Movies

Avatar Review

James Cameron is a storied director whose films have been landmarks of their time. Like he did in the ’80s and ’90s with both Terminator films, he returns from his 10-year hiatus without missing a beat, shepherding audiences into the future of cinema with progressive film-making done with the most advanced technology. Avatar, which arrives on DVD and Blu-ray today, is a miraculous visual feat, the greatest epic since The Lord of the Rings trilogy and a filmmaking milestone. At the conclusion of a decade, it’s a window into what audiences of the future can expect at the movies.

Articles of Horror: Nightmare on Elm St. 1 and 2

Dr. Chris gives you the lowdown on every film Freddy Krueger has ever been in …or dreamt of being in. For everyone trying to play catch-up before the remake his theaters on Friday April 30, Chris is your man. We start with the first two films: The original A Nightmare on Elm Street and Freddy’s Revenge

DVD/Blu-ray DISCussion (New for 4.20.10)

Peter Jackson’s foray into family drama/supernatural murder mystery didn’t go over as an awards season smash, but now you have the chance to test it out on your own. The story follows Susie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan from Atonement), a young girl who was raped and murdered but helps her family find her killer from a supernatural plane called “The In-Between.”
Critics’ Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 32% (bad)
Player Affinity Rating: N/A

Hot Tub Time Machine Review

Prepare yourself, dear reader, for I am about to make a bold declaration that will either inflate or obliterate my prestigious position as a famed film critic: John Cusack’s throwback ’80s flick is the best time-traveling hot tub film ever created. Did I just blow your mind? Coyness aside, Hot Tub Time Machine is a supremely entertaining comedy, brimming with laughs and raunch all cemented with ample ’80s nostalgia.

How to Train Your Dragon Review

With a somewhat unwieldy title and lacking the winning Pixar association that has dominated the Oscars for a decade, Dreamworks animations latest could have been a clunker. Not only is How to Train Your Dragon the best film of the year so far, but it even eclipses the quality of last year’s duel academy award winner Up.

The latest 3D film to fly into theaters in so many weeks is also the best of its format (story-wise), making Tim Burton’s overblown misfire Alice in Wonderland look even more pitiful. “Dragon” will no doubt enamour kids while keeping parents not only awake, but also equally enthralled. Its warmth is sure to tug the hearts of anyone who has ever loved a pet and will undoubtedly draw tears from those who are so inclined.

Where Are They Now? Robert Englund

Crazy Heart Review

The true hallmark of a timeless performance is its ability to put leverage on an exhausted story and not only make it seem enlivened, but also like one of a kind. Jeff Bridges accomplishes that and more with his Oscar-winning role in Crazy Heart; the crux of a legendary career. The narrative drive of Crazy Heart, which is out on DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday, is purely actor-centric as its extremely simplistic tale of regret and redemption could have easily sunk to the level of after-school special.  More than anything else, the film from first-time director Scott Cooper is supremely entertaining and absorbing; quite a feat for a film with bland, paint-by-number trailers.