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Movies
A Triumph of Style and Silliness
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars.
There is no social satire to be gleaned from the stylishly staged skull crunching in Ruben Fleischer’s post-apocalyptic comedy Zombieland -- and not much in the way of serious horror. The first-time feature director (formerly of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”) aims more for laughs than for the unrelenting dread of George A. Romero’s Living Dead movies, and he succeeds almost effortlessly: At 81 minutes, his debut is cheerfully macabre, briskly paced, brimming with demented energy, and otherwise totally disposable. More
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Movies
Blood and Breasts, Served Early and Often
Zombie Strippers has been billed as the mainstream debut of Jenna Jameson, whose past credits include I Love Lesbians 10 and Dirty Bob’s Xcellent, but the difference between her latest work and the hardcore pornography that made her famous is not nearly as pronounced as one might expect. While Strippers is rated R -- a compelling testament to the notion that sex in films is far more offensive to America’s Motion Pictures Association than even the most explicit violence -- it is, in almost every other respect, as narratively unsophisticated as the bulk of Jameson’s past productions. More
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Movies
There’s More Than One Way To Lose Your Life To A Killer
In the summer of 1969, San Francisco was gripped by fear and panic with the emergence of the serial killer known only as "The Zodiac Killer". The Zodiac Killer deftly manipulated the media and law enforcement officials with letters to the San Francisco Chronicle and cryptic ciphers. While the Zodiac claimed more than his fair share of lives through his grisly murders, there were a few lives that while not ended at his hands, were certainly consumed by him. More
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Movies
Wobbly, Family-Oriented Sci-Fi Adventure
Based on the illustrated children's book by Chris Van Allsburg (Jumanji, The Polar Express) and directed by Jon Favreau (Elf, Made, Swingers), Zathura is a science fiction/fantasy/action/adventure/family film. Parents or adults interested in family-oriented entertainment will find themselves passably diverted, if not particularly challenged by Zathura's familiar storyline or predictable (and, in one case, disturbing) plot turns. More
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Movies
Sex and the Steel City
It’s been 14 years since Kevin Smith made a noisy debut with Clerks, his low-rent, pop-culture-obsessed comedy about man’s struggle against the mind-numbing boredom of a dead-end job. If Smith’s directorial style seemed unrefined back then, he more than compensated with dialogue as unapologetically subversive as it was funny and honest. More
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Movies
The Golden Years (Indeed)
Stephen Walker’s heartfelt documentary, Young@Heart, opens with Eileen Hall, a featured member of the Young@Heart chorus, singing (or rather speaking) The Clash’s “Should I Stay or Should I Go?” Swaying gently on her cane, the former war bride looks frail. She should. She was all of 92 when Walker first started filming Young@Heart. Her rendition of The Clash’s song is quiet, almost meditative, but still drenched in emotion. It’s also, unsurprisingly, a crowd-pleaser, the perfect opening not just to the film, but to Young@Heart’s London performance where Walker saw the Young@Heart chorus for the first time in the fall of 2005. More
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Movies
A Winning Combination
Directed by Anthony Russo and Joseph Russo ("Arrested Development", Welcome to Collinwood) and written by first-time screenwriter Mike LeSieur, You, Me, and Dupree centers on the splintering friendship between two 30-somethings, one a newly married professional and the other an ambition-free, commitment-phobic male. More
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Movies
Contrived Hitman Comedy/Drama
In the early 90s, John Dahl made a rep for himself by directing modestly budgeted neo-noirs, including Kill Me Again, Red Rock West, and Rounders. Dahl is back working on familiar genre ground with You Kill Me, a contrived comedy/drama about an angst-ridden hitman that’s long on predictability and short on laughs. More
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Movies
Strictly for Adam Sandler Fans
The ubiquitous Adam Sandler (almost twenty lead roles in just over ten years) is back with You Don’t Mess with the Zohan, a broad comedy about a disco-loving, Israeli Mossad agent who really just wants to be a hairdresser (and he’s straight). Tackling thorny representation issues with all the subtlety of well…an Adam Sandler comedy, You Don’t Mess with the Zohan contains enough vulgar, crude jokes to keep Sandler’s fanbase engaged for its overlong 110-minute running time. And if you’re not a Sandler fan, you’ll end up thinking up ways to get your money back. More
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Movies
It’s a Maybe
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
Following a career that appeared to be in the dumps, Jim Carrey is back. Say what you will about him, but he’s an authentically funny guy when given the right circumstances -- and his dramatic work isn’t too shabby either. So it’s no surprise that he decided to start his comeback in a big budget comedy (Bruce Almighty was his highest grossing film of all time) despite dramatic roles in 2004’s fantastic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Truman Show. Fortunately, Yes Man is an enjoyable film and, while it may not be his best, it reminds us of why he was once on top. More
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