THE GREAT GATSBY
Literary Criticism: Baz Luhrmann’s problem is more than not showing proper respect for <em>The Great Gatsby</em>.
Olympus Has Fallen
Channeling Die Hard <em>Olympus Has Fallen</em> shows what that other action franchise is missing.
Chicken With Plums
Strung Along: <em>Chicken With Plums</em> conjures painful sweetness in the life and death of an Iranian violinist.
The Master
I Will Follow: One powerful relationship – not an assault on Scientology – fuels the extraordinary <em>The Master.</em>
Inception
Presents of Mind: Christopher Nolan gives the gift of another brainy blockbuster with
Presents of Mind: Christopher Nolan gives the gift of another brainy blockbuster with
THE TWILIGHT SAGA - ECLIPSE
Bloodless Wonder: Bringing in a horror director still doesn’t make
Bloodless Wonder: Bringing in a horror director still doesn&#8217;t make Eclipse anything but teen melodrama.
Toy Story 3
We Are Family: <i>Toy Story 3</i> soars on the wonderful heartbreak of intimate connection, a compelling account of the joys, and difficulties, of letting go.
We Are Family: <i>Toy Story 3</i> soars on the wonderful heartbreak of intimate connection, a compelling account of the joys, and difficulties, of letting go.
Shrek Forever After
Just Like Starting Ogre: <i>Shrek Forever After</i> throws out the films’ history – and it’s an improvement.
Just Like Starting Ogre: <i>Shrek Forever After</i> throws out the films’ history – and it’s an improvement.
Babies
Natal Habitat: Babies observes cultural differences – and overly-precious cuteness.
Natal Habitat: Babies observes cultural differences – and overly-precious cuteness.
The Men Who Stare At Goats
True Lies: 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' succeeds at silliness but fails at journalism.
True Lies: 'The Men Who Stare at Goats' succeeds at silliness but fails at journalism.
District 9
Illegal Aliens: District 9 is a sci-fi allegory with political pretensions.
Illegal Aliens: District 9 is a sci-fi allegory with political pretensions.
Julie & Julia
Hail to the Chef: Meryl Streep cooks up a great performance, but Julie & Julia lacks spice.
Hail to the Chef: Meryl Streep cooks up a great performance, but Julie & Julia lacks spice.
Julie&Julia
Hail to the Chef: Meryl Streep cooks up a great performance, but Julie&Julia lacks spice.
Hail to the Chef: Meryl Streep cooks up a great performance, but Julie&Julia lacks spice.
(500) Days of Summer
The One That Got Away: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt shine in (500) Days of Summer.
The One That Got Away: Zooey Deschanel, Joseph Gordon-Levitt shine in (500) Days of Summer.
The Ugly Truth
Sally Forced: The Ugly Truth is that an uptight heroine doesn’t make a romantic comedy.
Sally Forced: The Ugly Truth is that an uptight heroine doesn’t make a romantic comedy.
Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince
Half-Blood Prince follows a Harry Potter who’s no innocent kid any more.
Half-Blood Prince follows a Harry Potter who’s no innocent kid any more.
Public Enemies
The Ice Mann Cometh: Public Enemies showcases its director’s chilly, but undeniable, skills.
The Ice Mann Cometh: Public Enemies showcases its director’s chilly, but undeniable, skills.
The Proposal
Love Formula: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds provide familiar charm in The Proposal
Love Formula: Sandra Bullock, Ryan Reynolds provide familiar charm in The Proposal
Angels&Demons
Cardinal Sin: In Angels&Demons, everyone once again takes Dan Brown way too seriously.
Cardinal Sin: In Angels&Demons, everyone once again takes Dan Brown way too seriously.
Angels & Demons
Cardinal Sin: In Angels & Demons, everyone once again takes Dan Brown way too seriously.
Cardinal Sin: In Angels & Demons, everyone once again takes Dan Brown way too seriously.
Star Trek
Going Boldly: J. J. Abrams’ energetic Star Trek embraces some astral history, and throws some away.
Going Boldly: J. J. Abrams’ energetic Star Trek embraces some astral history, and throws some away.
X-Men: Wolverine
The Dark Not: X-Men Origins: Wolverine offers gritty violence, but does it matter?
The Dark Not: X-Men Origins: Wolverine offers gritty violence, but does it matter?
Earth
Planet News: Earth tries to make the familiar thrilling – with only sporadic success.
Planet News: Earth tries to make the familiar thrilling – with only sporadic success.
17 Again
Zac to the Future: Another young star tries on a familiar generic premise in 17 Again.
Zac to the Future: Another young star tries on a familiar generic premise in 17 Again.
Observe and Report
Oaf Course: Seth Rogen takes a detour from what works in Observe and Report.
Oaf Course: Seth Rogen takes a detour from what works in Observe and Report.
ADVENTURELAND
Carny Complications: Romance/nostalgia bloom on the midway in Adventureland.
Carny Complications: Romance/nostalgia bloom on the midway in Adventureland.
Monsters vs. Aliens
Don’t Worry, “B” Happy: Monsters vs. Aliens avoids Pixar comparison by wallowing in genre pleasures.
Don’t Worry, “B” Happy: Monsters vs. Aliens avoids Pixar comparison by wallowing in genre pleasures.
Friday the 13th
Slash-Back: Friday the 13th revisits the screams – and the laughs – of the vintage ’80s horror classic.
Slash-Back: Friday the 13th revisits the screams – and the laughs – of the vintage ’80s horror classic.
Frost/Nixon
Entertaining Bout: Don’t take Ron Howard’s Frost/Nixon too seriously.
Entertaining Bout: Don’t take Ron Howard’s Frost/Nixon too seriously.
The Wrestler
Body Slammed: A battered Mickey Rourke returns as a washed-up fighter in The Wrestler.
Body Slammed: A battered Mickey Rourke returns as a washed-up fighter in The Wrestler.
Australia
Continental Drift: One epic-scale story isn’t enough for Baz Luhrmann’s Australia.
Continental Drift: One epic-scale story isn’t enough for Baz Luhrmann’s Australia.
Quantum of Solace.
The Dark Knight: James Bond remains conflicted in Quantum of Solace.
The Dark Knight: James Bond remains conflicted in Quantum of Solace.
Zack and Miri Make a Porno
Motley Crude: Kevin Smith’s arrested adolescence continues in Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
Motley Crude: Kevin Smith’s arrested adolescence continues in Zack and Miri Make a Porno.
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist
Puppy Love: Peter Sollett again captures teen romance’s sweet awkwardness in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Puppy Love: Peter Sollett again captures teen romance’s sweet awkwardness in Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist.
Lakeview Terrace
Rough Neighborhood: Lakeview Terrace stars Samuel L. Jackson as a neighbor from hell.
Rough Neighborhood: Lakeview Terrace stars Samuel L. Jackson as a neighbor from hell.
The Rocker
Career Encore: The Office’s Rainn Wilson gets a second chance to be a drummer in The Rocker.
Career Encore: The Office’s Rainn Wilson gets a second chance to be a drummer in The Rocker.
Tropic Thunder
Silly Salvo: Ben Stiller abandons subtle satire for broad gags in Tropic Thunder.
Silly Salvo: Ben Stiller abandons subtle satire for broad gags in Tropic Thunder.
Pineapple Express
High Times: Pineapple Express takes a funny but unfocused stroll through 1970s cinema.
High Times: Pineapple Express takes a funny but unfocused stroll through 1970s cinema.
Step Brothers
R-rested Development: The vulgar immaturity of Step Brothers’ main characters extends to the filmmaking.
R-rested Development: The vulgar immaturity of Step Brothers’ main characters extends to the filmmaking.
The Dark Knight
Unbalanced Ledger: The Dark Knight delivers more than a menacing farewell performance.
Unbalanced Ledger: The Dark Knight delivers more than a menacing farewell performance.
Wall-E
Love Bot: In the lyrical WALL-E, a machine teaches humanity how to re-discover beauty.
Love Bot: In the lyrical WALL-E, a machine teaches humanity how to re-discover beauty.
Get Smart
Losing Control: Get Smart gets stupid by following the template of the ’60s television series too closely.
Losing Control: Get Smart gets stupid by following the template of the ’60s television series too closely.
The Incredible Hulk
Take Two: The second-big screen adaptation of The Incredible Hulk rekindles the spirit of a mediocre TV series.
Take Two: The second-big screen adaptation of The Incredible Hulk rekindles the spirit of a mediocre TV series.
Kung Fu Panda
Chop Shop: The animated martial arts movie Kung Fu Panda invests a familiar formula with uncommon fun.
Chop Shop: The animated martial arts movie Kung Fu Panda invests a familiar formula with uncommon fun.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Past Imperfect: Nostalgia trumps imagination and joy in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Past Imperfect: Nostalgia trumps imagination and joy in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
The Chronicles of Narnia
Load of the Rings: The Chronicles of Narnia series are bound to be unfavorably compared with another recent fantasy trilogy.
Load of the Rings: The Chronicles of Narnia series are bound to be unfavorably compared with another recent fantasy trilogy.
Made Of Honor
Leading-man status doesn’t suddenly turn Made of Honor’s Patrick Dempsey into a charismatic star.
Leading-man status doesn’t suddenly turn Made of Honor’s Patrick Dempsey into a charismatic star.
Snow Angels
Lovely storytelling gives way to terminal despair in Snow Angels.
Lovely storytelling gives way to terminal despair in Snow Angels.
Run, Fat Boy, Run
Simon Pegg trades more comedy for sentiment in Run, Fat Boy, Run.
Simon Pegg trades more comedy for sentiment in Run, Fat Boy, Run.
Funny Games
Michael Haneke remakes his own Funny Games – and it’s just as disturbing the second time around.
Michael Haneke remakes his own Funny Games – and it’s just as disturbing the second time around.
Prev Next
Hyatt-Highlands Inn Park
Carmel