Search for 2011

Reduced to its essence, David Cronenberg's A Dangerous Method is little more than an historical romantic tragedy. Since the film's three principals were pioneers in the field of psychotherapy, it goes without saying there's a lot of dialogue about ...

The Descendants may be director Alexander Payne's finest outing to date. The man who began his career behind the camera with withering satires (Citizen Ruth, Election) has moved into dramatic comedies (About Schmidt, Sideways) that simultaneously ...

Ron Howard is unquestionably an A-list director, and his credentials are impeccable. When a filmmaker of Howard's status has a movie tossed into theaters during garbage time (January/February or August), it results in raised eyebrows and generates ...

Hours after seeing Dream House, I was still trying to figure out how a movie starring Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts, lensed by Caleb Deschanel, and directed by Jim Sheridan could be such a disappointment. It's obvious what's wrong wit...

Perhaps Drive is an action movie for those who don't ordinarily like action movies. It's also an action movie for those who crave them like a drug. Employing unusual camera angles and a unique sense of style, director Nicolas Winding Refn takes us ...

Seen in standard (non-IMAX) 3-D. The appeal of Drive Angry is much the same as that of Piranha: a willingness to revel in absurdity to the degree where the exhilaration is infectious. This is a comic book come to life. A combined homage to/paro...

As their careers develop, many comedians yearn to cross over into serious dramatic roles, if only on occasion. This has happened with John Cleese, Steve Martin, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, Jim Carrey, and Adam Sandler. Some are more successful than...

For one reason or another, there have been few quality movies made about 9/11. Maybe it's because the event is too recent and the wound too fresh. Or perhaps it's because filmmakers are keenly aware that a misstep could lead to charges of exploitat...

Ever since Justin Lin took control of The Fast and the Furious franchise with installment #3, he has pushed things in new and sometimes daring directions. With Fast Five, he not only melds balls-to-the-wall comic book action with heist movie dynam...

When the characters in Footloose are dancing and the music is blaring, the film comes alive. It has energy and personality. Would that the same could be said about the dramatic scenes, which are hamstrung by a combination of mediocre acting and atr...