'martha marcy may marlene' review

One of the big sensations at this year's Sundance, Martha Marcy May Marlene is pretty much as good as advertised. Even if Elizabeth Olsen never does anything as impressive again, well, she did this. My review is up at Yahoo.

jane's addiciton - 'the great escape artist' review

Don't tell anyone, but I was never a big Jane's Addiction fan. (Too hippie-dippy mystical for me.) But, hey, I am a man with open ears, and so I am pleased to announce that I enjoyed their comeback record, The Great Escape Artist. Maybe it's because I wasn't such a fan back in the day that I'm open to their new sound? Perhaps. My review is up at About.

'the rum diary' review

Johnny Depp's second adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson novel, The Rum Diary, is more effective than his first, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. Still, Rum is a bit of a mess, only sporadically arresting. I give a full rundown of its strengths and weaknesses over at Screen International.

bon iver - beth/rest

The final track off Bon Iver's new self-titled album is some sort of throwing down of the gauntlet. "You think I'm a sappy wimp?" he seems to be saying. "I'll show you just how much of a sappy wimp I can be!" "Beth/Rest" is like Bruce Hornsby-meets-Sting. Phil Collins would have killed to have come up with this song. So, yes, it is very sappy ... but I also find it sort of endearing for its outrageously wussy courage.

'the big year' review

Marley & Me got me but good -- it's that rare tearjerker that's actually well-done -- but director David Frankel's new film, The Big Year, isn't quite as good. Mostly it's just nice and pleasant and bland. My review is up at The Projector, a high-quality film site that is never nice or pleasant or bland.

'footloose' review

There's cheesy-good and cheesy-bad, and then there's Footloose, which is cheesy-so-so. I reviewed the film for Yahoo, where I can proudly say I made no bad allusions to kicking off my Sunday shows or cutting loose or what have you. I'm a professional, consarnit.

'Trespass' Review

In 2011, a movie starring Nicolas Cage and directed by Joel Schumacher shouldn't inspire much confidence in anyone. And, alas, Trespass isn't very good, although it's not quite the laughable fiasco some might think (or hope). I dissect the corpse for Yahoo.

'fireflies in the garden' review

Did you know there's a movie coming out on Friday that stars Julia Roberts and Ryan Reynolds? Well, there is, and it's called Fireflies in the Garden, an indie drama about family dysfunction and grieving that's, unfortunately, very pedestrian. I reviewed the film for Yahoo. (And now that I have reviewed it, I can stop calling it Grave of the Fireflies by mistake. Now that is a great movie.)

tom petty - i'll feel a whole lot better

The Byrds originally recorded "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better," which you can hear here, but I've always been partial to Tom Petty's version -- probably because I heard it first and more often. Fun Fact: Contrary to what this YouTube video would have you believe, Petty's cover is not from Into the Great Wide Open. It's on Full Moon Fever. What would you people do without me?

blink-182 - 'neighborhoods' review

Just catching up on this, but for About I reviewed Blink-182's big comeback/reunion album, Neighborhoods. I never loved them back in the day, but I was pleasantly surprised by their new "mature" sound. Anyway, I go into all of that here.

'1911' review

Jackie Chan gets serious for 1911, a war drama tied to the 100th anniversary of the Xinhai Revolution. As someone who doesn't pretend to know much Chinese history, I found it somewhat enlightening. But as a piece of cinema? Good lord, what a bore. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

'dream house' review

How can a movie that stars Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz, and Naomi Watts (and is directed by Jim Sheridan) not be screened in advance for critics? Well, if that movie is Dream House, it's actually pretty easy. Not quite a disaster or fiasco, the film feels like it's been rejiggered during its making: I'm not sure who came up with the third act, but it doesn't seem like it's from anyone who made the first two acts. My Dream House review is up at Screen International.

fruit bats - you're too weird

I am shocked and embarrassed that I have yet to pick up the new Fruit Bats album, Tripper. I also can't believe I hadn't seen this video for the album's single, "You're Too Weird." Parodies of '80s video cliches: They never get old, huh?

'margaret' review

It's hard to say what's the saddest thing about Margaret. Is it that it's the long-delayed follow-up film from Kenneth Lonergan, the man responsible for the excellent You Can Count on Me? Is it that it's full of interesting ideas that simply don't work? Is it that some of my colleagues are being far too kind to it? All of the above. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

'sarah palin: you betcha!' review

Sarah Palin: You Betcha! is not grade-A Nick Broomfield, but it's still an engaging, breezy documentary into the former Alaska governor's background. One thing's for sure: Palin's parents sure seem like nice folks. I reviewed the movie for Yahoo.

'take shelter' review

Yeah, Take Shelter is terrific. Writer-director Jeff Nichols and star Michael Shannon performed their magic first in 2007's Shotgun Stories, and they've returned with an even more resonant film. I gush about Take Shelter in my Yahoo review.

'the whale' review

So, Ryan Reynolds' best movie of 2011 definitely isn't Green Lantern or The Change-Up. It's the documentary The Whale, which he executive produced and narrated. It's about a baby orca that got separated from his family and ended up off the west coast of Canada. It's a bit cutesy, but that whale sure is lovable. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

(Update, March 2023: If you're looking for the other movie called The Whale, go here.)

'my joy' review

My Joy is a Russian drama that calls to mind the bare-bones stories popular in Romanian cinema, but it's more existential and mysterious than that. I can't say it all worked, but the movie has stayed with me, which is its own kind of compliment. I reviewed My Joy for Yahoo.

wilco - 'the whole love' review

I'm one of those weirdos who has preferred Wilco's post-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot/A Ghost Is Born period to all the ones that came before. (If that makes me a proponent of dad-rock, so be it.) Their new disc, The Whole Love, is another superb addition to their catalog. I reviewed the record for About.

'thunder soul' review

On Friday, I reviewed Thunder Soul, a documentary about the Kashmere Stage Band. It's a very likable film that isn't quite as deep or insightful as I would have preferred. Still, if you love '70s funk, you'll very much enjoy it. And, hey, DJ Shadow cameo.

r.e.m. - try not to breathe

Yeah, I'm still bummed out about the R.E.M. news. So here's a little "Try Not to Breathe."

'weekend' review

If it's playing in your area, seek out Weekend, a sweet, simple drama directed by Andrew Haigh. If you're the type to be unnerved by a gay love story, well, you should still see it. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

'machine gun preacher' review

Gerard Butler gives one of his better performances -- which, I realize, isn't saying all that much -- in Machine Gun Preacher, an inspirational drama about Sam Childers, the former drug dealer turned Sudan crusader. The movie isn't bad but, man oh man, I wish they'd found another director other than Marc Forster to put it together. I reviewed Machine Gun Preacher for Yahoo, and I see that folks are already commenting over there.

'puncture' review

Chris Evans goes dark and indie for Puncture, a legal drama based on a true story. Turns out the true story is more interesting than the movie itself. I reviewed Puncture for Screen International.

toronto film festival 2011, from worst to best

If it hadn't been for a nasty cold that wiped out the last two-and-a-half days of my trip, I would have easily logged over 30 films during my stay at the 2011 Toronto Film Festival. Nonetheless, here's my list (from worst to best) of what I saw, including films I screened in advance. Links lead to my reviews or articles over at The Projector....

Peace, Love & Misunderstanding
This Side of Resurrection
360
50/50
God Bless America
Twixt
Albert Nobbs
The Artist
Friends With Kids
Rampart
The Deep Blue Sea
Sarah Palin: You Betcha!
Damsels in Distress
Moneyball
Guilty
A Dangerous Method
Alps
Melancholia

Take This Waltz

The Loneliest Planet
Wuthering Heights
Your Sister's Sister
The Descendants
Into the Abyss
Drive
Shame

So many movies, and yet so many I wish I could have seen: Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Elena, The Kid With a Bike, A Separation, I Wish... Oh well, it happens. I'm hoping this year's AFI Fest helps fill in some gaps for me.

'your sister's sister' review

Humpday is one of my favorite recent American indies, so I was excited to see what writer-director Lynn Shelton would do next. That turns out to be Your Sister's Sister, which isn't quite as accomplished but still rather fetching. I saw the film in Toronto and review it for The Projector.

'twixt' review

Francis Ford Coppola continues his late-career adventurousness with Twixt, a moody, loopy horror thingy starring Val Kilmer. And parts of it are in 3D. My review is up at Yahoo.

trent reznor and atticus ross - in motion

If I had to list my 10 happiest film moments of the year, I think one of them would be Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross winning the Oscar for their exceptional score to The Social Network. It's an example of an acclaimed songwriter (and his longtime collaborator) easily transitioning to movies without losing an ounce of their creative spark. If anything, Reznor's work has gotten stronger in the last few years, which I attribute to him realizing he can't be the angst-ridden young man anymore. Regardless, here's a little "In Motion" for your Friday.

'take this waltz' review

One of the happier surprises at this year's Toronto Film Festival has been Take This Waltz, the follow-up film from Away From Her director Sarah Polley. It's a very different film, and yet it's equally heartfelt and affecting. And, as usual, Michelle Williams is great in it. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

'rampart' review

Director Oren Moverman reunites with Woody Harrelson, his star from "The Messenger," for his new film, "Rampart." It's a dirty-cop drama set in Los Angeles. The city looks great, Harrelson is great, but the movie is only so-so. You can read my review over at Yahoo.

'alps' review

Dogtooth was a disturbing, original drama. (Or was it a dark comedy?) Regardless, director Yorgos Lanthimos is back with a new film that's playing Toronto, Alps. Sadly, it's not quite as good. I explain why over at Yahoo.

'into the abyss' review

Werner Herzog's latest documentary is one of his strongest in years, mostly because he stays out of the way. It's called Into the Abyss and examines a 10-year-old triple-homicide case in Texas. Gripping, sobering stuff. My review is up at Yahoo.

'the descendants' review

Alexander Payne's new movie, The Descendants, sneaks up on you. It's not quite as sharp as his About Schmidt, but it's in the same ballpark. My review is up at Yahoo.

the sundays - here's where the story ends

Dreamy folk-pop modern rock circa 1990 for your Friday morning. I was about the only person I knew who owned Reading, Writing and Arithmetic until I met my wife. Folks, she has all three Sundays albums. A true fan.

'moneyball' review

Hi, everyone. I'm covering the Toronto Film Festival for The Projector, and my first review is up. It's Moneyball, which really should be better than it is. Here's the review.

'warrior' review

Miracle is probably the best sports movie of the last 10 years, so I had high hopes for director Gavin O'Connor's latest, Warrior. It's half a great movie -- unfortunately, the second-half of the movie is a real problem. My review is up at Screen International.

'shark night 3d' review

Put me in the camp of people who found Snakes on a Plane big, dumb ludicrous fun. That movie was directed by David R. Ellis. His latest is Shark Night 3D. It's simply ludicrous. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'apollo 18' review

Shock of shocks, I didn't hate Apollo 18 like a lot of folks did. Actually, I found it enjoyable enough. My review is up at Screen International.

serge gainsbourg and brigitte bardot - bonnie and clyde

The French biopic Gainsbourg, about singer Serge Gainsbourg, is out this weekend, so a little "Bonnie and Clyde" seemed appropriate. I would have loved to have included the original music video, but it's not embeddable, so you'll just have to check it out here. By the way, in the film Laetitia Casta holds her own playing Bardot. A fun performance.

'gainsbourg: a heroic life' review

I first saw Gainsbourg back in the spring of 2010 when I was part of the jury for COL-COA. I liked it then, and I liked it again when I re-watched it this week in a slightly shorter version. (The original was 130 minutes long; the new cut is 122 minutes.) I couldn't tell you what was taken out, but the film's overall impact feels the same: Eric Elmosnino is quite good in it as Serge Gainsbourg, but the biopic as a whole is only so-so. My review is up at The Projector for you perusing.

'a good old fashioned orgy' review

Jason Sudeikis seems destined to be a movie star, but if that happens A Good Old Fashioned Orgy won't be one of the first films mentioned during his AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony. It's a likeable comedy but very forgettable, which is not what you'd expect from an orgy. My review is up at The Projector.

red hot chili peppers - 'i'm with you' review

Every four years or so, Red Hot Chili Peppers emerge from their L.A. lairs and put out essentially the exact same album. This drives other people nuts because, honestly, when's everybody going to realize it's all a bunch of shtick? I remain neutral on the band -- on one level, I think they're overrated, but I also kinda marvel at their consistency -- and so I went into I'm With You with open ears. Well, they've done it again: Familiar as it is in some ways, it's another winning collection of tunes. They are who we thought they were. My review of I'm With You is over at About.

dj shadow - I gotta rokk

DJ Shadow's new album, The Less You Know the Better, comes out next month. I know a lot of folks gave up on Shadow after The Outsider, but I still love the man. And I absolutely love "I Gotta Rokk" from the new disc. The title tells you all you need to know: It's one long, indulgent, flash-them-devil-horns ode to arena rock posturing. Does it go on a bit too long? Maybe. But, man oh man, that beat.

'chasing madoff' review

I don't think there would be many people who wouldn't like to learn how Bernie Madoff finally got his comeuppance. So why is the documentary Chasing Madoff such a disappointment? I go into that over at The Projector at Yahoo.

'higher ground' review

Vera Farmiga's directorial debut, Higher Ground, is really special. Though flawed, it's impressively nuanced in its portrait of a woman's shaky religious conversion. Sensitive, touching, sincere ... there's a part of me that thinks I'm being a little easy on it, but I can't help it: The film moved me deeply. My Higher Ground review is up at Yahoo.

'don't be afraid of the dark' review

Don't Be Afraid of the Dark isn't a great movie, but it's an enjoyably nasty/cheesy/atmospheric one. As I told a friend while walking out of the screening, "As long as you don't ask me a single question about it, I think I liked it." Some movies are just like that. My review is up at Yahoo.

fountains of wayne - michael and heather at the baggage claim

I did some traveling recently, which means getting on an airplane, flying, landing somewhere else, and then waiting for your bags. "Michael and Heather at the Baggage Claim" off Fountains of Wayne's 2007 album Traffic and Weather always comes to mind when I'm wondering if my bag will ever show up. Plus, it's a love song, which even though it's a sad song always makes me think of my wife. What can I say: Whether it's a sad love song or a happy love song, I think of her. It's like what Stephin Merritt once sang: "You're in every song I know."

'amigo' review

John Sayles is a filmmaker I love, but I have to admit that he hasn't made a great film in quite a while. Sadly, his latest, Amigo, is one of his weakest. It's a look at the Philippine-American Way, but it's clear Sayles is more interested in another conflict, our current occupation/misadventure in the Middle East. It's not very subtle and, unfortunately, just not very good. I reviewed the film for Yahoo.

'flypaper' review

Flypaper is a heist-gone-wrong comedy starring Patrick Dempsey and Ashley Judd. Did I mention it's also terrible? Well, it is. Man, is it awful. I reviewed the film for Yahoo, if you care to give my words a look-see.

radiohead - codex

I decided to revisit The King of Limbs recently to see if it had grown on me at all. Sadly, it had not. I think it's their weakest album -- not terrible, just merely so-so. "Codex," though .... well, "Codex" is great.

'littlerock' review

Littlerock is a micro-budget indie from director Mike Ott that opens Friday in New York. It's a small film that won the "Someone to Watch" award at the Independent Spirit Awards. I think it's got some real feeling in it, despite its modest trappings. I dive in over at Yahoo.

death cab for cutie - death of an interior decorator

Yes, it's true: Ben Gibbard once wrote a song inspired by Woody Allen's Interiors, which is a pretty underrated film of his. "Death of an Interior Decorator" is off Transatlanticism, which, you may recall, I like quite a lot. This is a fan-made video for the song. I wonder if these guys ever saw Interiors.

'rise of the planet of the apes' review

I think a running theme in a lot of reviews for Rise of the Planet of the Apes will be "Wow, what a pleasant surprise." That's code for "We all kinda assumed it was going to be bad." But, no, it's actually pretty smart and assured, although it does have a few problems. Nonetheless, in a summer of pretty bad studio movies, Rise is one of the few bright spots. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'mysteries of lisbon' review

Director Raul Ruiz's Mysteries of Lisbon is a 257-minute-long soap opera about an orphan boy looking for his parents. That's just one of the characters whose story we learn about over the course of this sumptuous, often stunning film. My review is up at Yahoo.

'the change-up' review

In theory, I'd watch just about anything with Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman in it. But that theory is tested by The Change-Up, a very dispiriting body-switch comedy. Serves me right for thinking the trailer looked funny. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'bellflower' review

Bellflower is the audacious debut of writer-director-star Evan Glodell. Its first two acts are really terrific, but, man oh man, I wish its ending was better. I review the romantic drama/coming-of-age tale/apocalyptic whatsit for Yahoo.

drive-by truckers - 'ugly buildings, whores & politicians' review

Drive-By Truckers have never had a hit, but that didn't keep them from releasing Ugly Buildings, Whores & Politicians: Greatest Hits - 1998-2009. It's terrific.

George Michael - "Cowboys and Angels"

Are my wife and I the only ones who have sometimes accidentally called the Cowboys & Aliens movie Cowboys & Angels because of the George Michael song? It's a great tune off Listen Without Prejudice Vol. 1 -- you know, the album that supposedly ruined his career because he wanted to be taken seriously. Twenty-one years later that still drives me nuts: It's really a great record. Anyway, that's for another time. Enjoy "Cowboys and Angels."

'the smurfs' review

I really liked the Smurfs as a kid. My hometown barber had little plastic Smurfs all over his shop. (I'm not sure why he collected them. Maybe to give little kids something to play with?) So I was dreading the feature-length Smurfs movie, especially when the trailers looked horrible. Now that I've seen the movie ... well, it's not a good film, but it's better than I was expecting. That's not the same thing as a recommendation, though, which hopefully my Screen International review makes clear.

'the interrupters' review

If you asked me to name the best movie of the last 20 years, I'd probably go with Hoop Dreams, the documentary by director Steve James about Chicago high school basketball. His latest film, The Interrupters, isn't a landmark, but it's quite affecting. It looks at an organization that tries to curb violence on Chicago's most dangerous streets. I reviewed the film for Screen International.

'cowboys & aliens' review

Cowboys & Aliens has such a fun hook -- it's right there in the title -- that it's a shame the movie isn't more fun than it is. I sigh and deliver the bad news in my Yahoo review.

'the guard' review

The Guard is the feature debut of writer-director John Michael McDonagh, who has concocted a minor charmer that's a comedy, a thriller, and a bit of a Western as well. Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle are both a lot of fun, and while the movie may not add up to much, it's an enjoyable little treat. My full review is up at Yahoo.

'the future' review

Miranda July's new film, The Future, is a nice improvement on her debut, the overly cutesy Me and You and Everyone We Know, which everyone else loved. This one has real weight to it, touching on the fear of romantic commitment in a way few recent films have. I reviewed it for Yahoo.

'life in a day' review

Life in a Day has a clever, gimmicky concept: Director Kevin Macdonald asked people around the world to film their lives on July 24, 2010. The resulting film, however, is nicely affecting, with its individual moments not as great as the whole. I review the documentary for Yahoo.

talking heads - this must be the place (naive melody)

A couple incidents conspired to make this my Friday Video this week. First, I caught (for the first time) Stop Making Sense on the big screen over the Fourth of July weekend. Mind-blowing ... and just as much of a masterpiece as I had heard. Then, "This Must Be the Place" was featured in a film I saw recently that will be coming out next week. So, really, I've just had Talking Heads on the brain of late.

'captain america: the first avenger' review

Captain America is a defiantly square, old-fashioned action movie. Others have compared it to Raiders of the Lost Ark, but I see it as another variation of The Rocketeer, which was also directed by Joe Johnston. Too bad that earnest spirit isn't enough. My review is up at Screen International.

'crazy, stupid, love' review

Steve Carell is the star and one of the producers of Crazy, Stupid, Love., a disappointingly sitcom-y adult romantic drama. The other trades were pretty kind to it, but I take the film to task over at Screen International.

'friends with benefits' review

I enjoyed Easy A, so I had hopes for director Will Gluck's next film, Friends With Benefits, with Mila Kunis and hey-didn't-you-used-to-be-a-musician? Justin Timberlake. Now that I've seen it, I can say authoritatively it's the best sex-without-attachments movie of the year. But, then again, I hated No Strings Attached. And, to be honest, I was let down by Friends With Benefits as well. I talk about all that over at Yahoo.

'another earth' review

The Sundance hit Another Earth opens on Friday. It's a mess of a movie ... and yet it still works. Barely. I explain why over at Yahoo.

'the myth of the american sleepover' review

The Myth of the American Sleepover, the debut of writer-director David Robert Mitchell, is a special, understated coming-of-age film. It's familiar and, yet, it's very candid and well-observed. I dig in to the movie over at Yahoo.

the verve - sonnet

Because I find it pretty and comforting.

'tabloid' review

Errol Morris returns with his latest documentary, Tabloid. I think it's one of his best in recent years. I explain why over at Yahoo.

'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2' Review

Well, that's it. No more Harry Potter movies ever. I'm not entirely sad about that since I've only really loved two installments of the series, Prisoner of Azkaban and Deathly Hallows - Part 1. How does the new one stack up? I give it some consideration over at Yahoo.

'the undefeated' review

Last month, I wrote about my genuine interest in The Undefeated, the pro-Sarah Palin documentary that comes out this weekend in select theaters. There's a great film to be made about the divisive political figure, but this is not that film. I explain why over at Yahoo.

faith no more - midnight cowboy

I was thinking about "Easy," the Commodores' song that's featured in Zookeeper. And I was thinking, "Hey, Faith No More did a cover of that." And then I thought, "But it wasn't quite as great as their cover of the theme to Midnight Cowboy."

And, presto, a Friday Video was born.

'project nim' review

Folks, I thought Project Nim was quite impressive. Director James Marsh has topped his estimable Man on Wire with this new documentary, which traces the history of a 1970s experiment to teach sign language to a baby chimp. My review is up at Yahoo.

'zookeeper' review

I like Kevin James. Really, I do. I thought he was really fun in Hitch, which made me hopeful he could transition from TV to film smoothly. Instead, we get Paul Blart: Mall Cop and, now, Zookeeper, which, honestly, may be even worse. I detail the movie's many, many problems over at Screen International.

(Update: Should you doubt my sincerity about liking James, check out what I said about Paul Blart at the time. See? I really do like the guy.)

'a little help' review

Jenna Fischer of The Office stretches her acting muscles a bit with A Little Help, a comedy-drama indie about a young wife and mother whose life gets upended when her husband dies unexpectedly. The movie has a lot of genuine feeling but pretty wobbly dramatic instincts. I reviewed the film for Screen International here.

'Rapt' Review

I first saw Rapt last spring as part of COLCOA. I thought it was pretty great then, and I still think it's pretty great now. My review is up at Yahoo.

cee lo green - bright lights bigger city

Have a great Fourth everyone. I picked this song specifically because of how nicely it's used in a movie that comes out this weekend. (Hint: It's not Larry Crowne or Transformers: Dark of the Moon.) Be safe out there, folks.

'monte carlo' review

Monte Carlo is getting very little buzz, but, honestly, it's better than both Transformers: Dark of the Moon and Larry Crowne. That doesn't mean it's good, however, although it does have its charms. I review the Selena Gomez tween comedy for Yahoo.

'larry crowne' review

I've always liked Tom Hanks. That's what made watching Larry Crowne all the more painful. That's not the only reason, though. I lament this misbegotten project over at Yahoo.

'terri' review

One of the best reviewed movies of the summer is Terri, a tart coming-of-age comedy-drama starring John C. Reilly and Jacob Wysocki. I'm in the minority in thinking it's very mediocre. I try to justify my stance over at Yahoo.

limp bizkit - 'gold cobra' review

Much to my surprise, Limp Bizkit's comeback album, Gold Cobra, is just like the Limp Bizkit of the late '90s: bratty, whiny, and, yet, oddly compelling. Fred Durst might be an obnoxious twit, but what can I say: The dude knows how to make his paranoia work for him. My review of Gold Cobra is up now at About.com.

'Transformers: Dark of the Moon' Review

This should explain what an eternal optimist I am: I actually had faith that Transformers: Dark of the Moon might be good. Michael Bay kept talking about how it was going to be more streamlined and action-packed. That sounded promising, right? And then I saw the movie. It's the same old bucket of bolts. My review is up at Screen International.

Derek and the Dominos - "Bell Bottom Blues"

You know, Layla has other great songs than just the title track. "Bell Bottom Blues" is a real standout. (Oh, and that stuff Clapton sings at the end about turning to another partner if his true love doesn't take him back? Who believes that? This man is hopelessly infatuated with his Layla.)

'bad teacher' review

After last night's screening of Bad Teacher, my wife commented that the movie wasn't as bad as she was expecting. Sadly, it was almost exactly as bad as I was expecting. My Yahoo review goes into all the reasons I think it's a pretty lame comedy.

'a better life' review

I know a few critics who have cried at the ending of A Better Life, an illegal immigrant drama set in Los Angeles. I don't deny its impact, but I wish the film had earned it more. I review the movie for Yahoo.

'if a tree falls' review

If a Tree Falls is a documentary that looks at the Earth Liberation Front, a group of radical environmental activists. For Yahoo, I discuss why one of the film's best features is its reasonableness, which you wouldn't necessarily expect from a documentary about radicals.

'bernie' review

Last night's opening film for the 2011 Los Angeles Film Festival was Richard Linklater's Bernie. Starring Jack Black, it's based on a true story too bizarre to believe: A kindly assistant funeral director befriended a recent widow and ultimately killed her, much to the shock of their small-town Texas community. For Screen International, I discuss why I think the movie's just OK.

'green lantern' review

My love for Ryan Reynolds continues. He's a funny, intensely likable actor, which made me even sadder that Green Lantern isn't better. I go into the whys and hows over at Screen International.

paul simon - rewrite

An odd choice for a Father's Day song, perhaps, but I've really been feeling "Rewrite" off Paul Simon's latest album. For such a peppy, pretty melody, it's actually quite a sad, sad song. And, at the same time, it's also oddly uplifting too. Artists, what can't they do?

'the art of getting by' review

You can't really hate The Art of Getting By, a coming-of-age indie film starring Freddie Highmore and Emma Roberts. It's sincere and heartfelt and all that. But, boy is it a pile of bad metaphors and cliches. I explain why over at Yahoo.

'buck' review

Buck is a documentary about Buck Brannaman, a modern-day cowboy who teaches people how to train their horses. He's a soft-spoken man who had a horrible childhood that he thankfully escaped to become an incredibly decent man. (Plus, he was the inspiration for the book The Horse Whisperer and was a consultant on the film adaptation.) Buck is modest -- maybe to a fault -- but it's a nicely gentle little film. My full review is up at Yahoo.

'page one: a year inside the new york times' review

I found Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times to be a pretty fascinating film. But I'm a bit of a media nerd. Will normal humans be as interested? It's hard to say. I review the film for Yahoo.

best coast - goodbye

"I've had people say, 'Oh, your voice is reminiscent of Liz Phair.' And I take that as a huge compliment, but I don't hear it. I don't really listen to a lot of '90s alternative indie female stuff anymore, but I loved Liz Phair and Kim Deal when I was younger." -- Bethany Cosentino of Best Coast to Pitchfork

The Phair connection I noticed immediately when I heard Crazy for You, the band's debut, last year. At first, Cosentino's whiny lyrical complaints annoyed me. Then I went back to Exile in Guyville and noticed a similarity: Both women used humor and honesty as ways to express their heartbreak. Soon after, Crazy for You clicked for me. It's a great summer album for being bummed that you don't have anybody. Or as Cosentino said in the same interview, "There are a s--tload of songs about being in love with someone who doesn't love you back and I talk about weed and my cat and being lazy a lot."

True. But she does it well. "Goodbye" is a particular favorite of mine.

'the trip' review

Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon play fictional versions of themselves in The Trip, a funny and oddly touching little comedy about two friends driving through the North of England. It's worth checking out. My review is up at Yahoo.

'super 8' review

While I was watching Super 8, I was thinking a lot about Fringe, the sci-fi show J.J. Abrams co-created that I used to recap for Vulture. Like Fringe in its early seasons, Super 8 is what I'd call "theoretical fun": It's put together in a way that should be fun, but it's not nearly as fun as it should be (or thinks it is). Plus, like a lot of Fringe episodes, Super 8 is in part a mystery: What's the creature? What's its objective? Why are animals and machine parts going missing? In both the show and the movie, you can basically figure it out before the explanation comes, which isn't very satisfying.

None of these observations would have fit in my Super 8 review for Screen International, which you can read here, but I wanted to pass along those comments in case you are/were a Fringe fan. If like me, you always wanted to like the show more than you did -- and I'm not talking about this most recent season, which the few episodes I saw convinced me was a huge step up -- I'm here to warn you that you may have the exact same reaction to Super 8.

jessica lea mayfield - our hearts are wrong

Jessica Lea Mayfield turns 22 in August. I seem incapable of escaping her new-ish single, "Our Hearts Are Wrong," no matter where I go lately. So you win, Ms. Mayfield: You're my Friday Video.

'film socialisme' review

You may remember that I first saw Jean Luc-Godard's Film Socialisme last year during AFI Fest. (It didn't go so well: The digital file didn't have subtitles.) Well, now I've seen it with the subtitles ... which only help so much. My review is up at Yahoo.