Cop Out is evidence that less Kevin Smith is more

When I first saw the trailer for Cop Out, I thought it was a parody from 30 Rock. I was almost certain it was a reference to the fictional Tracy Jordan movie Black Cop White Cop. It was only when I saw that Tracy Morgan was billed by his real name that I accepted the fact it was a real movie starring Morgan and Bruce Willis and directed by Kevin Smith.

Read the rest at http://trashwire.com/2010/02/26/cop-out-is-evidence-that-less-kevin-smith-is-more/

Shutter Island a hit for dynamic duo Scorsese and DiCaprio

Shutter Island is reminiscent of classic film noir with it’s investigation plot line and hard-boiled detective lead, but contains enough plot twists and turns to keep today’s audiences enthralled with its mental gymnastics. The psychological thriller also serves as proof that Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are a winning team.

Read the rest at trashwire.com
http://trashwire.com/2010/02/19/shutter-island-another-hit-for-dynamic-duo-scorsese-and-dicaprio/

Youth in Revolt not so revolutionary

Youth in Revolt might not be in 3D, the cast might not be filled with the biggest stars in Hollywood and it might not be playing at all the huge multiplexes in your town, but it’s sure to draw in a few Michael Cera fans looking for a Juno-like comedy with a quirky indie feel.

The film, adapted from C.D. Payne’s Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp, stars Cera as a teenage nerd who falls hard for smart and mature Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday) and invents a bad-boy alter ego, François Dillinger, in a plot to lose his virginity to Sheeni. Cera plays both Nick and François with the only real differences between the two being blue contacts and a barely-there moustache.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Cera, but he always seems to play the same lovable nerd who eventually ends up with the girl when she realizes the hot arrogant guy isn’t right for her. Thankfully, the character of François changes up that formula with over-the-top rebellious crimes and an overall disappointment in his other self. He’s exactly the kind of hero a nerdy teenager would invent for himself, puffing on a cigarette and tossing a slick comment at his female target, and Cera manages to play him simultaneously campy and with his own trademark brand of subtlety. My only gripe with the character is that he is introduced too late and would have been able to hold audiences better if he’d entered the plot sooner.

While Cera manages to entertain as François, the rest of the brilliantly funny cast seems underutilized. Zach Galifianakis, one of the best comedians of our time, plays Nick’s mom’s boyfriend, but is only in a few scenes and doesn’t get the chance to unleash his hilarious brand of weirdness. Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, and Justin Long are equally underutilized in their small roles, though they do bring comedy in the few scenes they are in.

Read the rest at trashwire.com at http://trashwire.com/2010/01/12/youth-in-revolt-not-so-revolutionary/

Youth in Revolt not so revolutionary

Youth in Revolt might not be in 3D, the cast might not be filled with the biggest stars in Hollywood and it might not be playing at all the huge multiplexes in your town, but it’s sure to draw in a few Michael Cera fans looking for a Juno-like comedy with a quirky indie feel.

The film, adapted from C.D. Payne’s Youth in Revolt: The Journals of Nick Twisp, stars Cera as a teenage nerd who falls hard for smart and mature Sheeni Saunders (Portia Doubleday) and invents a bad-boy alter ego, François Dillinger, in a plot to lose his virginity to Sheeni. Cera plays both Nick and François with the only real differences between the two being blue contacts and a barely-there moustache.

Don’t get me wrong, I love Cera, but he always seems to play the same lovable nerd who eventually ends up with the girl when she realizes the hot arrogant guy isn’t right for her. Thankfully, the character of François changes up that formula with over-the-top rebellious crimes and an overall disappointment in his other self. He’s exactly the kind of hero a nerdy teenager would invent for himself, puffing on a cigarette and tossing a slick comment at his female target, and Cera manages to play him simultaneously campy and with his own trademark brand of subtlety. My only gripe with the character is that he is introduced too late and would have been able to hold audiences better if he’d entered the plot sooner.

While Cera manages to entertain as François, the rest of the brilliantly funny cast seems underutilized. Zach Galifianakis, one of the best comedians of our time, plays Nick’s mom’s boyfriend, but is only in a few scenes and doesn’t get the chance to unleash his hilarious brand of weirdness. Steve Buscemi, Ray Liotta, and Justin Long are equally underutilized in their small roles, though they do bring comedy in the few scenes they are in.

Read the rest at trashwire.com at http://trashwire.com/2010/01/12/youth-in-revolt-not-so-revolutionary/

Avatar raises the bar for visual effects

I remember seeing Jurassic Park as a kid and feeling absolutely sure that it was the biggest movie ever. There was no way any computer would ever be able to build something more realistic than the stunning dinosaurs in that film. Of course, then came Titanic and Lord of the Rings and with each film, it seems the standard for visual excellence becomes higher. Now there’s James Cameron’s Avatar, which will certainly go down in history as one of the greatest cinematic accomplishments of the decade if not the century.

Read the rest at http://trashwire.com/2009/12/29/avatar-raises-the-bar-for-visual-effects/

New Moon is no Romeo + Juliet but it's still teenage fun

You might find this hard to believe because I’m such a classy, dignified lady, but I was once a giggling teen with a major crush on a young Leonardo DiCaprio. Like so many girls (and some guys) of my generation, I was convinced that there was no greater heartthrob than Leo. Today, it seems the hottie du jour is everyone’s favorite sparkly vampire, Robert Pattinson.

Read the rest at http://trashwire.com/2009/12/09/new-moon/

Chris Rock's new doc 'Good Hair' both hilarious and insightful

Chris Rock’s new documentary Good Hair began when one of his daughters came to him to ask, “Daddy, how come I don’t have good hair?” The question inspired Rock’s journey through the world of black hair, from barbershops to celebrity interviews to the largest black hair show in Atlanta.

Read the rest at http://trashwire.com/2009/10/09/good-hair/

Michael Moore's at it again with Capitalism: A Love Story

There’s no such thing as an objective documentary. Every documentary, right down to the ones about wild animals roaming the tundra, has been injected with some opinion because every documentary is composed of shots and scenes edited together to create a sort of story. Michael Moore is a master of piecing these elements together to create meaning and a message.

Read the rest at Trashwire.com
http://trashwire.com/2009/10/02/capitalism-a-love-story/

NEW ON TRASHWIRE: Inglourious Basterds truly Tarantino's masterpiece

NEW: Inglourious Basterds truly Tarantino’s masterpiece

If any of you are wondering why it took me so long to get this review of Inglourious Basterds on Trashwire, the answer is that I’ve spend the last four days trying to think of how to sum up my feelings about the film without superfluous use of words like “amazing” or “awesome”. The performances from the cast, including Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Mélanie Laurent, and an almost obscenely stellar turn from Christoph Waltz, add so much to the film, but the real star might be Director Quentin Tarantino.

Read the rest at http://trashwire.com/2009/08/27/inglourious-basterds/