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(04/05/11 7:05am)
“Source Code” can be categorized as the most basic form of entertainment — the type that moves quickly enough to hold the viewer’s attention and fails to present anything that is too intellectually challenging. Its flirtation with fluff places it dangerously close to the category of “summer blockbusters,” and it narrowly avoids the label of “popcorn flick,” by providing character depth and a moving emotional climax.
(03/29/11 6:27am)
It’s typically a dooming sign when, at the height of a film’s emotional climax, the entire theater becomes silent for a moment and then immediately bursts out in laughter. Zack Synder’s “Sucker Punch” is no exception to the rule.
(03/25/11 8:49am)
Collins Tuohy, whose family was the subject of the 2009 movie "The Blind Side," started her Thursday night address in the Russell House Ballroom with very little
(03/24/11 6:40am)
For a film to capture that binding finality is truly haunting. Having witnessed a loved one slowly fade away, the precise accuracy in which Javier Bardem's character deteriorating into a shivering mass of flesh and crumpled bones makes for a unique and grueling spectacle.
(03/24/11 6:40am)
For a film to capture that binding finality is truly haunting. Having witnessed a loved one slowly fade away, the precise accuracy in which Javier Bardem's character deteriorating into a shivering mass of flesh and crumpled bones makes for a unique and grueling spectacle.
(03/23/11 8:07am)
“Paul” comes in peace — as well as mediocrity and a side of blandness that really makes it a very banal alien film.
(03/22/11 9:18am)
There is nothing better than a well-made, entertaining superhero flick.
(03/14/11 6:27am)
Rating: B
(03/03/11 9:28am)
Rating: D-
(02/23/11 7:35am)
“Unknown” opens with Liam Neeson and January Jones on an airplane and, looking back, I would have felt less swindled if the plane crashed and film ended.
(02/14/11 9:11am)
First Date:This article won't help you. Think of something else.
(02/09/11 10:28am)
A year ago, another season of the show “Parks and Recreation” seemed almost as guaranteed as a Kevin Federline child support payment.
(02/07/11 5:44am)
Jim Carrey’s evolution as an actor has been quite the bizarre journey, and at age 49, he still manages to perform his most daring and possibly “out-there” role — which is quite the accomplishment when considering Carrey’s pedigree. Following a true story, “I Love You Phillip Morris” is a comedy of the darkest proportions, at times brutally hilarious, needling the audience’s levels of tolerance. Directed by the creators of the equally dark “Bad Santa” (2003), Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, “I Love You Phillip Morris” is a con film that truly is unlike any other in its genre.
What makes “I Love You Phillip Morris” so successful is the very aspect of the film that will polarize people — its unrelenting nature and raw humor. Ficarra and Requa let Carrey run free in the film and his typical overacting and facial elasticity just add to the morbid laughs. The drawback to this exercise is that Carrey out-acts everyone and seems to be carrying most of the film throughout. Luckily, it does place most of the focus on him, minimizing the flaw exponentially. The film follows Steven Russell (Carrey), who, at the beginning, is a married, conservative Christian who says his prayers nightly and makes sure to eat his veggies. After a fruitless search for his mother, Russell admits in the most flamboyant and graphic nature that he is, in fact, homosexual.
(02/01/11 8:01am)
With the release of “The Mechanic,” Jason Statham demonstrates he is becoming the heir to Steven Seagal — all action all the time and maybe a cop reality show in the future.
(01/27/11 8:56am)
There is testament to the sheer unadulterated power a single human will possesses and to what lengths it will endure so not to be denied. “The King’s Speech” uses this concept of determination and demonstrates that no matter how dire a situation may appear, every uphill battle can be won.
(01/26/11 10:07am)
It’s a new year — a fresh start. This past year — which, until around Christmas, was one of the worst for film — is finally behind us, enabling Hollywood to start anew with quality and originality.
(01/24/11 7:41am)
Music has always been considered a lightning rod of unification, taking people from multiple walks of life and creating a common ground and sense of connection.
(01/19/11 8:54am)
It’s January, which unfortunately means that it’s resolution time.
Nearly every person on campus has decided that this year they will lose the freshman 15, resulting in Strom being clogged with a universal ineptitude, turning the gym into something more like a DMV. I am all for America ending its battle with obesity, I just prefer that the initiative happen somewhere far away from the streets of USC. However, unlike USC’s student body, Hollywood seems to lack the “dream big” attitude that we Gamecocks have recently acquired. So, since the movie business will not make its own resolutions for the new year, I have decided to offer up a few suggestions.1. Stop casting Ashton Kutcher in anything. Period. This “actor” does not care about movies at all. Every single film he has ever been cast in has received a “rotten” score on RottenTomatoes.com, an impressive feat considering his idiotic persona seems to pop into movies all the time. Odds would say he’d be in at least one good flick. I mean, even Ron Jeremy appeared in “Boogie Nights” (1997). In fact, his last film, “Killers” (2010) is considered one of the worst films released last year, and possibly the worst of his career, which proves he is only getting worse. 2. Someone please pay off Nicholas Cage’s debt. Nicolas Cage is not a respected actor. In fact, he is more akin to the crazy guy down the street who eats whatever dies in his yard. However, he does have an Oscar and possesses plenty of talent, but due to the fact that he compulsively buys castles (never said he was rational), he is in more debt than Blockbuster. This in turn forces him to take roles like those in “Season of the Witch” (2011) and “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” (2010), which are surprisingly beneath even him. So I am proposing that someone help him out so he doesn’t become the crack addict begging on the street corners of the acting business. 3. Let Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) tell the Easter Story. He has been quoted as saying that he “had problems with” “The Passion of the Christ” (2004). A quick solution to this problem is to just let him direct his own version. There could be Jared Leto as Jesus, a sobering but cerebrally stimulating story, and the score would be amazing. His style would correlate perfectly to the mood of the plot; nearly every aspect lines up except for it being hugely blasphemous. And, there’s no way Aronofsky would be able to do it without some egregious sex scene. Not sure how the pope will handle that one. 4. Stop making unnecessary films and sequels. Well this one’s too late because Hollywood is creating a “Missile Command” movie. Yes, that is the space-themed 1980 Atari game where you shoot laser-like lines at dots falling from the sky. This one was the most important resolution, and Hollywood already failed.5. End the Vampire fad. Immediately.This has gone on way too long. When I was young, I thought Dracula was stupid and didn’t make sense. The guy can’t eat garlic, but human blood is his life source. Of all things to be a weakness, it had to be garlic? Last year, and the year before that, I thought the obsession with these mosquitoes would fade away. Instead, it just grew stronger with the release of “Twilight” (2008). It is like Kudzu. Yet, there is no way to stop it, and the only way to ignore it is to go hide in a cave. These are just a few of the suggestions that Hollywood should take to heart. I know that none will come true and might be considered for two weeks before being put next to the Rosetta Stone and filed under “maybe next year.”
(01/12/11 8:38am)
When the Coen brothers first announced their intentions to re-adapt the western classic that won John Wayne an Oscar, “True Grit,” tepid curiosity and apprehension abounded.
Upon the release, the Coens’ legacy is now fully-cemented among the greatest directors that have lived. “True Grit” is the strongest western since Clint Eastwood’s classic, “Unforgiven” (1992), and truly demonstrates the range of the Coens. Adapted from Charles Portis’ novel of the same name, “True Grit” poses and examines the question “What defines courage?”The film opens with a gorgeous shot with amber lighting of a man lying dead with snow falling all around him. That man is Frank Ross,and he has been murdered in a drunken rage by Tom Cheney, one of his hired hands. Cheney is played by a grizzled Josh Brolin. . Vowing to avenge her father’s death, 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Haliee Steinfeild) decides to enlist the help of a hired gunman while in town tending to her father’s affairs. After deliberating with a horse salesman, Mattie asks around for the best marshal for the job. She receives an array of answers, but Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) resonates with her because he has the “meanest” reputation. Unfortunately for Mattie, Cogburn spends most of his life drunk and the rest hungover. But Mattie possesses a certain doggedness that eventually wears down the aging gunman. Finally, the two reach a skewed agreement in which Mattie rides with Cogburn to help him find Cheney, creating a fascinating adventure of odd friendship between Mattie, Cogburn and Labeouf, the third man who enlists his services. Labeouf is played by Matt Damon. “True Grit” is carried by the performances of its three main players, with Jeff Bridges’ portrayal of the iconic role leading the way. He takes the character of Rooster Cogburn and plays it as a forsaken man who has turned into a curmudgeon but still possesses a sense of untamed danger. The Coens’ signature dry wit is evident in the character, adding a humorous twist to Rooster that galvanizes the film. However, while Bridges is spectacular, the real surprise and treat of the film is Steinfeild’s performance. Armed with a silver tongue and a precociousness that is only reserved for children in film, Steinfeild stands toe-to-toe with one of the best actors in Hollywood, and it could be argued that she bests him. One can be sure that both Bridges and Steinfeild will receive Oscar nods and that Steinfeild has a bright future.Western films have become a dying art in Hollywood,and it is refreshing to see the Coens direct one, even with the possibility of rejection from the general public. With the film’s sprawling landscapes and expert shots, the Coens create a tangible atmosphere for the audience that adds to the richness of the film, almost as if the settings are characters rather than places. “True Grit” also further proves that the Coens are arguably the most adept directors at getting the most out of their actors, with nearly every performance in the film distinctive and laudable. Whether “True Grit” will take home the Oscar for best picture is hard to say, but the film can surely be lauded as a modern classic.
(01/10/11 11:21am)
It’s not rare for a film these days to be centered on raw sexuality and brutality, but it is unlikely that those movies use those themes to create a storyline of transcendent beauty.
“Black Swan” does just that. It is a visually arresting film that ignites a feeling of awe and simultaneously leaves the viewer cringing at many disturbing scenes. The film is directed by Darren Aronofsky (“Requiem for a Dream”), who seems to make a living creating chilling psychological nightmares. Aronofsky uses “Black Swan” as a basis to examine the true cost of obsession for perfection.The film follows Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman), a meek dance student who has been in the company for a while but has not received much attention for her hard work — as her mother (Barbara Hershey) subtly notes. As the theater’s dance season approaches, the head choreographer, Thomas Leroy (Vincent Cassel) decides the past seasons have been too dry, and it is time for him to reinvent “Swan Lake.” So he holds open auditions. Nina impeccably dances the White Swan’s part, showcasing her piety and innocence, but Thomas reminds her the role contains two parts and that being pure and guarded will not garner her the lead. She needs to find the inner Black Swan if she wants the role. After Thomas’ request, the film begins to drift into the cerebral, as the audience witnesses Nina pursue the dark side that resides within her, all the while consuming herself with a rivalry with her understudy, Lily (Mila Kunis). Out of all of the films shot this year, “Black Swan” is the most gorgeous and striking. Each dance scene is a work of art in its own right, and Aronofsky uses simplistic elegance to foil the incredibly disturbing and bizarre scenes. The film is carried by Portman’s portrayal of Nina, who does an excellent job of maintaining her childlike naïveté while exploring the depths of her soul. However, because of the strength of her performance, the film wobbles because no one else can keep up. The scenes between Portman and Kunis feel clunky at times because Kunis’ acting is weaker than Portman’s. With that said, everyone does a great job; it’s just that Portman is completely alone at the top, and around March, she will be the one holding an Oscar. “Black Swan” follows an interesting plotline that has been utilized by prior films, like “Antichrist,” in which the main character unravels, preparing the audience for the conclusion. But the emphasis is more in the journey than the actual end, creating a sense of dread that looms over the audience. “Black Swan’s” plot was by no means unpredictable but is definitely engrossing to watch. The most surprising part of “Black Swan” is the grittiness that Aronofsky employs throughout the film, which draws similarities to his last film, “The Wrestler.” The scenes in which Aronofsky give an inside look at the actual struggles a dancer faces (weight and feet issues being the main ones) are similar to how he showcased the injuries in “The Wrestler.” “Black Swan” makes a strong case for Best Picture and will undoubtedly be nominated; however, it is hard to believe an erotic thriller will beat out a social commentary (“The Social Network”) come March.