Search for 2009

The Proposal is a standard-order, by-the-book romantic comedy that offers nothing remotely fresh or new while following a formula even neophytes know by heart. For some people, that's enough. All a certain segment of the audience wants from roman...

There's something almost old-fashioned about Michael Mann's Public Enemies, a mostly factual re-telling of the descent and death of John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), one of the 1930s most infamous bank robbers. More drama than thriller, the movie does...

With only one franchise superhero making a motion appearance in 2009 (Wolverine), Push might be among the best available options for fans of the burgeoning movie genre. An original concept that isn't directly based on any comic books or graphic no...

Race to Witch Mountain is the latest Disney "made for kids only" effort. It takes all the usual Disney hooks - cute children, a likeable protagonist, lame action and lamer jokes, some special effects, poker-faced bad guys, and an animal - and thro...

There are two commonly heard sayings about power. The first, "With great power comes great responsibility," sounds almost sanctimonious but represents the credo by which we expect heroic figures (such as policemen) to live. The second, "Power cor...

The middle segment of the Red Riding trilogy, Red Riding: 1980, represents the best of the three films - a taut, bleak perspective of the power of pervasive corruption. By the end of this movie, it becomes clear that the rot within the Yorkshire p...

Red Riding: 1983 brings the Red Riding trilogy to a close and, if the five-hour saga doesn't precisely conclude with a proverbial "bang," neither does it go out with a whimper. The third movie represents the middle ground between the promising-but...

The Road is undoubtedly one of the fall's most anticipated offerings, in part because it has been lingering on the horizon of the cinematic landscape for a year. Originally scheduled for a release in late 2008, it was delayed when filmmaker John H...

Masters of audacity, the Coen Brothers continue to amaze with their versatility and, unlike many who have achieved success, they have shown no inclination to slip into a comfortable groove. When one scans their joint resumes, it becomes apparent t...

Schlock Holmes is too brutal. Call it instead The Adventure of the Da Vinci Code Knock-off or The Adventure of the Missing Ending. Either would be equally appropriate. This original story, which borrows heavily from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "can...