Movie Reviews

Harold and Maude

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Asheville Film Society presents a special benefit theatrical screening of Harold and Maude at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8, at The Carolina Asheville. Admission is $5 for AFS members and $10 for non-members. The film's stunt coordinator and friend of the director, Buddy Joe Hooker, will do a Q&A upstairs in the Cinema…

Blonde Venus

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Asheville Film Society will screen Blonde Venus Tuesday, April 12, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director of the Asheville Film Society.

Othello

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Hendersonville Film Society will show Othello at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 10, in the Smoky Mountain Theater at Lake Pointe Landing Retirement Community (behind Epic Cinemas, 333 Thompson St., Hendersonville).

Even the Rain

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A film company on location in Bolivia finds itself embroiled in an uprising against a government plan to privatize the water supply. The Lowdown: Compelling, entertaining and persuasive drama -- with one pitfall -- that dares much, usually to good results, thanks to solid acting and characterization.

Source Code

Reviewed by Justin Souther on
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The Story: An Air Force pilot must find a bomber using secret government program that can place someone in the last eight minutes of another's life. The Lowdown: An intelligent, entertaining piece of sci-fi filmmaking.

Insidious

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: When malevolent spirits follow the Lambert family to another home, they bring in an exorcist who finds that their comatose son is the point of demonic interest. The Lowdown: A funhouse ride of a horror picture that revels in all the tropes of the genre -- as well as its own absurdity, but…

Hop

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: The next Easter Bunny has headed to L.A. to be a rock drummer, labor disputes are plaguing the Bunny candy factory, and it looks like Easter is gravely imperiled. The Lowdown: Everything you'd expect and more from the man who brought you Alvin and the Chipmunks, meaning it's truly painful.

Nights of Cabiria

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Nights of Cabiria at 8 p.m. Friday, April 1, at Phil Mechanic Studios (109 Roberts St., River Arts District, upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com

Queen Christina

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Asheville Film Society will screen Queen Christina Tuesday, April 5, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director for the Asheville Film Society.

The Ring

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Thursday Horror Picture Show will screen The Ring Thursday, March 31, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther.

I Saw the Devil

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A Korean special police agent takes the law into his own hands when his fiancee is murdered by a serial killer. The Lowdown: Brutal, violent, disturbing revenge horror that's not for all tastes, but is nonetheless more than a mere "torture porn" horror picture.

Sucker Punch

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A young girl fantasizes about escape from an insane asylum while she waits for her lobotomy. The Lowdown: Flashy, trashy, barely coherent mish-mash of a lot of better movies with lashings of low-grade porn, creepiness and long stretches of videogame boredom.

Cleo from 5 to 7

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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Classic World Cinema by Courtyard Gallery will present Cleo from 5 to 7 at 8 p.m. Friday, March 25, at Phil Mechanic Studios (109 Roberts St., River Arts District, upstairs in the Railroad Library). Info: 273-3332, www.ashevillecourtyard.com
Starring: Lionel Atwill, Fay Wray, Glenda Farrell, Frank McHugh, Allen Vincent, Arthur Edmund Carewe

Mystery of the Wax Museum

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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Not a sequel, but very much a companion piece to Michael Curtiz’ Doctor X (1932), the once-lost Mystery of the Wax Museum (1933) is another two-strip Technicolor exercise in German Expressionist horror with two of the same stars—Lionel Atwill and Fay Wray—and a similar reporter hero, only this time it’s a heroine (Glenda Farrell). This […]

Portrait of Jennie

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Asheville Film Society will screen Portrait of Jennie Tuesday, March 29, at 8 p.m. in the Cinema Lounge of The Carolina Asheville and will be hosted by Xpress movie critics Ken Hanke and Justin Souther. Hanke is the artistic director of the Asheville Film Society.

Paul

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: Two Brit sci-fi geeks find themselves helping an alien escape from the U.S. government. The Lowdown: A genial, casually raunchy and occasionally pointedly satirical comedy about, by, and for sci-fi nerds, but one smart enough not to depend on in-jokes for its laughs. Highly recommended.

Somewhere

Reviewed by Ken Hanke on
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The Story: A disaffected movie star suddenly finds himself taking care of his 11-year-old daughter. The Lowdown: After a maddeningly slow start, Sofia Coppola's Somewhere becomes a strangely compelling, if not wholly satisfying work.