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February 5, 2010

'District 13: Ultimatum' is a showcase for stunts, which isn't a bad thing

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'Frozen' and 'Shinjuku Incident.'

Brit Noir series to start at Nuart on Friday

By KENNETH TURAN

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: It includes such classics as 'The Third Man' and 'The Fallen Idol' and lesser-known ones such as 'Brighton Rock' and 'It Always Rains on Sunday.'

Review: 'Dear John'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: This adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks romance isn't always true to the letter of life.

'From Paris With Love'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: John Travolta and Jonathan Rhys Meyers team up to create chaos in the city during an anti-terrorist assignment. Did you expect a Valentine's Day movie? You are in for a different kind of heart-throbbi

February 4, 2010

'The Last Station'

CRITIC'S PICK

February 3, 2010

Mo'Nique won't hit the campaign trail

By BETSY SHARKEY

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: It's presumed the Oscar will go to the best performance, so the supporting actress nominee is letting her work speak for itself.

January 29, 2010

'Fish Tank' is an elegy on teen poverty and desperation

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Oscar winner Andrea Arnold captures disaffected youth in a broken home.

'Edge of Darkness'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: Mel Gibson chose a solid comeback vehicle for his return to top-line acting after nearly eight years away -- a well-written revenge thriller with a strong supporting cast led by Ray Winstone.

'A Town Called Panic'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: This stop-motion animated film based on a Belgian TV series is filled with strange and wonderful talking people and animals who, yes, panic at the drop of a hat.

'Saint John of Las Vegas' veers off the road despite Steve Buscemi

CAPSUEL MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: '3 Idiots.'

'When in Rome'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: Toss three coins in a fountain and wish this film would go away.

'When in Rome' info

MOVIE REVIEW

'Fish Tank'

MOVIE INFO

January 26, 2010

Tanya Hamilton's 'Night Catches Us' captures a point in time

By BETSY SHARKEY

SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL: The writer-director's debut feature film, about what's left in the wake of the black power movement, delves into her interest in 'the price you pay for dedication to a political movement.'

January 25, 2010

'Legion'

By Robert Abele

MOVIE REVIEW: Renegade angels can't save Scott Stewart's mess of an apocalyptic tale.

January 22, 2010

Parts are better than the whole of 'Drool'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'To Save a Life,' 'Watercolors,' 'Murder in Fashion,' 'Misconceptions'

'Extraordinary Measures'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Harrison Ford and Brendan Fraser star in a well-meaning but ultimately lukewarm film that attempts to dip into both science and sentiment.

'Tooth Fairy'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: Another action star -- this time, it's Dwayne Johnson -- goes all cuddly in this by-the-numbers kid comedy.

'Extraordinary Measures' info

'Tooth Fairy' info

MOVIE REVIEW

January 21, 2010

'A Single Man'

CRITIC'S PICK

January 19, 2010

Cecil B. DeMille presents the Golden Globes

By Betsy Sharkey FILM CRITIC >>>

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK: The old Hollywood showman's presence was felt throughout the ceremony.

January 15, 2010

'Killing Kasztner: The Jew Who Dealt With Nazis'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Killing Kasztner' tells the conflicted tale of a WWII rescue turned cause célèbre in Israel.

'The Book of Eli'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: It's the end of the world -- again.

'The Spy Next Door'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: In this bland, inoffensive film, Jackie Chan tries to bond with his girlfriend's three bratty kids while working undercover for the CIA.

'44 Inch Chest'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: Masculine ferociousness is deconstructed in this highly theatrical, yet understated film.

'44 Inch Chest' info

MOVIE REVIEW

January 13, 2010

'44 Inch Chest' is a story of ill-conceived revenge

By BY ANDY KLEIN

MOVIE REVIEW: 'Sexy Beast' writers and some of its cast re-team for a story of bad guys behaving badly.

January 10, 2010

He's Woody Harrelson, not Woody Boyd

By BETSY SHARKEY

THE ACTOR'S CRAFT: It's easy to forget that he's one of his generation's finest actors, not the 'Cheers' character who most people first saw him as. 'The Messenger' reminds us.

January 1, 2010

Movie review: 'Gigante'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: In his feature debut, Adrián Biniez tells an unpredictable tale about the workings of the human heart.

December 31, 2009

'Crazy Heart'

CRITIC'S PICK

'Sherlock Jr.' starring Buster Keaton

CRITIC'S PICKS

December 30, 2009

'The White Ribbon'

By Betsy Sharkey FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: Michael Haneke attempts to explain the seeds of Nazism in his cautionary tale.

'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: A new Tennessee Williams heroine emerges in this unpolished yet intriguing 1920s tale, directed by Jodie Markell and starring Bryce Dallas Howard.

'The White Ribbon' info

'The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond' info

December 25, 2009

'It's Complicated' isn't really, and that's the problem

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Nancy Meyers, the writer-director behind 'Something's Gotta Give,' tells another baby boomer love story, but it doesn't have her usual smarts or humor.

'Sherlock Holmes'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: Guy Ritchie turns the master sleuth into an action hero, with mixed results.

'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Heath Ledger's last project is as unusual and idiosyncratic as its title, and it's Terry Gilliam's most original and accessible work in years.

'Creation'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: The film about Charles Darwin's life and work on 'On the Origin of Species' suffers from bad plotting.

'Creation' info

'It's Complicated' info

December 24, 2009

'The Beaches of Agnes'

CRITIC'S PICK

December 23, 2009

'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: The fun follow-up to the 2007 blockbuster is filled with teen chipmunk drama as the trio face some competition from a female chipmunk singing group.

'Police, Adjective'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: The Romanian film is not a conventional crime film. Rather, its goal is to get viewers thinking.

'Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel' info

December 20, 2009

Race on the big screen

By Betsy Sharkey film critic >>>

NOTES ON A DECADE: 'Invictus,' 'Princess,' Precious,' 'Blind Side': Four films have different tacks on dealing with race in the movies.

Best films of 2009

BETSY SHARKEY

December 16, 2009

'Crazy Heart'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Jeff Bridges is on the road to an Oscar as hard-living country singer Bad Blake. Excellent music and Colin Farrell's impressive turn as a Blake protege and rival are added bonuses.

December 11, 2009

Hilary Duff's brat is tamed in 'According to Greta'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'The Misfortunates,' 'Uncertainty,' 'Until the Light Takes Us,' 'Yesterday Was a Lie'

'Invictus'

By Kenneth Turan film critic >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: In this stirring film, Clint Eastwood recounts the true tale of Nelson Mandela and his plan to use rugby to unite his nation.

'A Single Man'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Colin Firth soars in his portrayal of the title character in this beautifully told story of life and death.

'The Lovely Bones'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Peter Jackson's adaptation has the elements of Alice Sebold's novel, but the translation to screen is hit-and-miss.

'Broken Embraces'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Penélope Cruz and Lluís Homar shine in Pedro Almodóvar's complex film within a film within a film.

'Four Seasons Lodge'

By Kenneth Turan

MOVIE REVIEW: A documentary about Holocaust survivors who gather at a summer retreat in the Catskill Mountains every year is surprising affirmative and joyous.

'The Vicious Kind'

By Gary Goldstein

MOVIE REVIEW: Adam Scott's searing performance as an angry construction worker with heavy relationship issues is one of many strong elements in a memorable film.

'A Single Man' info

MOVIE REVIEW

'Broken Embraces'

MOVIE INFO

'Invictus'

MOVIE REVIEW

December 10, 2009

'Up in the Air'

Terry Gilliam films at the American Cinematheque

December 5, 2009

'Armored'

By Glenn Whipp

MOVIE REVIEW: A group of security guards plan a bank heist in a well-executed B movie.

'Paa'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: The father-son Bollywood soap is lush in music and scenery but over-ripe in length.

'Transylmania'

By Robert Abele

MOVIE REVIEW: Vampires meet collegians in adolescent comedy.

December 4, 2009

'Up in the Air'

By Kenneth Turan film critic >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: George Clooney plays a corporate hatchet man in Jason Reitman's funny yet poignant film.

'Breaking Point'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also: 'Fifty Dead Men Walking' and 'The Strip'

'The Last Station'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: The complicated marriage between Leo Tolstoy and his wife Sofya has been turned into a showcase for tasty acting by Christopher Plummer and Helen Mirren.

'Brothers'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal fail to establish a convincing bond in Jim Sheridan's family drama.

'Serious Moonlight'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Meg Ryan takes husband Timothy Hutton hostage to prevent his walking out on her in this comedy directed by Cheryl Hines. The movie feels like a tribute to its screenwriter, the late Adrienne Shelly.

'Everybody's Fine'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: Robert De Niro makes one forgive his recent forays into comic fluff with an arresting performance as a concerned father in this remake of a 1990 Italian film.

'Serious Moonlight' info

'Brothers'

MOVIE INFO

December 3, 2009

'Fantastic Mr. Fox'

CRITIC'S PICK

Kenneth Turan: 'Bright Star'

CRITICS' PICKS

November 27, 2009

'Missing Person': Lives altered by 9/11

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'Strongman,' 'The Sun.'

'The Private Lives of Pippa Lee'

By Robert Abele

MOVIE REVIEW: Robin Wright's housewife character reflects on her past in an off-kilter story.

November 26, 2009

Betsy Sharkey: 'Lawrence of Arabia' at the Egyptian

CRITICS' PICKS

'La Danse'

November 25, 2009

'The Princess and the Frog'

By Betsy Sharkey FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The hand-drawn animated Disney film set in jazz-soaked 1920s New Orleans is a refreshing, lively version of the fairy tale.

'The Road'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: An honorable, yet unfulfilling, attempt at filming Cormac McCarthy's unfilmable book.

'Red Cliff'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Director John Woo returns to his roots with a different kind of action picture than he is known for in Hollywood, an old-fashioned historical epic based on an AD 208 Chinese battle.

Guess who upstages 'Me and Orson Welles'?

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: The famed director, as played by Christian McKay, can't help but be larger than life, even with Claire Danes and Zac Efron along for the ride.

'Ninja Assassin' kills as an action movie but not much else

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: Korean star Rain metes out bloody revenge in a script low on story but big on all-out violence.

'Old Dogs'

By Michael Phillips

MOVIE REVIEW: The Disney comedy in the 'Wild Hogs' vein starring John Travolta and Robin Williams is thuddingly unfunny.

'The End of Poverty?'

By Gary Goldstein

MOVIE REVIEW: Philippe Diaz's one-sided documentary lays blame for the world's ills on the doorstep of the U.S. and Europe, but its dry, dense construction makes it feel more like a textbook than cinema.

'The Princess and the Frog' info

'Me and Orson Welles' info

'The Road' info

MOVIE REVIEW

November 20, 2009

'Blood Equity'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: The heavy toll of playing pro football.

'The Blind Side'

By Betsy Sharkey film critic >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: Sandra Bullock and newcomer Quinton Aaron have a warm and winning chemistry in director John Lee Hancock's fact-based story of a football-loving white family's adoption of a homeless black teen.

'The Messenger'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Ben Foster and Woody Harrelson lead a strong cast in director Oren Moverman's taut drama about a casualty notification team's struggle to balance duties with private lives.

Review: 'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Drawn to another man-in-crisis story, director Werner Herzog delivers a darkly delicious tale in which Nicolas Cage is positively reptilian.

'La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: 'La Danse' is balletic in its portrayal of the art.

'Planet 51'

By Glenn Whipp

MOVIE REVIEW: Dwayne Johnson, Jessica Biel and Justin Long can't rescue this animated tale.

'The Blind Side' info

'Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans' info

'The Messenger' info

November 19, 2009

Movie review: 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The novel demands that Bella and Edward be kept apart, robbing the movie of the crazy love that made 'Twilight' such a guilty pleasure. And about the director ....

The newcomer stars opposite Sandra Bullock in 'Blind Side'

By Michael Ordoña

THE PERFORMANCE: Quinton Aaron: The young man auditioned, but thought he would be lucky to land a security job on set. Instead, he scored a lead role.

Critic's Pick: 'Precious'

November 13, 2009

'Collapse,' 'Dare' and 'London River'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also: 'Love Hurts,' 'Oh My God,' 'Storm' and 'Ten9Eight'

'Pirate Radio'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: The plot might lose the rhythm sometimes, but the soundtrack and cast keep the '60s-set rock fable afloat.

'Fantastic Mr. Fox'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The exhilarating stop-motion animation film, with George Clooney and Meryl Streep, shows director Wes Anderson at his best.

'2012': Audiences might be better off looking, not listening

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Even good actors can't punch up the dialogue and make plot contrivances believable, but oh, those special effects.

'The Little Traitor'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: A chance encounter in 1947 Palestine changes lives forever.

Review: 'Women in Trouble'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: Sebastian Gutierrez's movie is a soap opera-ish vehicle for hilarity and depth. A sequel is already in the works.

'The Little Traitor' info

MOVIE REVIEW

'Pirate Radio' info

November 12, 2009

'Men Who Stare at Goats'

CRITICS' PICKS

November 9, 2009

The Cold War's greatest hits

By BETSY SHARKEY

ON FILM: The fears of that era left their imprint on a treasure trove of films. Here are a few favorites.

November 7, 2009

'Turning Green'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: An unhappy teen seeking a way out of Ireland turns to illegally importing and selling porn magazines.

November 6, 2009

'Died Young, Stayed Pretty,' about rock poster artists, loses focus

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'Looking for Palladin'; 'The Wedding Song'; 'Victory Day'; 'Yes Men Save the World.'

'Precious' cuts deep

By Betsy Sharkey film critic >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The heartbreaking, hopeful tale of an abused, pregnant teen should not be missed.

Robert Zemeckis' 'Christmas Carol': Bah humbug. Too many special effects

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Jim Carrey plays multiple parts in the motion-capture animated re-imagining of the Dickens' classic.

'The Box'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Too bad Norma and Arthur didn't leave it on the porch. Richard Kelly's latest is no 'Donnie Darko.' The morality tale is fractured, foolish and slow as molasses.

'The Men Who Stare at Goats'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: This kinda true story of an experimental Army unit is a showcase for George Clooney & Co.

'Araya'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: The 1959 film's style is dated, but it is visually glorious and tells a fascinating story.

'The Fourth Kind'

By Robert Abele

MOVIE REVIEW: They try to get 'real' about strange occurrences. Instead they get ludicrous.

'Precious' info

'The Box' info

MOVIE REVIEW

'A Christmas Carol'

MOVIE INFO

November 5, 2009

'1939 Redux': Series digs beyond the classics of 'Hollywood's Greatest Year'

By KENNETH TURAN

UCLA Film & Television Archive's tribute skips 'Gone With the Wind' and 'The Wizard of Oz' and still comes up with a list of gems.

'The September Issue'

CRITIC'S PICK

'A Town Called Panic'

CRITIC'S PICK

November 4, 2009

Movie review: 'The Men Who Stare at Goats'

By BY ANDY KLEIN

REVIEW: A super-secret unit with paranormal abilities? Sounds outlandish, yet this movie, with its fun performances by a big-name cast, is based on nonfiction.

November 1, 2009

New films are on the serious side

By BETSY SHARKEY

ON FILM: This season's movies, including 'Precious,' 'The Road,' '2012,' 'Avatar' and 'Up in the Air,' may seem hard to digest in troubled times, but their cast, directors and stories make them worthwhile.

October 28, 2009

'Michael Jackson's This Is It'

By Ann Powers POP MUSIC CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The concert film beautifully shows what might have been.

'The House of the Devil'

By BY ANDY KLEIN

MOVIE REVIEW

October 24, 2009

'Saw VI' takes a stab at healthcare reform

By Robert Abele

MOVIE REVIEW: By pandering to populist anger, the latest in the franchise sinks lower than ever.

October 23, 2009

'As Seen Through These Eyes'

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also: 'The Canyon,' 'Hannah Free,' 'Motherhood,' 'Stan Helsing'

Review: 'Amelia'

By Betsy Sharkey FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The aviatrix loses her personality in this superficial film.

'Antichrist'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: This journey into the 'dark world' of Lars von Trier's imagination reveals a tangled mess of sex, evil and death.

'The Maid'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: The topic is banal, but the film serves in so many ways. From a young Chilean filmmaker, it leaves you off balance, in the best possible way.

'Ong Bak 2: The Beginning'

By KENNETH TURAN

MOVIE REVIEW: Tony Jaa's graceful moves are the big attraction. The story, which begins in 1431, not so much.

'Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW

'(Untitled)'

By Gary Goldstein

MOVIE REVIEW: A clever skewering of the New York art and music scenes is bolstered by a strong cast, led by Marley Shelton and Adam Goldberg.

'Astroboy'

By Glenn Whipp

MOVIE REVIEW

'Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant'

FILM REVIEW

MOVIE REVIEW

October 22, 2009

'Network' / 'The Hospital'

October 17, 2009

'The Stepfather'

By Kevin Thomas

MOVIE REVIEW: In this remake, Dylan Walsh takes over the title role from Terry O'Quinn and makes an equally chilling family man.

October 16, 2009

'Adventures of Power' gets an enthusiastic drums up

CAPSULE MOVIE REVIEWS: Also reviewed: 'Black Dynamite,' 'Bronson,' 'Creating Karma, 'Eating Out' and more.

Review: 'New York, I Love You'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: In 'New York, I Love You,' short stories seem to end just as they're beginning. For transcendence, look closely.

'Where the Wild Things Are'

By Kenneth Turan FILM CRITIC >>>

MOVIE REVIEW: The adaptation of Maurice Sendak's book expands on the boorish Max -- to its detriment.

'Trucker'

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW

'Law Abiding Citizen'

By Glenn Whipp

MOVIE REVIEW: Justice is just a word -- an oft-repeated one -- in this revenge retread.

'Opa!' is as flat as its Greek island setting is beautiful

By BETSY SHARKEY

MOVIE REVIEW: Matthew Modine stars in a lackluster archaeological dig/romantic comedy.

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Times Reviews

-	'District 13: Ultimatum' is a showcase for stunts, which isn't a bad thing
-	Brit Noir series to start at Nuart on Friday
-	Review: 'Dear John'
-	'From Paris With Love'
-	'The Last Station'
-	Mo'Nique won't hit the campaign trail
-	'Fish Tank' is an elegy on teen poverty and desperation
-	'Edge of Darkness'
-	'A Town Called Panic'
-	'Saint John of Las Vegas' veers off the road despite Steve Buscemi
-	'When in Rome'
-	'When in Rome' info

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