Dr. Watson (Jude Law), left, Sherlock (Robert Downey Jr.) and Irene (Rachel McAdams) contemplate their next move in “Sherlock Holmes,” based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s hero. How much you will appreciate Guy Ritchie’s reinterpretation of famous London detective Sherlock Holmes depends entirely on how willing you are to accept Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s eccentric […]
Monthly Archives: December 2009
Baldwin, Streep steam up ‘It’s Complicated’
‘Alvin’ sequel doesn’t have many laughs
Simon, Alvin and Theodore meet some flashy, fellow furry students in “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.” It amazes me how parents will shield young children from movies containing objectionable elements such as sex and violence, but cheerfully escort them to see simple-minded movies so soulless and unintelligently constructed that they qualify as child pandering. […]
‘Nine’ loses points for thin story, lyrics
Daniel Day-Lewis pulls out all the stops as an Italian movie director dealing with writer’s block in the musical “Nine.” Rob Marshall’s “Nine” is the kind of movie musical to be appreciated for its showstopper production numbers, its impressive roster of stars who can almost sing and dance superbly, and its racy and raw sexuality […]
Witless protection: Moronic ‘Morgans’ shoots down all laughs
Meryl (Sarah Jessica Parker) takes aim at a hit man as Paul (Hugh Grant) cowers in “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” Take Sandra Bullock’s worst romantic comedies, every movie starring Pauly Shore, and every action film directed by Uwe Boll, and they might come close to matching the abject rejection of intelligence and creativity […]
Visually absorbing ‘Avatar’ takes technology to new heights
Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) cautions fellow Na’vi warrior Jake (Sam Worthington) in James Cameron’s daring adventure “Avatar.” James Cameron’s science-fiction adventure “Avatar” runs for an insanely long two hours and 43 minutes, yet, there’s not a single slack moment in it. This feature has been edited down to the narrative nubs. That’s not all. “Avatar” is […]
Eastwood’s ‘Invictus’ scores on multiple levels
President Mandela (Morgan Freeman) praises rugby Captain Francois Pienaar (Matt Damon) in Clint Eastwood’s “Invictus.” Clint Eastwood isn’t exactly the kind of director you’d expect to make an ABC-TV After School Special. But he made one anyway. It’s a fairly good one, too. It’s called “Invictus,” a restrained, feel-good historical drama merged with the conventions […]
Disney returns to roots with fairytale ‘Princess and the Frog’
A girl (voice by Anika Noni Rose) meets an amorous amphibian (voice by Bruno Campos) in “The Princess and the Frog.” Walt Disney’s musical “The Princess and the Frog” celebrates an entertaining and overdue return to classical, hand-drawn animation that has been kicked to the cultural curb in an era of gleaming, sanitized CGI and […]
Taut, realistic ‘Brothers’ explores real cost of war
Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire), left, re-connects with his black sheep brother Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal) in “Brothers.” There’s not a single false emotional note in Jim Sheridan’s lean and spare war drama “Brothers.” The performances of the entire cast – especially Tobey Maguire and the girls who play his two children – are tight and […]
‘Up in the Air’ soars among the year’s best
A termination expert (George Clooney) falls for a kindred spirit (Vera Farmiga) in Jason Reitman’s comic drama “Up in the Air.” The moment you meet Ryan Bingham, you just know it: He’s the master of his universe. Bingham flies around the country and fires all the employees that company bosses don’t want to deal with […]