‘Marvel’s Avengers’ Review: Some assembly required and earned
A five film set-up has finally resulted in Marvel’s Avengers. Do Earth’s mightiest heroes make the grade or is just Transformers with spandex?
movies
First image from Ang Lee’s ‘Life of Pi’ shows Richard Parker
I remember reading Yann Martel’s novel Life of Pi several years ago in the summer of 2003, as part of a summer bookclub thing with a few fellow college friends. It seemed like a safe bet; popular, vague aspirations of being literary, and suitably weird. In reality, it’s something a fable, with a young boy—Piscine Molitor [...]
‘The Lucky One’ Review: Luck has nothing to do with it
Rating: The world of Nicholas Sparks is not one of my preferred cinematic vacation spots. I’ll admit this up front, and concede that the author has absolutely perfected this white-washed but utterly contrived universe as a safe haven for his hungry fans. If you are wary of clichés and emotional manipulation that suck away at [...]
‘Project X’ Review: Animal House Party
Rating: Project X is like any infamous, out-of-control, teen party; it sounds a lot more interesting in anecdotes than it actually was. Produced by Todd Philips, still trying to be John Hughes of the You Tube generation, Project X gets just the right crazed energy for the party itself but lacks strong characters and [...]
‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ Review: He still speaks for the trees
Rating: In a theater nearby, Today you can find, A movie that’s got green on its mind, Trundle on in, get snug in your seat, Chomp on your popcorn, Prop up your feet, And get ready for the tale of the Lifted Lorax…
‘Act of Valor’ Review: Call of Duty
Rating: Reviewing a movie like Act of Valor is like walking a tightrope. A film about the behind-the-scenes heroism of the Navy SEALs starring active-duty SEALs engaging in fictional but realistic campaigns is going to be something of a sacred cow.
‘This Means War’ Review: Nothing fair about it
Rating: I personally don’t care how many millions of dollars ‘This Means War’ brings in at the box office; it’s hands down the worst movie of the year so far. Supposedly a romantic comedy about two spies who end up fighting over the same woman, there’s nothing romantic or funny about it. I guess [...]
‘Bullhead’ Review: A noir thriller with some real meat
Rating: Jacky is a quiet and solitary guy, but he’s not exactly a likable one; working as a low-level thug for the Belgian hormone mafia, he spends his days intimidating cattle farmers into using steroid injections on their livestock. In his down time, he’s injecting testosterone cocktails of his own into his burly body, [...]
Movie Review: Ghost Rider sucks with a ‘Vengeance’
Rating: The curse of Nicolas Cage continues in Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, a movie so uninspired and disjointed that it makes its crummy predecessor look like The Dark Knight in comparison. Although the original film scared up a strong box office over Valentine’s Day weekend in 2007, Sony seems to have been hesitant [...]
PCN’s Top 10 Romantic Horror Films
Valentine’s Day. It can be a nightmare. Maybe you have that someone special and the holiday ratrace is driving you mad. Maybe your flying solo and the endless parade of candy hearts and goopy sentimental slop have you howling at the moon and wanting to disembowel Cupid.
‘Journey 2’ Review: Island built on a Rock
One of my most cherished childhood birthday presents was a collector’s edition of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth, complete with handsome ink illustrations. It was given to me by intrepid relatives who gambled on an 19th century adventure novel being of interest to a kid of the video game era, and [...]
See first ten minutes of new ‘Berserk’ series online
Studio 4C have released their animated film Berserk Golden Age Arc I: Egg of the Supreme Ruler (Berserk Ougon Jidaihen I: Hao no Tamago) in Japanese theaters this weekend and are promoting it by way of putting the opening ten minutes online.
‘The Woman in Black’ Review: Harry Potter and the Phantom’s Curse
Rating: Sometimes what seems dead has a way of being revived again over time. This could be the theme of James Watkins’ The Woman In Black, which does a hat trick of refurbishing the reputation of Hammer studios, providing a new take on a story told thrice before, and proving that Daniel Radcliffe’s career will [...]
SyFy Review: ‘Swamp Volcano’ Erupts All Over Miami
Is there a less successful subgenre among SyFy’s stable of schlock than the natural disaster flick? I’m at a loss to remember a particular one that works; if you think cgi killer animals come off unconvincing and silly, then consider how large-scale destruction looks on a shoestring budget with novice animators onboard. It doesn’t help [...]
‘Contagion’ Review: Soderbergh makes paranoia infectious
The most foreboding image in Steven Soderbergh’s new outbreak thriller Contagion is an uncovered bowl of bar peanuts. I mean that as a compliment. At the heart of this star infested, globally minded, medical thriller, there’s a maniacal—even healthy if you will—sense of paranoia and anxiety surrounding our habits and social structures. Soderbergh takes a [...]