Part II
Last week we looked at the upcoming movies for summer 2013 in the action and drama categories. This week, we finish the season's preview lineup with a peek at family flicks and movies to make us laugh.
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