divine intervention

If a movie has its heart in the right place, does that make up for a miniscule budget, so-so acting, and a weak script. In the case of Divine Intervention, a religious-themed romantic comedy, the answer is no.

bob dylan or amy adams?

I'm Not There or Enchanted? I say try 'em both. The two films lead my latest Consumables column, which also features reviews of Margot at the Wedding, American Gangster, Redacted, and other award-hungry films.

hitman

The Timothy Olyphant action movie (based on the popular Hitman video game) is decent, but not great. Its core audience will eat it up, but no one else will care. My review appears at Screen International.

bob dylan on film

In L.A. Weekly, I discuss the movies Dylan has made about his own legacy: Eat the Document, Renaldo and Clara, and Masked and Anonymous. None of them are as terrific as I'm Not There, but they're an illuminating bunch nonetheless.

lcd soundsystem

45:33 was a project LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy put together for Nike: a long instrumental suite of songs that joggers could listen to while running. Now available commercially, the album has its merits but isn't quite primo LCD.

mr. magorium's wonder emporium

The movie's title is a mouthful, but Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium is a really special family film, anchored by a terrific performance from Natalie Portman. My review is at Screen International.

me on no country for old men

My review appears here as part of my Consumables column. Also in there: my thoughts on Lars and the Real Girl, The Assassination of Jesse James, Thurston Moore's solo album, and more.

no country for old men and the coen brothers

After you've seen No Country for Old Men and digested it fully, proceed immediately to David Edelstein's terrific dissection of the Coens' oeuvre in New York.

afi film festival: the final weekend

AFI wraps up on Sunday, but there are still some worthwhile films left on the slate. Here's a rundown at the L.A. Weekly, including two reviews from yours truly.

radiohead's new album

Has the hype over In Rainbows died down yet? Can we discuss the album on its own terms? Great -- here's my review.

somebody help martin freeman

Martin Freeman, you may recall, was the lovelorn nice guy in the original version of The Office. He seemed destined to break out after that celebrated sitcom, but it hasn't happened yet. He stars in The Good Night, the feature debut of Gwyneth Paltrow's brother Jake. Freeman is decent in it, but he needs to find better material.

michael clayton and the amazing george clooney

If you want proof that I'm not one of those critics who hates everything that comes his way, check out my latest Consumables column, where I liked all nine things I wrote about, which includes Michael Clayton, The Darjeeling Limited, Eastern Promises, Bruce Springsteen's Magic, and M.I.A.'s Kala.

saw iv

At this point, you're either someone who watches ever Saw sequel or someone who badmouths the whole franchise. That sorta makes a film critic-proof, huh? Nonetheless, here's my take on Saw IV (as well as the whole series, really).

roger ebert nails grindhouse

It's been a delight to have Roger Ebert back reviewing movies every Friday; we had lost his distinctive critical voice for several months while he fought cancer. As if his full slate of new movies isn't enough, though, he's also been writing a new piece each week on a movie he missed while recovering. These reviews have allowed him an opportunity I think many critics would like to have: a chance to evaluate a movie long after its hype has died down and the pressures to file a review on deadline have expired.

A perfect example is today's piece on Grindhouse, a film that many critics I respect and admire loved back in the spring but which didn't do much for me. Ebert, blessed with perspective and his usual writing talent, sizes up the movie so clearly that his conclusions help explain not only why this B-movie double bill is terribly flawed but also why it didn't end up as any kind of box-office hit. Read his review here.

black irish

Writer-director Brad Gann's Black Irish takes on one of the cinema's most overdone dramatic territories: the suffering Irish family. My review is at the L.A. Weekly.

a film about jimmy carter

Man From Plains, a Jonathan Demme documentary about Jimmy Carter, is one of the best films of the year. But it's about more than just the former president -- a lot more. My review appears here.

the season of joy division

Ian Curtis has been dead for 27 years now, but his old band's legacy still looms large. Control, a film about Curtis directed by Anton Corbijn, drew raves at Cannes and is now making its way across the country. My review appears at L.A. Weekly.

ac/dc: their hidden gems

If you just know "You Shook Me All Night Long" and "Back in Black," then enjoy my analysis of some of AC/DC's lesser-known tracks at VH1. (Hint: Most of 'em have something to do with sex.)

joni mitchell

Shine, her new record, isn't a galvanizing return to form, but if you give the disc some time, its beauty can sneak up on you.

chamillionaire doesn't drink or smoke

Those were just two things I found out about the "Ridin' Dirty" rapper in my recent interview with him for Blender.