Movie Reviews

The Story: In the mountains of Virginia, three brothers try to make a living bootlegging, but must deal with a crooked cop who wants a piece of their profits. The Lowdown: A brutal, often unsettling crime drama with good performances, some heart and strong direction. But it's simply too nasty to be enjoyable.

In Brief: Mae West and W.C. Fields team up for this comedy set in the Wild West that finds West "marrying" Fields in order to become respectable (and because she thinks he has money). While the fireworks one might have expected from two such iconic comedians don't quite happen, it's still a very funny movie…

In Brief: The end of the line for anything that could even remotely be called a Universal horror picture, Monster on the Campus is a brisk and entertaining little B-picture with a so-so screenplay, better direction than it deserved and a lovably goofy-looking monster. A far cry from the days of Karloff and Lugosi, but…

The Story: An intimate portrait of both the private and public sides of Chinese artist/activist Ai Weiwei. The Lowdown: A documentary about a subject who is so delightfully improbable that it ought to have crossover appeal for viewers who usually eschew documentaries altogether.

In Brief: Pleasant, if not remarkable, mid-life romantic comedy with Diane Lane as a divorcee who throws caution to the winds and buys an Italian villa in need of a lot of work in order to make a stab at a new life.

The Story: The quasi-autobiographical tale of a would-be stand-up comic sorting out his personal and professional life. The Lowdown: Aimed squarely at fans of star, co-writer, co-director Mike Birbiglia and listeners of NPR's This American Life, this quirky film will undoubtedly play better to the faithful, but remains a pleasant comedy on its own merits.

In Brief: Originally released as the first half of the faux-double feature Grindhouse, Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror (2007) remains the director’s strongest work. By making a gimmicky flick which doubles as homage to '70s grindhouse exploitation fare, Rodriguez is freed from the restraints of anything resembling realism to make a pitch perfect, absurd, hilarious and…

In Brief: Greek film (from the director best known for Zorba the Greek) version of the tragedy by Euripides. Shot amidst ruins (à la Jesus Christ Superstar), this is otherwise pretty straightforward stuff -- and it's going to depend on your fondness (or lack thereof) for Greek tragedy.

The Story: A New York City bike messenger must dodge a crooked cop who’s after an envelope he’s carrying. The Lowdown: A surprisingly cinematic, always entertaining and occasionally clever action thriller that’s only held back by its inherent silliness.

The Story: The world's dumbest collection of trailer trash hire a killer to take out the much detested stepmother for her insurance money. The Lowdown: Blistering in its black comedy and unflinching in its brutal violence, William Friedkin's Killer Joe is bold, disturbing and often brilliant filmmaking — and the textbook definition of "not for…

The Story: An ex-jewel thief finds his new health-care robot makes for an excellent partner in larceny. The Lowdown: Warm without being in the least treacly, this engaging comedy drama makes for very agreeable company — as do both of its title characters.

The Story: A divorcing couple try to remain best friends — with somewhat predictable results. The Lowdown: A clever attempt at making a self-aware romantic comedy that falls short of its desires. It makes for an occasionally pleasing diversion, but ultimately means less than it intended.

In Brief: The third — and in some ways the best — of the big Warner Bros. musicals with outlandish production numbers by Busby Berkeley. This one cashes in on the brief vogue for live shows in the movies, which, of course, means that the climax of the film will be a series of Berkeley…

In Brief: The Four Marx Brothers descend upon Huxley College where Groucho has mystifyingly become president. Before they're through with it, it's safe to say that college, football and the institution of marriage will never be the same. In the running for the boys' very best film.

The Story: A man in the witness protection program jeopardizes his safety by driving his girlfriend to Los Angeles for a job interview. The Lowdown: Mostly unfunny comedy with nice leads that will appeal mostly to persons who like to watch cars endlessly driving around to no real purpose.

The Story: Three Detroit sisters try becoming a singing group despite their mother's wishes. The Lowdown: Basic showbiz story about getting the big break, blowing the big break, getting another and...you know the drill. Clichéd, but not badly done for all that — and, of course, it's noteworthy that this is Whitney Houston's final film.

The Story: A young horror-movie fan who can talk to the dead finds himself heir to the task of preventing a 300-year-old curse from befalling the town of Blithe Hollow. The Lowdown: A clever animated horror comedy for kids. The animation is striking, the horror content surprisingly strong (and savvy) and the film is several…

The Story: A couple who’s been unable to have a child of their own magically receives one when a young boy grows from their garden. The Lowdown: A reasonably harmless family-friendly film that’s too sentimental for kids and too dull for adults.

In Brief: A pitch perfect little movie from Kaurismäki, Le Havre feels much more simple and old-fashioned than it is upon examination. Sure, the story of a reasonably shiftless French shoeshine man who befriends an illegal immigrant black boy is aimed at playing on our sentimentality, but it does so with piercingly deadpan wit and…

In Brief: John Carpenter's cult favorite is a wild mish-mash of ersatz Chinese magic, a 2,000-year-old villain, martial arts, gorgeous production design and Kurt Russell as a stupefyingly dim-witted hero. It probably shouldn't work, but it somehow does thanks in large part to a jokey tone and endlessly quotable dialogue.

In Brief: Charlie Chaplin's last silent film is also the last appearance of his "Little Tramp" character — and it's one of the best films he ever made. Here, Chaplin finds himself pitted against the tyranny of the modern world (of 1936) and all its various pitfalls — from literally becoming a cog in the…