Disney has decided to close Pixar Canada, which operates out of Vancouver. The shutdown will eliminate 100 jobs. “The team at Pixar Canada is incredibly talented and we are so proud of the excellent work we have produced there,” a Pixar spokesman said in a statement on Tuesday. “However, as we look at the creative…
Feast on the puns of ‘Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2’
The best thing about Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 is that it’s a kid’s movie. That’s not to say it isn’t clever or sophisticated – on the contrary, it’s one of the smartest animated films I’ve seen in a while.
What it isn’t, however, is a movie that tries to be any more mature than it has to be, and the result is wonderfully refreshing.
Whedon’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ brings new life to classic play
Shakespeare purists may not be too fond of Joss Whedon’s Much Ado About Nothing. It’s not that it’s unfaithful to the original text, per se – on the contrary, the integrity of the script itself is well maintained, save for a few minor changes – it’s just that the presentation of said text is quite a bit more relaxed than is often the case with such elevated, archaic language. For the open-minded, however, the film is an undeniable triumph.
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 2
Paramount Pictures has announced its plan to lay off 110 employees, or about 5% of its workforce. The cuts will mainly effect those in the finance, human resources, information technology, international home media distribution, legal and marketing departments. “As our industry continues to adapt to an increasingly competitive environment, we are always ensuring that Paramount is…
Critic applauds ‘Iron Man 3’ for its depth
Perhaps the best thing about Marvel’s recent lineup of Avengers films is that they’re not afraid to go dark. Iron Man 3 is no exception. Directed by Shane Black, it’s a slick, sharp, quirky movie that packs an exhilarating punch. The film finds “Tony Stark” (Robert Downey Jr.) in the midst of what seems like…
Entertainment news round-up for Oct. 3
Forest Whitaker will receive the annual actor tribute at the Independent Film Project’s 2013 Gotham Awards. Whitaker joins a list of tributees that already includes Richard Linklater for directing and Katherine Oliver, commissioner of the New York City mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, for contributions to the industry. The awards will be presented on…
Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes excellent writing, directing debut
Don Jon is probably not the movie you think it is. It certainly wasn’t what I expected, which was a raunchy, laugh-a-minute comedy with a dash of heart and brains.
What I got was something far better: one of the sweetest, smartest, and most honest movies of the year.
Critic moved by modern classic ‘Once’
Once is a classic example of a “little movie that could”: a tiny, micro-budget film that somehow managed to rocket to classic status in an instant. It’s even been adapted into a Tony Award-winning Broadway musical, which isn’t so much an indication of its quality as it is a sign of its incredible popularity. Thankfully, though, it more than lives up to the hype.
Critic finds ‘The Purge’ less than thrilling
Generally speaking, I’m fond of plot twists in movies – particularly those I can’t see coming. What’s less pleasing is when the twist is followed by another twist that jerks the plot back to where it was expected to go in the first place. In The Purge, that happens at least three times. Written and directed by James DeMonaco, it’s a bland, boring thriller with an overambitious concept and underwhelming execution.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 26, 2013
Sherlock and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey actor Martin Freeman has been cast in FX’s upcoming limited-series adaptation of Fargo. Freeman will star alongside Billy Bob Thornton in the 10-episode series, which will be produced by Joel and Ethan Coen, the creators of the 1996 feature film. For more information on the project, click here. Django Unchained actor…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 24
Sony Pictures and Annapurna Pictures have announce plans for Sausage Party, an R-rated animated movie about a sausage’s quest to discover the truth about his existence. The film will be directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan and written by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, Kyle Hunter and Ariel Shaffir.
‘Drinking Buddies’ fails to finish strong despite promising start
There’s something particularly disappointing about a film that dares to make an unexpected turn but doesn’t follow through. ‘Drinking Buddies’ fits that description. A sweet little indie film with moments of startling bite, it seems to have lofty aspirations but quickly abandons them in favor of a tidy, crowd-pleasing wrap-up.
Critic delights in classic Woody Allen film ‘Bananas’
It seems that the farther back you go in Woody Allen’s body of work, the sillier his films become. Such is definitely the case with 1971’s Bananas, Allen’s fourth directorial effort. Though it relies more heavily on slapstick sight gags than his later work, it still has that signature neurotic charm that makes Allen’s movies so delightful.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 22
Summary of entertainment news for Sept. 22, 2013.
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 17
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic AMC has revealed that the final season of its hit show Mad Men will be split over two years, with seven episodes airing in 2014 and seven more airing in 2015. The first half of the season will be called “The Beginning,” while the second half will be called “The End of…
Critic finds TV movie ‘Ragin Cajun Redneck Gators’ less than entertaining
I’m not entirely sure how to go about writing a review of Syfy’s latest original movie, Ragin Cajun Redneck Gators. It’s not that it’s beyond criticism – on the contrary, in fact, it’s the worst film I’ve ever seen – it’s that it’s so mind-numbingly stupid that trying to say something remotely intelligent about it feels…
Film critic pleasantly surprised by new Howard blockbuster ‘Rush’
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic While Ron Howard is certainly a consistently excellent filmmaker, he’s hardly what one would call an auteur. While he has skill and talent behind the camera, he lacks a defining style that gives his work a distinct feel. With Rush, he might have just found his niche. A tight, intimate…
Critic finds fault with classic ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Holly Golightly is the quintessential manic pixie dream girl. Think about it: she’s cute, she’s quirky, and, most importantly, she’s just damaged enough to be interesting. It seems that in adapting Truman Capote’s novel Breakfast at Tiffany’s into the 1961 film of the same name, director Blake Edwards created something…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 12
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling will be making her screenwriting debut with her first movie series, which will be based on the Hogwarts textbook Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. The films will focus on Newt Scamander, author of the fictional book that was mentioned in the Harry Potter series. “Fantastic Beasts and Where…
Apocalyptic comedy strikes gold in theaters
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic The World’s End is quite possibly the best comedy of the year so far. It is also the saddest. Directed by Sean of the Dead and Hot Fuzz helmer Edgar Wright, it’s got razor-sharp wit and sight gags in spades, but it never shies away from going darker and digging…
Characters make coming of age film enjoyable for critic
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic The characters in Whit Stillman’s Metropolitan are quite possibly the most profoundly irritating bunch of post-adolescent brats I’ve ever seen onscreen. They’re spoiled, selfish, and snotty, with chips on their shoulders and fluff in their brains. By rights, the film should be too grating to sit through. There’s something about…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 5
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Variety has selected its 10 Actors to Watch list for 2013. Highlights include Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station), Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color), and Oscar Isaac (Inside Llewyn Davis). Profiles of the 10 actors will appear in print on October 8. For the rest of the list, click…
The Great Gatsby fails to impress critic
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic The best parts of The Great Gatsby happen when Baz Luhrmann goes full Luhrmann. If you’re familiar with his previous work (Moulin Rouge and Romeo + Juliet, for example) you know what I mean by “full Luhrmann”: flashy, campy, and with absolutely no regard for realism or historical context. Unfortunately,…
Entertainment news round-up for Sept. 3
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Fox has announced the judging panel for the network’s upcoming season of American Idol. The panel will consist of Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, and Harry Connick Jr. Former Idol judge Randy Jackson will serve as the show’s “in-house mentor,” replacing Jimmy Iovine. For more information on Idol’s upcoming season, click…
Critic finds classic Vietnam film painfully honest
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Full Metal Jacket hurts. It is physically painful to watch. And yet, for the full 116 minutes of its runtime, I couldn’t look away from the screen. By turns coldly horrifying, sickly funny, and deeply tragic, it’s a vicious gut-punch of a movie that more than deserves its iconic status….
Before Midnight takes audience on an emotional journey
By Amanda Ack, Film Critic Only a truly brave filmmaker can put unlikeable characters onscreen and get away with it. Luckily, Richard Linklater is just such a filmmaker, and his Before Midnight benefits greatly from it. With help from co-writers and stars Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, he creates a film that is by turns…
