Movie Reviews

Tamara Drewe

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: Tamara Drewe -- and her sexy new look -- returns to her hometown where she proceeds to wreak havoc on the locals. The Lowdown: A funny, insightful, stylish and charming look at modern -- often gentrified -- life in rural England. A must-see picture.

Fair Game

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: The story of Joseph Wilson, who blew the whistle on the Bush administration for ignoring evidence that Iraq had no nuclear weapons program -- and the fallout that occurred when it was leaked that his wife, Valerie Plame, was a CIA agent. The Lowdown: An incendiary film about the duplicity of the Bush…

Skyline

Reviewed by Justin Souther on
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The Story: A group of vapid twentysomethings are terrorized by alien invasion on a massive scale. The Lowdown: The poor man's Micheal Bay: A movie with a small budget mixed with dumbed-down ideas from every popular sci-fi film from the last decade or so.

Conviction

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A fact-based story of a woman who put herself through law school in order to attempt to get her brother out of prison on a wrongful murder conviction. The Lowdown: A very serious-minded, extremely earnest and probably well-intended film that is somehow less compelling than it should be.

Morning Glory

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A young woman takes the seemingly impossible job of revitalizing a failing morning TV program. The Lowdown: A solid comedy that's seriously impeded by the apparent need to make it into a romantic comedy. It's certainly watchable, and it's three stars are fine, but it could have been great.

Nowhere Boy

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: Biopic focusing on the middle teenage years of John Lennon and the forces and people that shaped him. The Lowdown: A lovely little movie that rings true and is surprisingly emotionally effective. If you're keen on Lennon, it's a must-see.

Shadow of the Vampire

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Asheville Film Society will screen Shadow of the Vampire Tuesday, Nov. 16, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville. Hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director of the Asheville Film Society.

Four Lions

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: The film concerns itself with the efforts of a spectacularly inept group of terrorists out to make their mark on Britain. The Lowdown: A genuine take-no-prisoners satire that's one of of the most bitterly funny -- and disturbing -- comedies to come along in a while. It's in the must-see realm for those…

Inside Job

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A documentary examining how the recession came to be through corrupt banking practices and the control of the government. The Lowdown: An angry, dispiriting film about the state of the economy and the need for serious economic reform in this country -- reform that goes beyond lip-service. You won't have a good time,…

The Tillman Story

Reviewed by Justin Souther on
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The Story: The tale of Pat Tillman, a former NFL player killed by friendly fire in Iraq and his family's struggle to keep the U.S. military from turning his death into a PR campaign. The Lowdown: A documentary that's unlikely to open any eyes, but does take a different approach to criticizing our government's involvement…

Due Date

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: Two ill-paired men end up driving across the country together. The Lowdown: A badly conceived comedy that tries to cash in on the talents of Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis without giving them anything to do.

For Colored Girls

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: The prize-winning play fitted with a melodramatic narrative that attempts to set the stage for the play's poetic monologues. The Lowdown: Easily the best film Tyler Perry has made, which may not be saying much. It's a mixed bag that's apt to polarize viewers, but it's definitely a brave attempt.