Machete (R) — 3 stars — Opens September 3, 2010

arch — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:47:45 +0000

Robert Rodriguez created a trailer for Quentin Tarrantino’s “Grindhouse” that turned into one of the best things in that movie. So now comes the full blown project—over the top, outrageous and great fun. A parody of exploitation movies, starring Danny Trejo as a bad guy with a big knife plotting revenge against crooked politicians, vigilantes, and anyone else who crosses him. The violence and gore go off the scale, and don’t even ask about the gratituous scenes—let’s just say this one gets rated “R” for everything. Don’t for a moment take this serious. A great cast includes Robert DeNiro, Michelle Rodrgues, Jessica Alba and a great turn for bad girl Lindsay Lohan, as well as Cheech Marin as a priest! What more do you want? Notice the “R” rating and stay away if you’re easily offended. Does it deliver what it promises? does it?

Is it entertaining? Out grinds “Grindhouse”

Is it worth the price of admission? Just for fun.

The American (R) — 2 stars — Opens September 1, 2010

arch — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:40:04 +0000

Heads turn when George Clooney makes a movie but I have a feeling his fans will leave disappointed after viewing his latest. “The American” looks like the kind of foreign film that played art houses in the early 1960’s. The characters don’t say much and do a lot of brooding and emoting. Clooney plays a lone assassin sent to a remote village in Italy for one last job. We know there’s a target on his back from the beginning scenes of the story. In Italy Clooney finds love with a village hooker. As in the old school foreign films their lovemaking makes for some unrestricted filmmaking, but not even these scenes can take the chill off “The American.”

Does it deliver what it promises? A very down and un movie starish George Clooney.

Is it entertaining? Slow and silent.

Is it worth the price of admission? Experiment gone wrong.

The Last Exorcism — 1 star — Opens August 27, 2010

arch — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:17:12 +0000

Another in a long line of cheap movies hoping to exploit the “Blair Witch” success. Shot as a documentary, it follows a Louisiana Minister/Exorcist as he explains the tricks of his exorcism trade. Except, of course, this time the demons are real. Ashley Bell plays the possessed girl—she’s no Linda Blair but she’s good enough Caleb Landry Jones plays the exorcist. Shot on a shoestring and looks it. The audience I watched with groaned at the ending, although there are a couple of good chills along the way. Does it deliver what it promises? Cheap “Blair Witch” rip off.

Is it entertaining? Slow, cheap and with occasional chills.

Is it worth the price of admission? Only when you have nothing better .

Lottery Ticket———–2 stars ———–Opens August 20, 2010

arch — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 21:09:27 +0000

Bow Wow polishes his likable image in this urban comedy. He plays a kid living with his grandmother in the projects who wins the lottery and learns a lesson about the value of true friends and being true to yourself. Brandon T. jackson (of “Percy jackson and the Olympians) makes a nice best friend and Ice Cube gives the story heart, as the neighborhood eccentric who shows up in the nick of time to save the day. Not great, but fun and a nice showcase for Bow Wow and his friends. Does it deliver what it promises? Urban comedy in the style of the Friday series.\

Is it entertaining? Cliched but funny.

Is it worth the price of admission? For Bow Wow fans.

Eat Pray Love —2 stars————-Opens August 13, 2010

arch — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 15:44:10 +0000

Many have looked forward to Julia Robert’s take on the popular memoir from 2006—Eat Pray Love. Julia plays writer Elizabeth Gilbert who took a year to find herself after her divorce. Asin the book, Julia travels to Italy, India, and Bali. In Italy she eats, in India she prays, in Bali she finds her new love played by Javier Bardem. (Funny but I kept thinking of his role as the crazed killer in “No Country for Old Men.” I think this story felt pretty good in 2006 when it came out as a book. In today’s world the idea of taking a year to find yourself feels laughable. Julia does a lot of posing and adds to a feeling of a little too much self indulgence. Like this year’s “Sex and the City 2″ the whole thing feels off. Andit runs two and a half hours. In a nutshell, eat before you go because this thing may make you pray for it to end, even if you love Julia Roberts. Does it deliver what it promises? Movie version of a beloved book.

Is it entertaining? Runs too long, feels very shallow.

Is it worth the price of admission? A misfire.

The Expendales — 2 stars — Opens August 13, 2010

arch — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 19:27:25 +0000

Sly Stallone assembles a group of mercenaries to take out a South American dictator—but find out there’s an even bigger game afoot. Arnold Schwartznegger actually makes an appearance as does Bruce Willis. Sly’s men include Dolph Lundgrin, Jet Li, Jason Straithorn and Mickey Rourke. Eric Roberts shows up as the bad guy. Yeah it feels like the 80’s all over again, except this time it’s geezers with guns. On the other hand, maybe Stallone needed to make one last statement about the kind of movie that made him a superstar. Does it deliver what it promises? Action 80’s style.

Is it entertaining? I think they’re putting us on.

Is it worth the price of admission? For action fans.

Get Low —————-4 stars———–Opens August 13, 2010

arch — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:59:29 +0000

These days when Robert Duvall makes a movie it deserves your attention. Duvall plays a country hermit who comes to town with the cash to pay for his funeral, which he plans to attention while stiil alive. Director Aaron Schneider says this story really took place in the rural south in the early 1900’s. Bill Murray turns in some special work as the small town funeral director who sees a way to make a few bucks on this deal, with Lucas Black as his assistant and the conscience of the story. Sissy Spacek plays the sister of the woman Duvall loved. “Get Low” starts cute and comic but turns serious and ends on a note of confession and redemption. The movie looks beautiful and Robert Duvall makes this one of the year’s best.

Does it delvier what it promises? Folk tale beautifully performed.

Is it entertaining? Funny, then interesting, then serious.

Is it worth the price of admission? One of the year’s best.

Scott Pilgrim Versus the World — 3 stars — Opens August 13

arch — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:51:50 +0000

The very likeable Michael Cera stars in this hilarious conversion of a graphic novel. As Scott Pilgrim, Michael meets the love of his life played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. She changes her hair color with her moods and the color stays somewhere between purple and blue. She likes Scott but in order to date her tells him he must defeat her seven evil exes. At this point, the comedy romance turns into a video game which makes it very fun to watch, especially for those with a limited attention span. Cera has done a lot of likeable work, especially as the boyfriend in “Juno” and “Scott Pilgrim” adds to that. The movie zips along and provides a lot of likeable fun. Does it deliver what it promises? Graphic novel/video game/movie.

Is it entertaining? Very fun.

It is worth the price of admission? For the short attention span crowd.

The Other Guys — 4 stars — Opens August 6, 2010

arch — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:00:19 +0000

They call Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg “The Other Guys”—they’re the non star police officers working in bureaucratic silence in a high octane New York city police department. Ferrell and Wahlberg lampoon every cliche of the mis matched buddy cop movie and mine comedy gold in the process. They stumble onto a big case involving a crooked investment guru running a Ponzi scheme. But no one takes them seriously. ”The Other Guy” reminds me of “Airplane!” or “The Naked Gun” movies—it takes a comic idea and pounds it until you have to laugh. I found it surprisingly funny and refreshing and fun to watch. So much that I think it’s the best comedy since “Airplane!” Every summer needs an outrageous comedy and “The Other Guys” fits the bill. Does it deliver what it promises? Laughs and plenty of them.

Is it entertaining? Laughs and plenty of them.

Is it worth the price of admission? What price comedy?

The Concert — 4 stars — Opens August 6, 2010

arch — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 20:51:12 +0000

Imported from France where it is one of the year’s most popular films, “The Concert” opens in Moscow where we meet the janitor of the Bolshoi orchestra and learn he his story. Once a great conductor, the state banished him and his orchestra for the crime of using Jewish musicians. “The Concert” gives us a history lesson as this banishment occurs not during World War Two but instead in 1980. Now clearning the offices he once ruled, he notices a fax, takes it from the machine, and learns the orchestra has received a last minute invitation to perform in Paris. The banished janitor hatches a scheme to reunite his musicians, pose as the Bolshoi, and travel to Paris to perform. Once in France, the story gets serious with the introduction of Melanie Laurent (the icy blonde in Tarrantino’s “Inglourious Basterds”.) We learn of her escape as an infant from Russia to France where she grows into a world class violinist. The concert that takes up the last third of the movie left many in tears. Extraordinary. Does it deliver what it promises? Comedy, drama, and music.

Is it entertaining? Very.

Is it worth the price of admission? One of the year’s best.