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Martian Child
"One of the most unique films of 2007"
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Michael Clayton
"Gilroy masterfully steps away from the visual suspense of his other projects, and directs a thick, cerebral character piece that has unexpected depth."
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Heartbreak Kid
"just about their best work yet...delivers scene after scene of near shocking, sometimes-uncomfortable humor"
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Trade
"Despite its many shortfalls, "Trade" is still a movie worth seeing, because unlike much of Hollywood's output nowadays, "Trade" actually has something important to say"
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Resident Evil: Extinction
"...still laughably (thankfully) ridiculous, but much larger in scope and scale than its predecessors. The three films, and specifically "Extinction" have a silly, undeniably addictive horror-sci-fi mash-up quality that never tires"
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December Boys
"...a poorly cooked coming-of-age recipe that has little flavor and a cardboard-like consistency. These ingredients create a collection of scenes that turn the stomach for more than an hour before culminating in a truly nauseating ending"
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The Kingdom
"...an unflinching action-investigation that manages to escape any preconceived tiredness of middle-eastern topics, and deliver both a superb cast and raucous plot"
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Eastern Promises
"...a first-rate mob movie that is as much a cultural excursion as it is calculating and brutal. Mortensen is brilliant...creating a character with such dexterity and completeness that it rivals James Gandolfini's Tony Soprano"
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The Brave One
"Though squarely in the vigilante vein by virtue of its plot, "The Brave One" is a powerful, emotional maturation of the genre that is far more sad and internally wrenching than it is reckless and violent"
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Death Sentence
"The result is a loud, heavy and exaggerated experience of Newton's Third Law that does a cheeringly fine job of showing what "equal and opposite" really means..."
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Superbad
"...a genuinely hilarious, quick-witted and utterly, utterly crude comedy adventure that perfects the art of verbal porn slapstick and presents an at once raucous and honest take on the classic high-school quest for girls and booze"
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Stardust
"With a colorful spectrum of vivid characters, whimsical spells and iconic narrating by Sir Ian McKellan, Stardust achieves the desired stature of being a unique and epic fantasy quest..."
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Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
"Gone is the feathery hair, the curious voice and the look of innocence; in its place: a furrowed brow, an impatient tone, and a masculine crew-cut."
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Dead Silence
"...the film does manage to deliver enough inventive scary moments, a quick-paced plot, and sound cinematography to firmly secure its place on the B-list of campy horror."
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Primeval
"Despite Primeval's attempts to deepen the plot with political touch points, stale comic relief and the killing off of most of the cast, the film remains, ironically, largely vegetarian -- bland with just no meat."
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Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer
"...this is where most comic book-based movies of today find themselves: simply riding on the equity and big-screen intrigue of Marvel Universe's more popular characters...the consequence of this scenario has shown us many a comic hero's reputation squandered"
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Hostel 2
"The fraternal twin of the original -- women now lead the cast as opposed to guys in the first -- the film offers a slight bit more substance, but a lot of what you expect."
changing things up
February 18, 2008 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
not that there’s been much activity on the site lately, but I did want to let folks know that I’ll be shutting down Reel Read here soon since I’ve now begun writing for FirstShowing.net. Check me out over there from now on!
Sex and the City Trailer (now online)
December 7, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
The show certainly gets mixed opinions, but there’s DEFINITELY a huge following. Interesting to see HBO take the show to the big screen. More interesting to see if it actually works. The trailer makes you think it will —
Trailer via Moviefone (of course they have it first…after all, Moviefone & HBO are Time Warner properties)
Possibly the best movie of 2007? (Juno)
November 30, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
…that’s according to Peter over at Slash Film. I enjoy Michael Cera (Superbad) for sure, but absolutely love Ellen Page from her performance in Hard Candy. (Although, I have a feeling I like her more as a psychopath than a clever teen).
Rotten Tomatoes currently has the film at a very high 96%
This is the latest trailer:
New Cloverfield Trailer
November 19, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
…oh, and that appears to be the name of the actual movie — the much-hyped JJ Abrams flick that crypitcally debuted ahead of Transformers way back when. The new trailer below is equally nondescript, showing more handheld filmed shots of running and chaos, from a yet-revealed uber monster.
The original trailer and subsequent “viral” sites mysteriously related to the movie have sparked ALL KINDS of internet rumoring and discourse. The whole affair seems a bit shaky to me. When you get down to it, the monster reveal is either going to be great or “blah.” And with such boiling anticipation, if Abrams doesn’t hit it just right, there could be serious let down and backlash. For some reason, Blair Witch keeps popping into my head. Let’s hope when the angry city smasher is finally uncovered it’s been worth all this flirting.
Slow November for Reel Read
November 2, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
Postings for much of the first half of November will be sparse, due to upcoming, out-of-the-country travel. I’ll try to make sure everything is back in full swing before Thanksgiving, hopefully.
–kevin
Martian Child
October 25, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: Reviews
Weird is undervalued nowadays. With the homogenized ubiquity of frappuccinos and flat-front chinos, a good dose of odd is inviting, if not needed. This is what makes the inventive Martian Child so refreshing, fun and seemingly otherworldly. One of the most unique films of 2007, Martian Child envelops you with a warm and wide-eyed curiosity that is incredibly touching and joy to witness.
With a comfortable foothold in the modern world, the film is about a soon-to-be-adopted young boy that lives in a box and thinks he’s from Mars. How great is that!
Of course, most children have unrealistic perceptions about the world around them. However, pale, raspy-voiced Dennis (Bobby Coleman) believes with all his being that he comes from the planet Mars and that his alien brethren will come to pick him up some day. Dennis is so stalwart in his position that it’s quite the movie-long mystery of whether he’s actually telling the truth. Can he really make traffic lights change? Is he able to give someone a Martian Wish?
Moving the inquiry along is John Cusak, who plays a recently widowed science-fiction writer that, naturally, …
Update: Sweeney Todd
October 4, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: News
Because I simply adore the dark concoction that is Tim Burton, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter, I thought I would post an update about what will soon be the best Xmas movie…ever. The official trailer has been released.
Michael Clayton
October 4, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: Reviews
Beneath the innocuous moniker, “Michael Clayton” is actually a very different, interesting breed of thriller that people are either going to love, or just think it OK. (Really, it’s hard to hate any movie with George Clooney as the lead, save for “Solaris.”)
The expected ‘this’ or ‘that’ reaction is due in large part to the film’s unique DNA, created by seasoned writer-turned-director Tony Gilroy of such audience-pleasers as the “Bourne” series. His first foray into yelling “action” and “cut,” Gilroy masterfully steps away from the visual suspense of his other projects, and directs a thick, cerebral character piece that has unexpected depth.
Upon initial reflection “Michael Clayton,” with its pedigree cast, seems like a shiny Porsche 911 that never makes it out of second gear – high-rev cruising, for sure, but never the moment when the film breaks away showing the true “oomph” you expect and want from such starry players. This anticipation is, really, a function of conventional expectation; of course you expect Clooney to kick-ass with his intellect, wit and fervor. He does, but in a more understated way. This de-emphasis on the …
Tony Gilroy
October 4, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: Interviews
With the release of “Michael Clayton” just around the corner, writer/director Tony Gilroy was in DC recently to discuss his foray into directing and how such a seemingly non-descript, subtle-but-smart movie came to be with such a dream team of Hollywood elite.
“Michael Clayton” is like a case study for how to effectively and efficiently make a top-tier movie in today’s market. The film, which in addition to Gilroy involves such notables as George Clooney, Sydney Pollack, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, Steve Soderbrgh, is as celebrity-drenched as it is frugal – a state of existence that seems inherently at odds with itself. When would you ever consider George Clooney an economically savvy choice for a lead?
You still have studios saying, ‘Well, we’re spending this much money we have to have a movie that everybody gets.’ It’s this really weird, screwed up tension…that’s why above a certain number (of dollars) it’s really hard to make a movie like this.
Despite the somewhat contradictory nature of making the film, Gilroy knew a consistent eye on the numbers and the right leading man was the only way “Michael Clayton” would make it into theaters.
There was only …
Heartbreak Kid
October 4, 2007 | Author: Kevin Powers | Filed under: Reviews
Vulgar comedy seems to be a successful ingredient to many a film lately, “Superbad” being the most outrageous example. The Farrelly brothers have included this seasoning by the truckload in their latest project, “Heartbreak Kid,” which is just about their best work yet.
You set a pretty clear tone when an opening line from 80-something Jerry Stiller involves asking his son – both in real-life and in the movie – Ben Stiller if he’s been “crushing any pussy lately.” Thankfully, this isn’t where the film peaks as “Heartbreak Kid” delivers scene after scene of near shocking, sometimes-uncomfortable humor. Equally surprising is that the Farrelly brothers have created an immediately funny film that actually works.
Ben Stiller plays Eddie, a perpetually single, 40-something-year-old sports equipment storeowner. Not having found the right girl yet, Eddie hangs out with his outspoken father, Doc (Jerry Stiller), and his whipped friend Mac (Rob Corddry, “Daily Show” alum).
It’s pretty clear things need to be shaken up when your dad asks you to go to Vegas to “tag team a couple of broads.” So in this convenient fashion, Eddie happens across …
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