DisneyNature documentary "Chimpanzee" about baby chimp Oscar opened to mostly positive reviews this Earth Day weekend and came in fourth place at the box office behind "Think Like A Man," "The Lucky One" and "The Hunger Games."
The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan writes, "One wonders whether more than a few viewers won't want to take home a baby chimp after seeing the film."
Reviewer Leonard Maltin says, "Older kids and grownups will be especially impressed with behind-the-scenes footage that is shown at the end of the picture, where we see some of the techniques that directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield employ to capture their amazing footage."
"Those hungering for rare footage of our cousins playing and foraging, fighting or fleeing are in for a number of treats," writes Lisa Kennedy of the Denver Post, though she also points out that the movie, "works harder than it needs to --...
The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan writes, "One wonders whether more than a few viewers won't want to take home a baby chimp after seeing the film."
Reviewer Leonard Maltin says, "Older kids and grownups will be especially impressed with behind-the-scenes footage that is shown at the end of the picture, where we see some of the techniques that directors Alastair Fothergill and Mark Linfield employ to capture their amazing footage."
"Those hungering for rare footage of our cousins playing and foraging, fighting or fleeing are in for a number of treats," writes Lisa Kennedy of the Denver Post, though she also points out that the movie, "works harder than it needs to --...
- 4/23/2012
- by editorial@zap2it.com
- Pop2it
David Kelly, the Irish actor best known to American moviegoers as sweet and gentle Grandpa Joe in Tim Burton's 2005 big-screen adaptation of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has died. He was 82. Per Rte, Kelly passed away in his native Dublin following a short illness, though a cause of death has not yet been disclosed. Besides acting opposite Johnny Depp, the thesp also made a memorable mark in the 1998 comedy Waking Ned Devine as elderly rogue Michael O'Sullivan who rides a motorcycle in the buff and tries to claim a small Irish town's lottery winnings. The role nabbed him a Screen Actors Guild nomination. Kelly hopped between theater, radio, TV and film in a career...
- 2/15/2012
- E! Online
Irish stage and film actor David Kelly has died. He was 82.
Best known to American audiences for his role as Grandpa Joe in the 2005 remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," Kelly's credits also included "Laws of Attraction," "The Jigsaw Man" and the original "Italian Job." In 1998, he earned a Screen Actor's Guild nomination for his portrayal of Michael O'Sullivan in "Waking Ned Devine," which included a rather memorable scene where Kelly rode a motorbike naked.
He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 Irish Film and Television Awards.
Kelly's final film was the 2007 fantasy flick "Stardust." According to the Telegraph, he passed away in the hospital after a short illness.
[via Telegraph]...
Best known to American audiences for his role as Grandpa Joe in the 2005 remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," Kelly's credits also included "Laws of Attraction," "The Jigsaw Man" and the original "Italian Job." In 1998, he earned a Screen Actor's Guild nomination for his portrayal of Michael O'Sullivan in "Waking Ned Devine," which included a rather memorable scene where Kelly rode a motorbike naked.
He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 Irish Film and Television Awards.
Kelly's final film was the 2007 fantasy flick "Stardust." According to the Telegraph, he passed away in the hospital after a short illness.
[via Telegraph]...
- 2/14/2012
- by Alex Suskind
- Huffington Post
Irish stage and film actor David Kelly has died. He was 82. Best known to American audiences for his role as Grandpa Joe in the 2005 remake of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," Kelly's credits also included "Laws of Attraction," "The Jigsaw Man" and the original "Italian Job." In 1998, he earned a Screen Actor's Guild nomination for his portrayal of Michael O'Sullivan in "Waking Ned Devine," which included a rather memorable scene where Kelly rode a motorbike naked. He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2005 Irish Film and Television Awards. Kelly's final film was the 2007 fantasy flick "Stardust." According to the Telegraph, he passed away in the hospital after a short illness. [via Telegraph]...
- 2/14/2012
- by Alex Suskind
- Moviefone
Irish actor David Kelly has died in hospital after a short illness. The Dubliner, who was best known for his roles in Waking Ned and as Grandpa Joe Bucket in Tim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, was 82. Kelly's first break on the screen came with two small role but noteworthy roles: the vicar presiding over Great Aunt Nelly's funeral in The Italian Job and inept builder O'Reilly in Fawlty Towers. He went on to combine work on the stage with stalwart TV turns in Ballykissangel, On The Buses and Emmerdale Farm. Samuel Beckett's one-man play Krapp’s Last Tape, in which Kelly played the title role to great acclaim, was a high-water mark for his career in theatre. Kelly also scored notable sucesses on the big screen. As elderly chancer Michael O'Sullivan in Kirk Jones' knockabout comedy Waking Ned, he landed a SAG award nod and...
- 2/13/2012
- EmpireOnline
Critics praise Daniel Radcliffe for 'sturdy and self-sufficient' performance in his first post-Potter role.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Daniel Radcliffe in "Woman in Black"
Photo: CBS Films
Daniel Radcliffe makes his post-Potter debut in the new adaptation of Susan Hill's ghost story, "The Woman in Black." It's an old-fashioned horror movie that has earned mild praise from the critics, but a warmer welcome for its star and his prospects of an adult acting character.
We've rounded up a sampling of what the critics are saying about Daniel Radcliffe and "The Woman in Black," which opened Friday (February 3). Check out it below.
The Story
"Anchoring the drama is Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), a sad-faced solicitor still grieving for his wife who died in childbirth four years earlier. Their son Joseph (Misha Handley) is wise beyond his few years and draws pictures of his dad looking mournful. The gloominess deepens when Kipps...
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Daniel Radcliffe in "Woman in Black"
Photo: CBS Films
Daniel Radcliffe makes his post-Potter debut in the new adaptation of Susan Hill's ghost story, "The Woman in Black." It's an old-fashioned horror movie that has earned mild praise from the critics, but a warmer welcome for its star and his prospects of an adult acting character.
We've rounded up a sampling of what the critics are saying about Daniel Radcliffe and "The Woman in Black," which opened Friday (February 3). Check out it below.
The Story
"Anchoring the drama is Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), a sad-faced solicitor still grieving for his wife who died in childbirth four years earlier. Their son Joseph (Misha Handley) is wise beyond his few years and draws pictures of his dad looking mournful. The gloominess deepens when Kipps...
- 2/3/2012
- MTV Movie News
Critics praise Daniel Radcliffe for 'sturdy and self-sufficient' performance in his first post-Potter role.
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Daniel Radcliffe in "Woman in Black"
Photo: CBS Films
Daniel Radcliffe makes his post-Potter debut in the new adaptation of Susan Hill's ghost story, "The Woman in Black." It's an old-fashioned horror movie that has earned mild praise from the critics, but a warmer welcome for its star and his prospects of an adult acting character.
We've rounded up a sampling of what the critics are saying about Daniel Radcliffe and "The Woman in Black," which opened Friday (February 3). Check out it below.
The Story
"Anchoring the drama is Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), a sad-faced solicitor still grieving for his wife who died in childbirth four years earlier. Their son Joseph (Misha Handley) is wise beyond his few years and draws pictures of his dad looking mournful. The gloominess deepens when Kipps...
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Daniel Radcliffe in "Woman in Black"
Photo: CBS Films
Daniel Radcliffe makes his post-Potter debut in the new adaptation of Susan Hill's ghost story, "The Woman in Black." It's an old-fashioned horror movie that has earned mild praise from the critics, but a warmer welcome for its star and his prospects of an adult acting character.
We've rounded up a sampling of what the critics are saying about Daniel Radcliffe and "The Woman in Black," which opened Friday (February 3). Check out it below.
The Story
"Anchoring the drama is Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), a sad-faced solicitor still grieving for his wife who died in childbirth four years earlier. Their son Joseph (Misha Handley) is wise beyond his few years and draws pictures of his dad looking mournful. The gloominess deepens when Kipps...
- 2/3/2012
- MTV Music News
Vertigo's "Road To Perdition 2: On The Road", available November 9, 2011, is written by Max Allan Collins with illustrations by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, Steve Lieber and Joe Rubinstein with a cover by Lieber, Rubinstein :
"...set between the chapters of 'Road To Perdition", this new edition of the 'Perdition' sequel, collects three tales of 'Michael O'Sullivan'..."
Click the images to enlarge...
"...set between the chapters of 'Road To Perdition", this new edition of the 'Perdition' sequel, collects three tales of 'Michael O'Sullivan'..."
Click the images to enlarge...
- 8/27/2011
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Critics are applauding the God of Thunder's big-screen debut.
By Kara Warner
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
The golden-locked God of Thunder has finally descended upon theaters. "Thor," starring brawny Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth, tells the tale of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), banishes Thor to Earth, where he meets humans Jane (Natalie Portman), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). When a dangerous villain from Thor's world invades Earth, Thor must learn what it takes to be a true hero.
Next to "Fast Five," "Thor" is one of the first potential blockbusters of the summer. Also, with Thor being part of Marvel Comics' "Avengers," the hopes are high for the film to be a success and draw in more fans in advance of 2012's highly anticipated ensemble flick.
By Kara Warner
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
The golden-locked God of Thunder has finally descended upon theaters. "Thor," starring brawny Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth, tells the tale of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), banishes Thor to Earth, where he meets humans Jane (Natalie Portman), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). When a dangerous villain from Thor's world invades Earth, Thor must learn what it takes to be a true hero.
Next to "Fast Five," "Thor" is one of the first potential blockbusters of the summer. Also, with Thor being part of Marvel Comics' "Avengers," the hopes are high for the film to be a success and draw in more fans in advance of 2012's highly anticipated ensemble flick.
- 5/6/2011
- MTV Music News
Critics are applauding the God of Thunder's big-screen debut.
By Kara Warner
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
The golden-locked God of Thunder has finally descended upon theaters. "Thor," starring brawny Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth, tells the tale of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), banishes Thor to Earth, where he meets humans Jane (Natalie Portman), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). When a dangerous villain from Thor's world invades Earth, Thor must learn what it takes to be a true hero.
Next to "Fast Five," "Thor" is one of the first potential blockbusters of the summer. Also, with Thor being part of Marvel Comics' "Avengers," the hopes are high for the film to be a success and draw in more fans in advance of 2012's highly anticipated ensemble flick.
By Kara Warner
Chris Hemsworth and Natalie Portman in "Thor"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
The golden-locked God of Thunder has finally descended upon theaters. "Thor," starring brawny Aussie actor Chris Hemsworth, tells the tale of a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. As a result, his father, Odin (Anthony Hopkins), banishes Thor to Earth, where he meets humans Jane (Natalie Portman), Darcy (Kat Dennings) and Dr. Eric Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). When a dangerous villain from Thor's world invades Earth, Thor must learn what it takes to be a true hero.
Next to "Fast Five," "Thor" is one of the first potential blockbusters of the summer. Also, with Thor being part of Marvel Comics' "Avengers," the hopes are high for the film to be a success and draw in more fans in advance of 2012's highly anticipated ensemble flick.
- 5/6/2011
- MTV Movie News
What do critics think of Robert Pattinson's non-'Twilight' acting?
Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in "Water For Elephants"
Photo: David James/Fox
"Twilight" films are never highly praised by critics. "New Moon" wallows at just a 29 percent approval rating at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator, and yet that film (like all in the franchise) has gone on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.
Robert Pattinson's latest offering, the romantic drama "Water for Elephants," is similarly seeing mixed reviews thrown its way. And while, again like "Twilight," the film is based on a best-selling novel, "Wfe" isn't expected to open with anything like the box-office bang Pattinson's vampire flicks have.
Yet his performance is garnering much critical praise. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, too, is being lauded for his villainous turn. Reviews have also applauded the film's lush visuals, though they've also criticized it for...
Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in "Water For Elephants"
Photo: David James/Fox
"Twilight" films are never highly praised by critics. "New Moon" wallows at just a 29 percent approval rating at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator, and yet that film (like all in the franchise) has gone on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.
Robert Pattinson's latest offering, the romantic drama "Water for Elephants," is similarly seeing mixed reviews thrown its way. And while, again like "Twilight," the film is based on a best-selling novel, "Wfe" isn't expected to open with anything like the box-office bang Pattinson's vampire flicks have.
Yet his performance is garnering much critical praise. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, too, is being lauded for his villainous turn. Reviews have also applauded the film's lush visuals, though they've also criticized it for...
- 4/22/2011
- MTV Movie News
What do critics think of Robert Pattinson's non-'Twilight' acting?
Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in "Water For Elephants"
Photo: David James/Fox
"Twilight" films are never highly praised by critics. "New Moon" wallows at just a 29 percent approval rating at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator, and yet that film (like all in the franchise) has gone on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.
Robert Pattinson's latest offering, the romantic drama "Water for Elephants," is similarly seeing mixed reviews thrown its way. And while, again like "Twilight," the film is based on a best-selling novel, "Wfe" isn't expected to open with anything like the box-office bang Pattinson's vampire flicks have.
Yet his performance is garnering much critical praise. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, too, is being lauded for his villainous turn. Reviews have also applauded the film's lush visuals, though they've also criticized it for...
Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson in "Water For Elephants"
Photo: David James/Fox
"Twilight" films are never highly praised by critics. "New Moon" wallows at just a 29 percent approval rating at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator, and yet that film (like all in the franchise) has gone on to gross hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office.
Robert Pattinson's latest offering, the romantic drama "Water for Elephants," is similarly seeing mixed reviews thrown its way. And while, again like "Twilight," the film is based on a best-selling novel, "Wfe" isn't expected to open with anything like the box-office bang Pattinson's vampire flicks have.
Yet his performance is garnering much critical praise. Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, too, is being lauded for his villainous turn. Reviews have also applauded the film's lush visuals, though they've also criticized it for...
- 4/22/2011
- MTV Music News
Vertigo's graphic novel continuation of the "Road To Perdition", available August 24, 2011, written by Max Allan Collins with illustrations by Terry Beatty and a cover by Lee Bermejo, is a new chapter in the comic book series that inspired the 2002 Oscar-winning motion picture "Road To Perdition", directed by Sam Mendes :
"...The setting is America in the early 1970's, and our third generation hero, 'Michael Satariano', Jr. is a Vietnam vet recently returned to the States. He doesn't know that his father's real name was 'Michael O'Sullivan' and is unaware of the conflict between his dad, his grandfather and 'John Looney', the crime boss of 'Rock Island', Illinois. But when he's recruited by the mob, Michael learns the hard way that you can never outrun your past..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Road To Perdition"...
"...The setting is America in the early 1970's, and our third generation hero, 'Michael Satariano', Jr. is a Vietnam vet recently returned to the States. He doesn't know that his father's real name was 'Michael O'Sullivan' and is unaware of the conflict between his dad, his grandfather and 'John Looney', the crime boss of 'Rock Island', Illinois. But when he's recruited by the mob, Michael learns the hard way that you can never outrun your past..."
Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Road To Perdition"...
- 4/21/2011
- by Michael Stevens
- SneakPeek
Saoirse Ronan, Hanna Hop on Top; Russell Brand-Helen Mirren's Arthur Underperforms: Box Office Starring Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan, and Eric Bana, Joe Wright's thriller Hanna did better than expected this weekend (April 8-10), with $12.32m — a mere $300k behind the heavily marketed Arthur — at 2,535 theaters, according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. Released by Focus Features, Hanna averaged an okay $4,861 per site. A number of positive notices probably helped the adult-oriented drama/thriller, though Wright's film wasn't exactly a critics' favorite. Among Rotten Tomatoes' top critics, Hanna has a mediocre 57% approval rating, but those who appreciated the film — or at least appreciated elements in it — included the Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan and the New York Times' Manohla Dargis. Faring better per theater than all other wide releases this weekend was the Christian-geared "triumph over adversity" drama Soul Surfer. Written and directed by Sean McNamara,...
- 4/10/2011
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
See what the critics are saying about Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro's new thriller.
By Eric Ditzian
Bradley Cooper in "Limitless"
Photo: Relativity Media
In "The Hangover," one little pill opens up a whole world of hurt for Bradley Cooper. In "Limitless," one little pill opens up Cooper's whole world. No wonder that in this new thriller, which debuted on Friday (March 18), he can't resist taking it over and over again.
"Limitless" takes the familiar risks-and-rewards-of-drug-use story and tweaks it just enough to have attracted largely positive reviews. Critics have applauded the film's bold visual style and the performances of Cooper and co-star Robert De Niro, even as they've pointed out plot holes and problems with the film's ending. For those critiques and more, read on for what folks are saying about "Limitless":
The Story
"In 'Limitless,' a man gets hooked on a new designer drug that allows him,...
By Eric Ditzian
Bradley Cooper in "Limitless"
Photo: Relativity Media
In "The Hangover," one little pill opens up a whole world of hurt for Bradley Cooper. In "Limitless," one little pill opens up Cooper's whole world. No wonder that in this new thriller, which debuted on Friday (March 18), he can't resist taking it over and over again.
"Limitless" takes the familiar risks-and-rewards-of-drug-use story and tweaks it just enough to have attracted largely positive reviews. Critics have applauded the film's bold visual style and the performances of Cooper and co-star Robert De Niro, even as they've pointed out plot holes and problems with the film's ending. For those critiques and more, read on for what folks are saying about "Limitless":
The Story
"In 'Limitless,' a man gets hooked on a new designer drug that allows him,...
- 3/18/2011
- MTV Movie News
See what the critics are saying about Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro's new thriller.
By Eric Ditzian
Bradley Cooper in "Limitless"
Photo: Relativity Media
In "The Hangover," one little pill opens up a whole world of hurt for Bradley Cooper. In "Limitless," one little pill opens up Cooper's whole world. No wonder that in this new thriller, which debuted on Friday (March 18), he can't resist taking it over and over again.
"Limitless" takes the familiar risks-and-rewards-of-drug-use story and tweaks it just enough to have attracted largely positive reviews. Critics have applauded the film's bold visual style and the performances of Cooper and co-star Robert De Niro, even as they've pointed out plot holes and problems with the film's ending. For those critiques and more, read on for what folks are saying about "Limitless":
The Story
"In 'Limitless,' a man gets hooked on a new designer drug that allows him,...
By Eric Ditzian
Bradley Cooper in "Limitless"
Photo: Relativity Media
In "The Hangover," one little pill opens up a whole world of hurt for Bradley Cooper. In "Limitless," one little pill opens up Cooper's whole world. No wonder that in this new thriller, which debuted on Friday (March 18), he can't resist taking it over and over again.
"Limitless" takes the familiar risks-and-rewards-of-drug-use story and tweaks it just enough to have attracted largely positive reviews. Critics have applauded the film's bold visual style and the performances of Cooper and co-star Robert De Niro, even as they've pointed out plot holes and problems with the film's ending. For those critiques and more, read on for what folks are saying about "Limitless":
The Story
"In 'Limitless,' a man gets hooked on a new designer drug that allows him,...
- 3/18/2011
- MTV Music News
'A voyage on the 'Dawn Treader' is a trip hardly worth taking,' Claudia Puig of USA Today writes.
By Eric Ditzian
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Ben Barnes in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
The winner of the award for the 2010 major theatrical release with the longest title goes to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." It wasn't even close.
Sorry, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"! Try again next year, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." Simply embarrassing, "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." If only there were some correlation between title size and critical consensus: the longer the title, the better the reviews.
Alas, that's simply not the case. While "Deathly Hallows" wowed most critics, those scribes were less impressed with "Percy Jackson," "Legend of the Guardians" and "Dawn Treader," which...
By Eric Ditzian
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Ben Barnes in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
The winner of the award for the 2010 major theatrical release with the longest title goes to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." It wasn't even close.
Sorry, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"! Try again next year, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." Simply embarrassing, "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." If only there were some correlation between title size and critical consensus: the longer the title, the better the reviews.
Alas, that's simply not the case. While "Deathly Hallows" wowed most critics, those scribes were less impressed with "Percy Jackson," "Legend of the Guardians" and "Dawn Treader," which...
- 12/10/2010
- MTV Movie News
'A voyage on the 'Dawn Treader' is a trip hardly worth taking,' Claudia Puig of USA Today writes.
By Eric Ditzian
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Ben Barnes in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
The winner of the award for the 2010 major theatrical release with the longest title goes to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." It wasn't even close.
Sorry, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"! Try again next year, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." Simply embarrassing, "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." If only there were some correlation between title size and critical consensus: the longer the title, the better the reviews.
Alas, that's simply not the case. While "Deathly Hallows" wowed most critics, those scribes were less impressed with "Percy Jackson," "Legend of the Guardians" and "Dawn Treader," which...
By Eric Ditzian
Georgie Henley, Skandar Keynes and Ben Barnes in "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
The winner of the award for the 2010 major theatrical release with the longest title goes to "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." It wasn't even close.
Sorry, "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief"! Try again next year, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1." Simply embarrassing, "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole." If only there were some correlation between title size and critical consensus: the longer the title, the better the reviews.
Alas, that's simply not the case. While "Deathly Hallows" wowed most critics, those scribes were less impressed with "Percy Jackson," "Legend of the Guardians" and "Dawn Treader," which...
- 12/10/2010
- MTV Music News
DreamWorks' A-list animated flick has 'a message about creating your own destiny, but with just enough sour grapes not to cloy,' one critic says.
By Eric Ditzian
"Megamind"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
It's been quite a year for DreamWorks Animation's computer-generated goofiness. March brought "How to Train Your Dragon" and almost $500 million in worldwide box-office receipts. Two months later, what has been billed as the final installment in the "Shrek" franchise swept across the globe and made off with $737.4 million in booty. This weekend, "Megamind" is aiming to keep that string of DreamWorks hits going.
It's got the firepower, with Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt's names splashed across marketing material. And it's expected to land somewhere in the $50 million to $60 million range over its first weekend. That'd be more than "Dragon," which delivered voice talent with considerably less star wattage than "Megamind," but not nearly as much as "Shrek Forever After,...
By Eric Ditzian
"Megamind"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
It's been quite a year for DreamWorks Animation's computer-generated goofiness. March brought "How to Train Your Dragon" and almost $500 million in worldwide box-office receipts. Two months later, what has been billed as the final installment in the "Shrek" franchise swept across the globe and made off with $737.4 million in booty. This weekend, "Megamind" is aiming to keep that string of DreamWorks hits going.
It's got the firepower, with Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt's names splashed across marketing material. And it's expected to land somewhere in the $50 million to $60 million range over its first weekend. That'd be more than "Dragon," which delivered voice talent with considerably less star wattage than "Megamind," but not nearly as much as "Shrek Forever After,...
- 11/5/2010
- MTV Movie News
DreamWorks' A-list animated flick has 'a message about creating your own destiny, but with just enough sour grapes not to cloy,' one critic says.
By Eric Ditzian
"Megamind"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
It's been quite a year for DreamWorks Animation's computer-generated goofiness. March brought "How to Train Your Dragon" and almost $500 million in worldwide box-office receipts. Two months later, what has been billed as the final installment in the "Shrek" franchise swept across the globe and made off with $737.4 million in booty. This weekend, "Megamind" is aiming to keep that string of DreamWorks hits going.
It's got the firepower, with Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt's names splashed across marketing material. And it's expected to land somewhere in the $50 million to $60 million range over its first weekend. That'd be more than "Dragon," which delivered voice talent with considerably less star wattage than "Megamind," but not nearly as much as "Shrek Forever After,...
By Eric Ditzian
"Megamind"
Photo: Paramount Pictures
It's been quite a year for DreamWorks Animation's computer-generated goofiness. March brought "How to Train Your Dragon" and almost $500 million in worldwide box-office receipts. Two months later, what has been billed as the final installment in the "Shrek" franchise swept across the globe and made off with $737.4 million in booty. This weekend, "Megamind" is aiming to keep that string of DreamWorks hits going.
It's got the firepower, with Will Ferrell and Brad Pitt's names splashed across marketing material. And it's expected to land somewhere in the $50 million to $60 million range over its first weekend. That'd be more than "Dragon," which delivered voice talent with considerably less star wattage than "Megamind," but not nearly as much as "Shrek Forever After,...
- 11/5/2010
- MTV Music News
Most critics give high marks to Robert Rodriguez's mix of exaggerated violence and political satire.
By Eric Ditzian
Danny Trejo in "Machete"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
"Machete" is everything "The Expendables" could have been but isn't: vicious, witty, funny, ridiculous, engrossing.
The sight of Sly Stallone cavorting with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li in "Expendables" wears off pretty quickly, and what you're left with is dull dialogue, explosions-by-numbers action sequences and characters that you never get to know enough to actually care about. "Machete," by contrast, springs from the same creative well as "Expendables" — wacky and hyper-violent and fanboy-friendly — but there the similarities end. As nutty as "Machete" is, it's actually smart, with snappy dialogue, clever kills and a story line crackling with social commentary about the heated immigration debate in North America.
Why, then, did "Expendables" open to $34.8 million in ticket sales, while "Machete" won't even cross the...
By Eric Ditzian
Danny Trejo in "Machete"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
"Machete" is everything "The Expendables" could have been but isn't: vicious, witty, funny, ridiculous, engrossing.
The sight of Sly Stallone cavorting with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li in "Expendables" wears off pretty quickly, and what you're left with is dull dialogue, explosions-by-numbers action sequences and characters that you never get to know enough to actually care about. "Machete," by contrast, springs from the same creative well as "Expendables" — wacky and hyper-violent and fanboy-friendly — but there the similarities end. As nutty as "Machete" is, it's actually smart, with snappy dialogue, clever kills and a story line crackling with social commentary about the heated immigration debate in North America.
Why, then, did "Expendables" open to $34.8 million in ticket sales, while "Machete" won't even cross the...
- 9/3/2010
- MTV Movie News
Most critics give high marks to Robert Rodriguez's mix of exaggerated violence and political satire.
By Eric Ditzian
Danny Trejo in "Machete"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
"Machete" is everything "The Expendables" could have been but isn't: vicious, witty, funny, ridiculous, engrossing.
The sight of Sly Stallone cavorting with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li in "Expendables" wears off pretty quickly, and what you're left with is dull dialogue, explosions-by-numbers action sequences and characters that you never get to know enough to actually care about. "Machete," by contrast, springs from the same creative well as "Expendables" — wacky and hyper-violent and fanboy-friendly — but there the similarities end. As nutty as "Machete" is, it's actually smart, with snappy dialogue, clever kills and a story line crackling with social commentary about the heated immigration debate in North America.
Why, then, did "Expendables" open to $34.8 million in ticket sales, while "Machete" won't even cross the...
By Eric Ditzian
Danny Trejo in "Machete"
Photo: 20th Century Fox
"Machete" is everything "The Expendables" could have been but isn't: vicious, witty, funny, ridiculous, engrossing.
The sight of Sly Stallone cavorting with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li in "Expendables" wears off pretty quickly, and what you're left with is dull dialogue, explosions-by-numbers action sequences and characters that you never get to know enough to actually care about. "Machete," by contrast, springs from the same creative well as "Expendables" — wacky and hyper-violent and fanboy-friendly — but there the similarities end. As nutty as "Machete" is, it's actually smart, with snappy dialogue, clever kills and a story line crackling with social commentary about the heated immigration debate in North America.
Why, then, did "Expendables" open to $34.8 million in ticket sales, while "Machete" won't even cross the...
- 9/3/2010
- MTV Music News
For actress-turned-inmate Lindsay Lohan, her role in Machete may be her shot at a comeback. It's her first appearance on the big screen since her time behind bars, and Lohan, 24, is baring it all for the over-the-top, action-packed thriller, which hits theaters Friday. In the film, Lohan tramps it up for her role as April, a wannabe model with a drug addiction. And when she's not dressed as a nun - who shoots people -, critics say the starlet strips down for the camera. "[Lohan is] frequently naked as the randy daughter of a political figure," a New York Post critic writes.
- 9/3/2010
- by Alison Schwartz
- PEOPLE.com
'E.T.'s girlfriend and the Mac Guy ooze a laid-back, goofy charm through their pore-less skin,' The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan writes.
By Eric Ditzian
Drew Barrymore in "Going the Distance"
Photo: Warner Bros.
I'll go ahead and say it: I really liked "Going the Distance." Frankly, I'm surprised more early viewers didn't, as the Drew Barrymore comedy is currently at a meager 49 percent freshness at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator.
What else do we want in our romantic comedies, people? I'll surely sound like a PR flack for saying this, but "Going the Distance" has something for everyone. It's got the aw-shucks love story, realistically drawn central characters, some fabulously raunchy supporting players in Charlie Day ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") and Jason Sudeikis ("Saturday Night Live"), a plot that really does manage to avoid rom-com clichés, and it's pretty darn funny.
I walked into the screening...
By Eric Ditzian
Drew Barrymore in "Going the Distance"
Photo: Warner Bros.
I'll go ahead and say it: I really liked "Going the Distance." Frankly, I'm surprised more early viewers didn't, as the Drew Barrymore comedy is currently at a meager 49 percent freshness at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator.
What else do we want in our romantic comedies, people? I'll surely sound like a PR flack for saying this, but "Going the Distance" has something for everyone. It's got the aw-shucks love story, realistically drawn central characters, some fabulously raunchy supporting players in Charlie Day ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") and Jason Sudeikis ("Saturday Night Live"), a plot that really does manage to avoid rom-com clichés, and it's pretty darn funny.
I walked into the screening...
- 9/3/2010
- MTV Movie News
'E.T.'s girlfriend and the Mac Guy ooze a laid-back, goofy charm through their pore-less skin,' The Washington Post's Michael O'Sullivan writes.
By Eric Ditzian
Drew Barrymore in "Going the Distance"
Photo: Warner Bros.
I'll go ahead and say it: I really liked "Going the Distance." Frankly, I'm surprised more early viewers didn't, as the Drew Barrymore comedy is currently at a meager 49 percent freshness at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator.
What else do we want in our romantic comedies, people? I'll surely sound like a PR flack for saying this, but "Going the Distance" has something for everyone. It's got the aw-shucks love story, realistically drawn central characters, some fabulously raunchy supporting players in Charlie Day ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") and Jason Sudeikis ("Saturday Night Live"), a plot that really does manage to avoid rom-com clichés, and it's pretty darn funny.
I walked into the screening...
By Eric Ditzian
Drew Barrymore in "Going the Distance"
Photo: Warner Bros.
I'll go ahead and say it: I really liked "Going the Distance." Frankly, I'm surprised more early viewers didn't, as the Drew Barrymore comedy is currently at a meager 49 percent freshness at the Rotten Tomatoes review aggregator.
What else do we want in our romantic comedies, people? I'll surely sound like a PR flack for saying this, but "Going the Distance" has something for everyone. It's got the aw-shucks love story, realistically drawn central characters, some fabulously raunchy supporting players in Charlie Day ("It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia") and Jason Sudeikis ("Saturday Night Live"), a plot that really does manage to avoid rom-com clichés, and it's pretty darn funny.
I walked into the screening...
- 9/3/2010
- MTV Music News
It's eight years since Road to Perdition, the classy period gangster drama starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, and directed by Sam Mendes. in the intervening years the possibility of a follow-up has arisen occasionally, but writer Max Alan Collins has just told Movieweb that we're closer than ever to the Road to Purgatory.Collins wrote the original graphic novel on which the film was based, and Road to Purgatory already exists as a prose sequel, along with a further instalment, Road to Paradise. The follow-ups deal with the adult life of Michael O'Sullivan Jr (played by Tyler Hoechlin in the first film) after his return from WWII service in the Philippines. Under the alias of Michael Satariano he attempts to settle down to a quiet life, but gets involved with Eliot Ness (he of The Untouchables), undertaking a perilous infiltration of Capone's mob syndicate, where he gains the trust of Frank Nitti.
- 8/5/2010
- EmpireOnline
Critics say the 3-D epic will be a hit with the kids, but grown-ups may tire of its flashy effects.
By Eric Ditzian
Nicola Peltz as Katara in "The Last Airbender
Photo: Paramount Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender," adapted from the popular Nickelodeon animated series into a live-action, CGI-heavy, 3-D epic, arrives in a crowded summer-movie season of "Eclipse" vampires and "Toy Story 3" playthings. Is there room for "Airbender" and its fire-throwing, water-controlling warriors at the cinema?
It certainly seems that way, as the film is tracking to gross over $45 million across the long holiday weekend. And while the reviews are decidedly mixed, MTV News' Kurt Loder reports that the movie's target audience at one advance screening was nothing short of ecstatic.
"Early reviews in the theater-full of little kids I saw 'The Last Airbender' with were enthusiastic: whoops and wows scattered throughout...
By Eric Ditzian
Nicola Peltz as Katara in "The Last Airbender
Photo: Paramount Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender," adapted from the popular Nickelodeon animated series into a live-action, CGI-heavy, 3-D epic, arrives in a crowded summer-movie season of "Eclipse" vampires and "Toy Story 3" playthings. Is there room for "Airbender" and its fire-throwing, water-controlling warriors at the cinema?
It certainly seems that way, as the film is tracking to gross over $45 million across the long holiday weekend. And while the reviews are decidedly mixed, MTV News' Kurt Loder reports that the movie's target audience at one advance screening was nothing short of ecstatic.
"Early reviews in the theater-full of little kids I saw 'The Last Airbender' with were enthusiastic: whoops and wows scattered throughout...
- 7/1/2010
- MTV Movie News
Critics say the 3-D epic will be a hit with the kids, but grown-ups may tire of its flashy effects.
By Eric Ditzian
Nicola Peltz as Katara in "The Last Airbender
Photo: Paramount Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender," adapted from the popular Nickelodeon animated series into a live-action, CGI-heavy, 3-D epic, arrives in a crowded summer-movie season of "Eclipse" vampires and "Toy Story 3" playthings. Is there room for "Airbender" and its fire-throwing, water-controlling warriors at the cinema?
It certainly seems that way, as the film is tracking to gross over $45 million across the long holiday weekend. And while the reviews are decidedly mixed, MTV News' Kurt Loder reports that the movie's target audience at one advance screening was nothing short of ecstatic.
"Early reviews in the theater-full of little kids I saw 'The Last Airbender' with were enthusiastic: whoops and wows scattered throughout...
By Eric Ditzian
Nicola Peltz as Katara in "The Last Airbender
Photo: Paramount Pictures
M. Night Shyamalan's "The Last Airbender," adapted from the popular Nickelodeon animated series into a live-action, CGI-heavy, 3-D epic, arrives in a crowded summer-movie season of "Eclipse" vampires and "Toy Story 3" playthings. Is there room for "Airbender" and its fire-throwing, water-controlling warriors at the cinema?
It certainly seems that way, as the film is tracking to gross over $45 million across the long holiday weekend. And while the reviews are decidedly mixed, MTV News' Kurt Loder reports that the movie's target audience at one advance screening was nothing short of ecstatic.
"Early reviews in the theater-full of little kids I saw 'The Last Airbender' with were enthusiastic: whoops and wows scattered throughout...
- 7/1/2010
- MTV Music News
Some critics find the fourth film in the franchise refreshing; others say it's full of 'contrived mania.'
By Eric Ditzian
The summer-movie season is a bastion of review-proof franchise flicks. First "Iron Man 2," and soon "Toy Story 3" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" — all these films and more were essentially guaranteed mega-box-office openings as soon as they got a green light.
Of course, that hasn't stopped critics from weighing in with opinions, positive and negative. Such is the case with "Shrek Forever After," the fourth and final installment of the green-ogre franchise. Hype it or slam it, the 3-D animated kids' movie might well pass the $100 million threshold during its opening weekend (which kicked off on Friday, May 21). Nonetheless, parents and their little ones want to know the bottom line: Does "Forever After" live up to the bar set by the previous installments?
Absolutely, argues Michael O'Sullivan in The Washington Post.
By Eric Ditzian
The summer-movie season is a bastion of review-proof franchise flicks. First "Iron Man 2," and soon "Toy Story 3" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" — all these films and more were essentially guaranteed mega-box-office openings as soon as they got a green light.
Of course, that hasn't stopped critics from weighing in with opinions, positive and negative. Such is the case with "Shrek Forever After," the fourth and final installment of the green-ogre franchise. Hype it or slam it, the 3-D animated kids' movie might well pass the $100 million threshold during its opening weekend (which kicked off on Friday, May 21). Nonetheless, parents and their little ones want to know the bottom line: Does "Forever After" live up to the bar set by the previous installments?
Absolutely, argues Michael O'Sullivan in The Washington Post.
- 5/21/2010
- MTV Movie News
Some critics find the fourth film in the franchise refreshing; others say it's full of 'contrived mania.'
By Eric Ditzian
The summer-movie season is a bastion of review-proof franchise flicks. First "Iron Man 2," and soon "Toy Story 3" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" — all these films and more were essentially guaranteed mega-box-office openings as soon as they got a green light.
Of course, that hasn't stopped critics from weighing in with opinions, positive and negative. Such is the case with "Shrek Forever After," the fourth and final installment of the green-ogre franchise. Hype it or slam it, the 3-D animated kids' movie might well pass the $100 million threshold during its opening weekend (which kicked off on Friday, May 21). Nonetheless, parents and their little ones want to know the bottom line: Does "Forever After" live up to the bar set by the previous installments?
Absolutely, argues Michael O'Sullivan in The Washington Post.
By Eric Ditzian
The summer-movie season is a bastion of review-proof franchise flicks. First "Iron Man 2," and soon "Toy Story 3" and "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse" — all these films and more were essentially guaranteed mega-box-office openings as soon as they got a green light.
Of course, that hasn't stopped critics from weighing in with opinions, positive and negative. Such is the case with "Shrek Forever After," the fourth and final installment of the green-ogre franchise. Hype it or slam it, the 3-D animated kids' movie might well pass the $100 million threshold during its opening weekend (which kicked off on Friday, May 21). Nonetheless, parents and their little ones want to know the bottom line: Does "Forever After" live up to the bar set by the previous installments?
Absolutely, argues Michael O'Sullivan in The Washington Post.
- 5/21/2010
- MTV Music News
Last night at 12:01am, the screams died down as the opening credits began to role on the second film in the Twilight Saga franchise. Twi-hards were up way past bedtime, but before they resided for the night they made sure to sound off about the film. So far the reactions to The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) have been split down the middle; some love it, some hate it. Check out what the Twilight world, the critics, and tweeters are saying about The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009). New Moon parties began at the fall of dusk and didn't stop until the wee hours of the morning. While some are paying for the lack of sleep today, the adrenaline from New Moon is getting the sleepy through the day. Yesterday was a whirlwind day in New York City as the cast hopped around Manhattan making appearances and greeting fans. New Moon...
- 11/21/2009
- by cjoyce@corp.popstar.com (Colleen Joyce)
- ScreenStar
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