District 9, 2009, dir. Neil Blomkamp

What would really happen if Earth was to come into contact with life extra-planetary? District 9, Neil Blomkamp’s from-left-field science fiction thriller/faux-doc, asks us this question, and provides some very unsettling answers– along with some of the most intelligent and satisfying entertainment to be found in the summer crop of seasonal blockbusters. District 9 tells … Continue reading →

Frost/Nixon, 2008, dir. Ron Howard

Watching Frost/Nixon, I couldn’t get past a strange and completely unexpected feeling I had deep in my gut. Something about the movie took me by surprise; something below the surface, something that no one would really expect out of a political drama focusing on the series of interviews David Frost (Michael Sheen) did with disgraced … Continue reading →

Up, 2009, dir. Pete Docter

I should note that the following kind of maybe sort of verges on vaguely spoiler-ish territory, so read with caution. Up is a movie loaded with impressive accomplishment from the first frame to the last. Perhaps it’s most noteworthy effect is making an hour and a half long film feel like a two hour movie … Continue reading →

Terminator Salvation, 2009, dir. McG

Christian Bale’s career is experiencing a strange trend: He’s a leading man who never leads. He’s a star who gets up-staged by his supporting cast. In short: What is the damn point of Christian Bale being in movies? This trend started with The Dark Knight, where aside from the obvious raw impact of Heath Ledger’s … Continue reading →

Rachel Getting Married, 2008, dir. John Demme

Welcome back, John Demme: After an inconsistent period in the 2000’s (including but not limited to the Manchurian Candidate remake, as well as the listless and uninspired The Truth About Charlie), the director has made what may be his strongest movie since the 90’s. Rachel Getting Married is a new high point in his career, … Continue reading →

Slumdog Millionaire, 2008, dir. Danny Boyle

I had a revelation during Slumdog Millionaire: Danny Boyle, at some point in his life, either voluntarily or unwillingly fell into a toilet. Toilets, and people entering toilets, seem to have shaped much of Danny Boyle’s career as a filmmaker. His apparent obsession with putting actors into commodes, however, doesn’t speak to the quality or … Continue reading →

Friday The 13th, 2009, dir. Marcus Nispel

I’m going to start this review with a basic question: Why are you reading this? Slasher films are notoriously polarizing– either you enjoy them or you don’t, and no review by any critic (“critic” in my case) is going to change that. If you like slashers, chances are you’re either thinking about seeing the latest … Continue reading →

Coraline, 2009, dir. Henry Selick

Sixteen years ago, a twisted little 3D animated film called The Nightmare Before Christmas hit theaters. Directed by Henry Selick, and written by the combined team of Caroline Thompson, Michael McDowell, and Tim Burton, Nightmare is a bizarre romantic children’s tale showcasing the efforts of the Pumpkin King (the King of Halloween) as he tries … Continue reading →

An open letter

To: Big Willie and The Beard Hey guys! How’s it going? I hear you’re both doing pretty well these days– Will, you’re coming up in the cult of Scientology (Aren’t you? Or are you? You sure can’t make up your mind about that one!), and Steve, you’re coming off of an surprisingly unremarkable summer thanks … Continue reading →