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Movies Archive

'Walk the Line' falters off path

Music biopic fails to become as legendary as the man it portrays (11/21/05)
DVDs now out
Despite Tom Cruise's lunacy, "War of the Worlds" made more than $230 million at the box office. Whether it was because of Cruise's star power or director Steven Spielberg remaking a sci-fi classic is up for debate. (11/21/05)
Movies now out
Attention Muggles: There are many of you who would see "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" even if Link printed this review as a haiku or in Portuguese. (11/21/05)
Preview review: 'Munich,' 'Underworld: Evolution' and 'BMH2'
After Palestinian terrorists kill 11 Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympics, Eric Bana is part of a team hired by the Israeli government to find and kill the terrorists. Steven Spielberg directs. This will probably not be the Goldberg happy Christmas movie of 2005. (11/21/05)
50 Cent tells his side of the story

And the controversy over the glorification of violence continues (11/14/05)
Preview review: 'In the Mix,' 'Underworld: Evolution' and 'Big Momma's House 2'
R&B singer Usher is a superstar DJ recruited to protect a mob princess. Somewhere Justin Timberlake is developing a script about a, uh, handsome karaoke MC recruited to protect a, uh ... mob princess. Yeah, that's the ticket. (11/14/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Clive Owen broods his way through "Derailed," a nasty thriller that is about much less than it initially appears to be. (11/14/05)
DVDs now out
I don't know about "Stealth" star Jessica Biel being named Esquire magazine's Sexiest Woman of the Year. I know going from good-girl show "7th Heaven" to taking sexy roles in movies such as "Stealth" makes her hot, but the title implies that 2005 has been the year of Biel. (11/14/05)
'Jarhead' not just another war flick

Unusual war movie takes us through an unusual war (11/07/05)
Preview review: 'Last Holliday' and 'The Break-Up'
Queen Latifah finds out she only has three weeks to live, so she takes out a loan and goes out like a, uh, queen. This was believable until they got to the part about a bank giving a loan to a dying woman. (11/07/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Let's view "Good Night, and Good Luck" as a summary of what's good and bad about George Clooney. (11/07/05)
DVDs now out
While many were skeptical about Tim Burton remaking this cult classic, he made it his own without making Roald Dahl turn over in his grave. (11/07/05)
Movies playing in the Upstate
The glum "The Weather Man" can't quite support the weight of another strong Nicholas Cage performance. (10/31/05)
Preview review: 'The Family Stone,' 'Aeon Flux' and 'Casanova'
Unfortunately Sly is nowhere to be found. Just Sarah Jessica Parker meeting boyfriend Dermot Mulroney's weird family at Christmas. I sure hope Samantha shows up, because this looks boring. (10/31/05)
'Zorro' pretty, but predictable

Action, characters unsurprising in this 'swashbuckling' sequel (10/31/05)
DVDs now out
This "Star Wars" was about finally being satisfied with the return of Anakin Skywalker, Obi Wan and Chewie. (10/31/05)
Movies playing in the Upstate
While director Marc Forester has proved he has plot-telling skills ("Monster's Ball" and "Finding Neverland") he gets so caught up in making "Stay" look interesting to keep the story interesting. (10/24/05)
A guide to scary movies
(10/24/05)
Preview review: 'Rumor Has It' and 'Syriana'
George Clooney and Matt Damon bring the social criticism with a thriller about oil, politics and corruption. Finally: A controversial political movie that wasn't made by the "South Park" guys. (10/24/05)
Women win, sexists lose

Movie based on historic sexual harassment case triumphs on screen (10/24/05)
'Elizabethtown' worth a visit

Crowe's latest has charm despite poorly defined themes (10/17/05)
Preview review: 'Family Stone,' 'Aeon Flux,' 'Casanova' and 'Last Holiday'
Charlize Theron fights a totalitarian future government. Who's this Emperor Jeb they keep talking about? (10/17/05)
DVDs now out
And indeed Batman does begin with this prequel to the Batman trilogy. (10/17/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Domino" is a movie so concerned with its own energy that character, plot and even coherence are left by the side of the road. (10/17/05)
Royal flush down the toilet

Big stars can't save this movie from busting (10/11/05)
Preview review: 'Get Rich or Die Tryin' and 'Syriana'
Rapper 50 Cent stars in the story of his own rise from poor drug dealer to bulletproof vest-wearing superstar. I'd like to dis' this as "8 Mile: The East Coast Years," but I know how Fitty's people roll. (10/11/05)
DVDs now out
Orlando Bloom's Bailan in "Kingdom of Heaven" wasn't the caliber of hero we find in Ridley Scott's other movies. (10/11/05)
Movies playing in the Upstate
"In Her Shoes" is a first-rate piece of pure storytelling. Directed by Curtis Hanson, it's big enough to contain a multi-generational family drama and a career-best performance by Cameron Diaz. (10/11/05)
Watch the pretty people swim

'Blue' lacks plot, makes up for it with eye candy (10/03/05)
Preview review: 'The Ringer,' 'Running Scared' and 'Fun with Dick and Jane'
Johnny Knoxville plays a loser who pretends to be "intellectually challenged" so that he can compete in the Special Olympics. Mr. Knoxville, I hope you have a Plan C, because your movie career just pulled a Steve O. (10/03/05)
DVDs now out
This film, about corruption and deception in the U.N., will not give Kidman, Penn or Pollack anything else to put on their trophy shelves. (10/03/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The cool stare of Bill Murray - gently mocking with the hope of hilarity to come - has been put to good use in recent years. (10/03/05)
'Flightplan' a predictable ride

Foster veers off her steady course with plain film (09/26/05)
Preview review: 'Memoirs of a Geisha,' 'Jarhead' and 'Glory Road'
Ziyi Zhang is a young Japanese girl sold to a Geisha house, where she learns the arts of society and seduction in this feature version of Arthur Golden's best-selling novel. Maybe I could explain the trailer better if I had stayed awake during Geisha day in high school. (09/26/05)
DVDs now out
If you ever needed a look into the '70s West Coast culture "Lords of Dogtown" would be a good go-to source. (09/26/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Watching Tim Burton's "Corpse Bride," is a little like opening a gift from a relative you don't see very often: it's pretty to look at, but there's not very much inside. (09/26/05)
'Heaven' is simple, pleasing

Witherspoon drives this charming film (09/19/05)
Preview review: 'North Country' and 'Dreamer'
Aspiring miner Charlize Theron sues her employer when the boys at work refuse to play nice with women who just want to make a fair living. Sounds like a good one. Guess this means she won't be starring in "Catwoman II." (09/19/05)
DVDs now out
Adam Sandler has changed it up lately with movies like "Punch Drunk Love," and "Spanglish," but in "The Longest Yard" he returns to his comedy roots. (09/19/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Junebug," directed by Phil Morrison, is a superbly acted drama that offers an affectionate, full-bodied, characterization of Southern family life miles away from the badly accented stereotyping that often mars mainstream Hollywood films about the region. (09/19/05)
'Emily Rose' judged boring

Exorcism, horror take back seat in courtroom drama (09/12/05)
Preview review: 'Annapolis' and 'The Gospel'
A troubled cadet struggles to make it at the U.S. Naval Academy. Tyrese Gibson is his tough-minded mentor. Louis Gossett Jr. should be flattered. (09/12/05)
Movies playing in the Upstate
Because most movies are shot out of sequence and many takes are required for each scene, my impression that Samuel L. Jackson was getting unhappier as "The Man" went on must have been imagination, right? (09/12/05)
DVDs now out
As a Yankees fan it's hard for me to watch this movie. Painful actually. I shudder just thinking about the part with Johnny Damon, oh, and the part where the BoSox win the World Series isn't easy for me either. (09/12/05)
Preview review: 'Brokeback Mountain,' 'Rent' and 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang'
Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger play young cowboys in love circa 1960s Wyoming. And Mike Piazza thought he had it tough. Based on a story by Annie Proulx. (09/06/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Am I the only person on Earth who didn't see the first "Transporter" film? Probably not; but since there's no one named Anakin, Neo, or Frodo on hand, we're all safe coming in cold to the second installment. (09/06/05)
DVDs now out
It's a slow week in DVD releases but there's one contender that makes the crummy DVD week OK. (09/06/05)
A haunting and honest picture

Difficult at times, 'Gardener' delivers a timely message (09/06/05)
'Brothers Grimm' lacks magic

Far less thrilling than either 'The Brothers Van Halen' or 'The Brothers Canseco.' (08/29/05)
Preview review: 'Wolf Creek,' 'Walk the Line' and 'Underclassman'
The horrifying tale of four teenagers who get lost in the middle of nowhere with a madman and end up in a movie that looks remarkably similar to "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre." (08/29/05)
DVDs now out
'Monster-in-Law' stalls due to a lack of chemistry between Jennifer Lopez and Michael Vartan and some rather ugly gender politics. The creative team behind 'Monster-in-Law' should have trusted their female leads, Lopez and Jane Fonda, and given them better than a cartoon to star in (08/29/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
If you think the average episode of Laguna Beach is too densely plotted and full of thematic complexity, then "Undiscovered" is the movie for you. (08/29/05)
Psycho-thriller is a bumpy ride

Craven's 'Red Eye' is solid, but falls short of expectation (08/22/05)
Preview review: 'Just Like Heaven,' 'History of Violence' and 'Stay'
Over-achieving young doctor Reese Witherspoon dies and returns to haunt her old apartment, now owned by Mark Ruffalo. Jon Heder ("Napoleon Dynamite") and Donal Logue show up. And the whole thing manages to look cleverly sweet. (08/22/05)
DVDs now out
Romantic comedies of late have been lacking. Not that they are expected to be cinematic feats but what the world needs now is a "When Harry Met Sally" or "Sabrina," or dare I say it, "Mannequin." Instead we get "A Lot Like Love" with Ashton Kutcher and Amanda Peet. (08/22/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
In the sweet-natured but unapologetically bawdy "The 40 Year-Old Virgin," Steve Carell plays Andy, an electronics salesman who through a combination of accident and self-consciousness has avoided sexual intercourse. (08/22/05)
'Deuce' targets, and hits vulgar

Sequel misses feel-good quality of version 1.0 (08/15/05)
Preview review: 'Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang,' 'The Fog' and 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'
A thief (Robert Downey Jr.) is accidentally cast in a movie and teamed with a real detective (Val Kilmer) in preparation for the role. This is a promising chance for two faded stars to rise again. (08/15/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
I can't recommend the underwritten and actually not-scary-enough "The Skeleton Key," a film filled with Hollywood ideas of Southern mannerisms and behavior. (08/15/05)
DVDs now out
Our lead movie critic, Daniel Goldberg, doesn't often give out fives. Fives on our six-point rating scale is pretty good. He gave a five to "Sin City." (08/15/05)
'Hazzards' should have stayed off

'Dukes' too shallow and lowbrow to ride again (08/09/05)
List of bands playing at Fire Lake Festival
(08/08/05)
'Stealth' takes a nose dive

Movie bombs, ends up being 'Top Gun' meets 'Short Circuit' (08/01/05)
Preview review: 'Four Brothers,' 'Doom' and 'A Sound of Thunder'
John Singleton directs this tale of four outcasts (including Mark Wahlberg and Andre "3000" Benjamin) who vow to avenge the murder of the woman who raised them. I pity the fool who mistakes this for the kids' movie about two tiger cubs. (08/01/05)
DVDs now out
Colin Farell has two sleazy DVDs coming out, a homemade sex tape with a Playboy playmate and "Alexander." Poor Farell, he claims he's furious over the release of the sex tape, I think he confused it with the release of "Alexander." (08/01/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Somewhere beneath the awful writing and nonexistent chemistry between Diane Lane and her male co-stars there is a message in "Must Love Dogs." (08/01/05)
Linklater boots 'Bears' remake

Today's PC culture doesn't jibe with the original's charm (07/26/05)
Preview review: 'Yours, Mine and Ours,' 'Roll Bounce' and 'Barnyard'
This remake of the Lucille Ball-Henry Fonda movie from 1968 looks like a cross between "The Brady Bunch" and "Cheaper By the Dozen." Dennis Quaid and Rene Russo join the ranks of actors who have no pride. (07/26/05)
DVDs now out
I used to listen to N.W.A. and not understand the gangsta rap group's anger. I mean I didn't grow up in Compton and police hadn't abused me. I was only eight, so I just didn't get it. After watching Ice Cube as xXx in "xXx: State of the Union" I finally figured it out. (07/25/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Allow me to introduce you to Terrence Howard, who plays the small-time Memphis pimp and drug dealer DJay in the surprising and affecting "Hustle & Flow." (07/25/05)
Preview review: 'Legend of Zorro' and 'Ice Age 2'
Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones cavort and swashbuckle. Meanwhile, all I could think of was Chris Kattan's hilarious mockery on the "How you say? Oh yes ... Show." Too sexy, too sexy! (07/18/05)
The candyman can do remakes

Tim Burton masters retelling of this children's classic (07/18/05)
DVDs now out
According to "Constantine" a world of demons and angels exists beneath Los Angeles. I believe it. After all, Paris Hilton lives there, but so do some very angelic people like my friend Nikki, who is very nice. (07/18/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
There's so little plot to the much-hyped new comedy "Wedding Crashers" that discussing it feels like betraying the last line of the new Harry Potter book. (07/18/05)
It's just a fantastic bore

Shallow acting, weak script and aimless directing fail comic book movie (07/11/05)
Preview review: 'Dukes of Hazzard' and 'Transporter 2'
Wasn't there something in the "Dukes" theme song about "never meanin' no harm?" Any movie that features Jessica Simpson and Sean William Scott on one screen isn't doing anyone any good. (07/11/05)
DVDs now out
Hillary Swank won an Oscar. Clint Eastwood won an Oscar. Morgan Freeman won an Oscar. "Million Dollar Baby" won an Oscar. This movie according to the Oscar people is good. (07/11/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
No one in American movies is sadder than Jennifer Connelly. Connelly doesn't just experience sadness in films such as "A Beautiful Mind," "Requiem for a Dream," and the new "Dark Water"; her characters try on melancholy like a familiar old sweater on an autumn day - she luxuriates in sadness. (07/11/05)
Dance, dance revolution
DVDs bring it, serve it and leave us popping and locking (07/11/05)
Run puny humans, run

Remake is OK, but does little justice to Wells' original version (07/05/05)
Preview review: 'King Kong' and 'Elizabethtown'
Even Orlando Bloom can't sink a Cameron Crowe movie. My favorite director returns with a boy-meets-girl- on-the-way-to-a-funeral story that touches on the differences between families and geographic regions. As always, expect a great soundtrack. (07/05/05)
DVDs now out
Poor Dakota Fanning. She keeps playing distraught little girls. (07/05/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Bad Boys 3 anyone? Martin Lawrence plays the endorsement-happy Coach Roy in the limp comedy "Rebound." (07/05/05)
'Herbie' loaded with charm

Classic vehicle gets modern tune-up (06/27/05)
DVDs now out
Writing a phrase like 'family fun' is not easy for any writer, but 'The Pacifier' is not an easy film to describe. (06/27/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
If 'Bewitched' gets by it's due to the energy of its cast. Kidman is adorable and Ferrell very funny without going over the top. (06/27/05)
Preview review: 'Greatest Game,' 'Valiant' and 'Sky High'
Bill Paxton directs the true story of working-class caddie Francis Ouimet, who defied the snobbish pro golf tour and earned a spot in the 1913 U.S. Open. (06/27/05)
DVDs now out
Edward James Olmos did it. Morgan Freeman did it. Samuel L. Jackson figured why not. Why not play a hard-ass coach/teacher who runs a tight ship and doesn't accept anything but the best from his athletes. (06/20/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'The Perfect Man' is the second Hilary Duff film I've viewed for Link, which in newspaper lingo means I'm covering the Hilary Duff beat. (06/20/05)
Batman gets re-energized

Darker, subtle approach drives latest in the series (06/20/05)
Preview review: 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,' 'Dukes of Hazzard' and 'Four Brothers'
Wasn't there something in the "Dukes" theme song about "never meanin' no harm?" Any movie that features Jessica Simpson and Sean William Scott on one screen isn't doing anyone any good. (06/20/05)
USC-Upstate alum finds a good role
Michael-John Wolfe, 33, is a former Greenville resident and USC-Upstate student. He’s currently in Hollywood pursuing an acting career. You can see him as "Bartender" in "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," where he shares a scene with Brad Pitt. (06/13/05)
'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' gets lost in all the violence

Pitt and Jolie keep with the razor-sharp quips and puffy-lipped Banderas-ness, but their basic appeal gets drowned out by exploding buildings, highway bullet exchanges and shameless video game-style war imagery. (06/13/05)
DVDs now out
Will Smith won us over with his comic antics in "The Fresh Prince of Bel- Air," but when he started making movies he was all about mixing comedy with ass kicking. (06/13/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Do you remember the episode of "Family Ties" where Justine Bateman joined the Peace Corps? Or the very special Dukes of Hazzard where Daisy got her master's degree? Of course not, because these episodes don't exist. Those plots have about as much to do with those well-loved shows as the big- screen "The Honeymooners" does with its source material. (06/13/05)
'Cinderella' clobbers summer fare
Fans of the sweet science lay down your gloves. (06/07/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Monster-in-Law" stalls due to a lack of chemistry between Lopez and Vartan (Kevin is much too good to be true) and some rather ugly gender politics. (05/23/05)
DVDs now out
Martin Scorsese didn't win an Oscar for this movie and neither did Leonardo Dicaprio but maybe the DVD sales will make up for the sting of being a loser. (05/23/05)
'Sith' is a climactic force
Lucas delivers; final epic wows fans, critics (05/23/05)
DVDs now out
Can the creators of "South Park," Trey Parker and Matthew Stone, push the envelope further? (05/16/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The bulk of 'Monster-in Law' consists of the main characters playing a series of increasingly elaborate pranks on each other. (05/16/05)
Attack of the clones
Every movie that follows between now and Labor Day is threatened by 'Episode III's' considerable shadow. (05/16/05)
Moments in annoying Star Wars history
There are several hate Web sites dedicated to the character on the Internet including one where people are asked to come up with different ways to kill Jar Jar. (05/16/05)
The end of an empire
A generation of fans prepares for the final Star Wars (05/16/05)
Preview review: 'Rize,' 'Akeelah,' 'Summer of Love' and 'Must Love Dogs'
It's hard to tell what to make of director/photographer David LaChapelle's documentary about the krump-dancing phenomenon of South Central Los Angeles. It's not "Breakin'." It's not "You Got Served." It's definitely not "Fame." Hmmm ... might be good. (05/09/05)
'Crash' explores race honestly

Thoughtful script and strong cast enhance film's familiar structure (05/09/05)
DVDs now out
When exec Dan Foreman (Dennis Quaid) gets demoted, finds out he's about to become a father and his daughter moves out, it's easy to think he'll take the title of most flummoxed person onscreen. (05/09/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
If the serious tone of Ridley Scott's Crusade drama "Kingdom of Heaven" is a sign of things to come this summer at the movies, then the new Batman film will no doubt include lectures on the importance of safe driving and the dangers of caves. (05/09/05)
DVDs now out
'National Treasure' tones down the swaggering machismo in favor of underdog geekiness and a subtext that celebrates freedom as the real American treasure. (05/02/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"House of D", written and directed by David Duchovny, is an affectionately- made film about a man coming to terms with his past to ensure his future (05/02/05)
Preview review: 'Serenity,' 'Herbie' and 'Bewitched'
This update of "Herbie the Love Bug" features Lindsay Lohan as the lucky owner of an adventurous VW Beetle with a mind of its own. Fun for the whole family. (05/02/05)
Cult novel fails to translate

Big screen brings the imaginative 'Hitchhiker's Guide; back to Earth (05/02/05)
Action kicks, story lacks punch

This movie is a sweet-kicking work of artistic originality that swings with optimism for the future of humanity and film (04/24/05)
Preview review: 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,' 'Skeleton Key' and 'Night Watch'
A group of young women stay connected by sharing a pair of jeans. I have to admit, this looks like a dependable tear-jerker despite one obvious lapse in believability (04/24/05)
Preview review: 'Into the Blue,' 'Mindhunters' and 'Bewitched'
Jessica Alba, her bikini and some surfer guys find a buried treasure, tangle with some bad guys, shoot guns at each other and try not to get eaten by sharks. I can find at least four words in that last sentence that make this worth seeing (04/18/05)
Remake OK, but lacks real terror

Purists may be turned off by the change in emphasis, but movie fans just looking for a good scare should check out this horror fixer-upper (04/18/05)
DVDs now out
The same misfortune that fell upon Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) in 'Meet the Parents' follows him in 'Meet the Fockers.' (04/18/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Jimmy Fallon isn't a good actor in 'Fever Pitch,' but that works to his advantage in the film (04/18/05)
Preview review: 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants,' 'Star Wars' and 'A Lot Like Love'
A group of young women stay connected by sharing a pair of jeans. I have to admit, this looks like a dependable tear-jerker despite one obvious lapse in believability (04/11/05)
'Fever' not a home run, but a clean hit

For fans of the BoSox, baseball or just a good old-fashioned game of kissy face, the inevitable cuteness of Fallon and Barrymore's ode to passion and ballpark franks is a natural transition from the Johnny Damon Winter of Love (04/11/05)
DVDs now out
Watching "Hotel Rwanda" it's hard to digest the fact that the events depicted by this true-story happened only ten years ago (04/11/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Sahara" will do nothing for Mali's tourism industry (04/11/05)
Preview review: 'Mindhunters,' 'Skeleton' and 'Domino'
Christian Slater, Val Kilmer and LL Cool J star in this flick about an elite anti-serial killer crime unit that is targeted by one of their marks. True to its title, it might take me a week to find my brain again if I have to sit through this by-the-numbers thriller (04/04/05)
Trip to 'Sin City' well worth it

Characters, story, innovation vivid in comic book film noir (04/04/05)
DVDs now out
The little movie that could finally comes to DVD. After all the hype there are still some of us who haven't seen "Sideways" but we get our chance with a DVD that might just make the producers of this sleeper even more money (04/04/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The greatest strength in "Beauty Shop" is the outsized personality of its star, Queen Latifah, playing a character who is stronger, smarter and wiser than anybody else on screen (04/04/05)
Humor, social commentary fall flat

Everything is built around the joke that Simon is really white, Percy is really black, and he doesn't want those hands anywhere near his daughter. (03/28/05)
Preview review: 'Bewitched' and 'The Honeymooners'
A self-absorbed actor (Will Ferrell) unknowingly casts a real witch (Nicole Kidman) to play the star of the classic TV show "Bewitched" in his big screen update. It's self-reflexive and kooky, and I hope Ferrell isn't jumping the shark on his string of hits (03/28/05)
DVDs now out
The time period that "Apollo 13" is set is not unlike the America today: A country that sees space flight as a boring, been-there-done-that enterprise - until something goes wrong (03/28/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
It is easy and trite to complain about movie sequels; can we all agree most sequels are cynical attempts to wring more profit out of a hit? Still, there really should be some kind of alarm to warn audiences away from nonsense like "Miss Congeniality 2" (03/28/05)
Preview review: 'Corpse Bride,' 'Island,' 'War of the Worlds' and 'Red Eye'
Before animated features became the trucker hat of movie technology, Tim Burton wore "The Nightmare Before Christmas" like the coolest freak at the community trick-or-treat event. (03/21/05)
Horror films, not fans, losing a grip

Thrills are limited to the now familiar look of deathly shock imprinted on Samara's victims and the perverse joy of recognizing which flimsy new characters won't make it to the credits. (03/21/05)
DVDs now out
This Academy Award nominee for best picture is a simple and subtle film about a flamboyant and fantastical character. (03/21/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
As the predictable getting-ready-for-the-big-game plot moves along, "Ice Princess" detours into discussions of the economics of skating, female body image, and the fact that for every Michelle Kwan there are hundreds who choose teenage life over the monasticism required to reach the Olympics. (03/21/05)
'Robots' falls short of 'Incredible'

'Robots' and its naive morality are exceedingly bland for a movie that depicts disillusioned castaways rising up against the corrupt powers plotting robotocide. (03/14/05)
Preview review: 'Fever Pitch,' 'Kicking and Screaming' and 'Star Wars'
Drew Barrymore plays Drew Barrymore as a woman who falls for obsessed Boston Red Sox fan Jimmy Fallon. The genius of Drew is that she only stars in movies in which no one else can act either. (03/14/05)
DVDs now out
'The Incredibles' is nearly perfect send-up of the cartoon superhero shows and real-life action flicks of our youth. (03/14/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The promising setup for "Hostage" - conflicted cop, clueless criminals, and a scarily omniscient force calling the shots - is undercut by the taking of every opportunity for violence, explosions, and a pounding music score which warns the audience of trouble comin' round the bend. (03/14/05)
Art films to see
The Upstate Film Society kicks off its Indie Film Fest with a screening of "The Woodsman" March 8. (03/07/05)
Preview review: 'Amityville Horror', 'Lords of Dogtown' and 'Lot Like Love'
A technologically updated remake of the "based on a true story" classic about a family that moves into a haunted house. Do the original ghosts get residuals on this? (03/07/05)
Sequel draws on original strengths

Shallow, sure, but quirks from '1' help drive '2' (03/07/05)
DVDs now out
Junior Mint-melting pyrotechnics might be enough for some moviegoers, but those hoping for a story that goes deeper than a typical episode of "Third Watch" might be disappointed. (03/07/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
With an unpretentious, entertaining plot, 'The Jacket' wouldn't be out of place on a "Twilight Zone" episode. (03/07/05)
Writers: Don't mess with literacy

'Man of the House' crumbles around script (02/28/05)
Preview review: 'Deuce Bigelow: European Gigolo
Deuce (Rob Schneider) and his He-Madam T.J. (Eddie Griffin) move their operation to the famous red light districts of Europe. At last, my life has purpose again. (02/28/05)
DVDs now out
If you are like me (I admit, I am a closet Spongebob fan) and really sort of wanted to see this in the theatre but were not willing to be subjected to a theater full of screaming kids, here is your chance to see Bikini Bottom's favorite son in your own home. (02/28/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'Diary of a Mad Black Woman' is outlined for the viewer to read straight from the diary of Helen - a woman broken down emotionally, physically and psychologically by her husband of 18 years. (02/28/05)
The best in show
We asked our three regular movie contributors and one regular music contributor to give us a head's up on what to look for this weekend at the Academy Awards. Here are their picks. (02/22/05)
DVDs now out
ar too much of Huckabees is heavy going; an ensemble comedy where debates over the meaning of life take the place of plot and character. (02/22/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'Because of Winn-Dixie' is not an Old Yeller situation we have here, know what I mean? (02/22/05)
Preview review: 'House of Wax' and 'Stealth'
Paris Hilton co-stars in a "Texas Chainsaw Massacre"- esque slasher flick about a creep who imprisons folks in their own wax statues. Paris as a wax statue - a remarkable dramatic stretch. (02/22/05)
Keanu's solid in confusing 'Constantine'

On the bright side, if you can find a bright side in a film that features some of the most graphic and extended scenes of Hell in memory, "Constantine" is satisfying as a fiery black spectacle. (02/22/05)
Charismatic duo drive 'Hitch'

Smith, James team for a consistently funny 2 hours (02/14/05)
Preview review: 'Man of the House' and 'Beauty Shop'
Queen Latifah is a stylist who opens her own beauty shop, a neighborhood haven for wise-cracking camaraderie. What? This is from the makers of "Barber Shop"? No way! Lazy, lazy, lazy. (02/14/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Cute, cuddly, wholesome and well-intentioned - all this you'd expect from a movie starring Winnie the Pooh and Co. (02/14/05)
DVDs now out
It is all the more unfortunate that the filmmakers choose to show us Jigsaw at his least impressive - our protagonists seem to be victims of the only game with severe logical failings, and these flaws will leave viewers frustrated and unsatisfied. (02/14/05)
Date movie? Or dated? You decide

Instead of slipping into her familiar sitcom character, Messing replaces the quirky neuroses of Grace with the convincing desperation and hurt of someone forced to face her heartbreak in a smothering public setting. (02/07/05)
Preview review: 'The Jacket' and 'The Interpreter'
Adrien Brody is an innocent man locked - and subsequently lost - in a mental hospital. Brody always just looks cool, and this thriller hints at "Memento"-esque mystery and plot twists. (02/07/05)
DVDs now out
Several Upstate swing dancers and instructors will be buying this one; the local extras went to Charleston to help with filming. (02/07/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Oscar nominee Don Cheadle gives a career-redefining performance in this movie of great historical importance and almost unbearable sadness. (02/07/05)
'Hide and Seek' above par

Compared to other horror dreck of the past couple years, this marginal, inoffensive movie is acceptable. (01/31/05)
Preview review: 'Ring Two,' 'Fantastic Four' and 'Kingdom of Heaven'
Samara returns to a VHS near you, and this time she wants to be a real live boy just like Rachel's son. Actually, she wants to take his place. Dude, hasn't anyone told her that videotape is, like, so 1991? (01/31/05)
DVDs now out
When Foxx steps behind that piano and starts talkin' bout hard times, "Ray" is a film of uncommonly clear vision. (01/31/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Howard Hughes must have been an irresistible subject for director Martin Scorsese, who has put Leonardo DiCaprio's impressive portrayal of the troubled eccentric at the center of 'The Aviator.' (01/31/05)
'Assault' an attack of boredom
(0 stars)
A lethargic lump of ill-conceived script: there is no build-up of tension, and because there is no tension there is no climax, and because there is no climax there is no resolution worthy of attention. (01/24/05)
Preview review: 'The Cave' and 'The Jacket'
Seven men disappear into an underground void and their rescuers have a gnawing suspicion that something ate them. (01/24/05)
DVDs now out
How do you create an entire feature around the premise of two completely unrelated alien movie legends meeting in battle on Earth? Simple: remove plot, human stars, character development, daylight, linear movement and coherence and throw in several barrels of Alien snot and fluorescent Predator blood, oodles of sharp objects and an all-purpose kickass babe. (01/24/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The sound I'll remember most from "Are We There Yet?" is the giggling of small children on all sides of me in the theater. (01/24/05)
Typical 'Carter' finds its zone

Pay your money for "Coach Carter" and what you see is what you get: "Lean On Me" with a free throw line. (01/17/05)
DVDs now out
Director Peter Berg must have watched the game tapes before he decided to make 'Friday Night Lights,' the rare football movie that adds relevant social commentary to the Slant Rights and Blue 42s of the play book. (01/17/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Blissfully Ben Affleck-free, this "Daredevil" spin-off benefits greatly from the presence of Jennifer Garner, who steps from the shadows of Hell's Kitchen rooftops into the spotlight of her own butt-kicking chick flick. (01/17/05)
Preview review: 'Rebound,' 'XXX2,' 'Longest Yard' and 'Sahara'
Martin Lawrence is an arrogant college basketball coach who loses his job and ends up leading a pitiful middle school team. First Ice Cube does a family movie, now this. Apparently going soft is the new selling-out. (01/17/05)
'White Noise' as good as watching static

Now I know that if I spent days and weeks on end staring at television static, I would see faces and hear voices, too. (01/10/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Adapted from Patrick Marber's play of the same name, "Closer" is a methodical ensemble piece that follows the intersection and deconstruction of two couples. (01/10/05)
DVDs now out
To make a bad story short, something awful happens to the victim's family and then something awful happens to the paparazzi family. (01/10/05)
DVDs now out
The Sci-fi premise centers on a man (Jim Carrey) who decides to erase memories of girlfriend (Kate Winslett) after she has her memories of him erased. (01/03/05)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Martin Scorsese's latest extravaganza is visually astounding, constantly dazzling and frequently thrilling. (01/03/05)
New 'rents save sluggish sequel

There is little joy in watching so much bad fortune befall Greg. You either feel sorry for him or driven to curse his passivity in tolerating Jack, who, as played by late-model De Niro as a composite of the many nut job characters of the past, goes beyond unbearable in "Fockers." (12/27/04)
DVDs now out
Zach Braff ("Scrubs") stars in this movie he wrote and directed. Usually a dooming move but Braff pulls it off with ease and charm. (12/27/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
A couple walked out less than halfway through "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," and it was hard to blame them. (12/27/04)
Preview review: 'Star Wars: Episode III' and 'Cinderella Man'
Can the final installment redeem this disappointing prequel trilogy? The trailer gives fans the long-awaited rise of Darth Vader, and finally "Star Wars" looks interesting again. Gentlemen, you may begin waiting in line. (12/27/04)
'Spanglish' not a normal Sandler flick

'Spanglish' is many things: a meditation on the uncertainties of parenthood; a light dip in the experiences of immigrants and single mothers; and above all else, an ode to the confounding demands of compromise. (12/20/04)
DVDs now out
By season five, The Simpsons were in full stride as an unstoppable force of animated comedy genius. (12/20/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Jim Carrey is the name above "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events," but this refreshingly old-fashioned family film belongs to its younger stars. (12/20/04)
Preview review: 'Monster-n-Law,' 'The Weather Man' and 'Bewitched'
Jennifer Lopez meets her fiancé's mom, played by Jane Fonda, who for reasons we can only guess is mortified by her future daughter-in-law. I'm not going to do it. Too easy. (12/20/04)
'12' brings cool, drops ball

The obvious hook of "Ocean's Twelve" is a room-full of marquee stars, but the film has its best moments when director Steven Soderbergh and writer George Nolfi allow the actors to pair off and smear the charm like nutella. (12/13/04)
DVDs now out
A loose adaptation of Isaac Asimov's science fiction book about artificial intelligence run amok. Another sci-fi Hollywood blockbuster style film starring the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. (12/13/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
To steal a line from Jamie Foxx, Blade isn't a vampire but is vampirish; he huffs serum like an asthmatic to keep from turning bloodthirsty. (12/13/04)
Preview review: 'The Wedding Crashers' and 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith'
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn hop from wedding to wedding, pillaging women and alcohol. These guys are really challenging themselves now. (12/13/04)
DVDs now out
Is there an unnerving trend starting here? Is there going to be a "Bourne Conspiracy" or a "Bourne Mediocrity?" Look for the "Bourne" franchise to become a lame TV series soon, perhaps with Tom Welling (Smallville) as Bourne. (12/06/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
You will feel giddy within minutes of watching best friends and polar opposites Miles and Jack set out on the weeklong northern California wine tour that will serve as Jack's sendoff into married life in 'Sideways.' (12/06/04)
A study in love, sex and tension

'Closer' explores relationships; yet it's not exactly a date movie (12/06/04)
Like a three-hour film strip

Over three hours of political conquests, pseudo-Oedipal drama, epic battles and homoerotic exchanges between Alexander and Hephaistion (Jared Leto), this is an awful lot of history to digest without a textbook. (11/29/04)
DVDs now out
... here comes the Spiderman, again. This time Spidey is just as cool as last time and he gets to take on another famous enemy, Doctor Octopus. (11/29/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Having seen the thoroughly unsurprising "Christmas with the Kranks" (based on John Grisham's novel "Skipping Christmas"), I should warn you that trying to keep even the smallest bit of privacy during the holidays will visit a reign of terror upon your house that makes the Salem witch trials look mellow. (11/29/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Absorbent and yellow and porous is he, but SpongeBob SquarePants proves there's a limit even to what he can achieve. (11/23/04)
Preview review: 'The Pacifier,' 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' and 'Chicken Little'
Vin Diesel is an undercover Navy seal protecting a mom and her kids. Long- time critics of Pauly Shore's classic fish-out-of-water tale "Son In-Law" can send your letters of apology in care of this column. (11/23/04)
Geeky hero saves day and movie

It's "The Goonies" as written by Lee Greenwood and Ross Geller. (11/23/04)
'Express' derails as enjoyable movie

For too much of the movie, "The Polar Express" is just a bunch of kids on a train. (11/16/04)
Preview review: 'Son of the Mask,' 'Fat Albert,' 'Madagascar' and 'Racing Stripes'
The original featured Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz. This rehash boasts Jamie Kennedy, fresh off "Malibu's Most Wanted," and Otis the Dog. Next up: Skeet Ulrich as "Deuce Ventura, Veterinary Hospital Cage Cleaner." (11/16/04)
DVDs now out
Elf has been described as a surprisingly good movie and an instant holiday classic - even if you're not a Will Farrell fan. (11/16/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Renee Zellweger puts on the British accent again and continues to stumble towards love. (11/16/04)
DVDs now out
Anyone clamoring to see this update on the 1975 original has probably never actually seen the 1975 original, or they would realize that "Stepford," like most films, weren't ready for a remake. (11/08/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'The Incredibles' is another winner from Pixar – adults may like this one better than kids. (11/08/04)
Preview review: 'In Good Company'
Topher Grace makes a play for cinematic maturity as a mid-twenties corporate prodigy who takes Dennis Quaid's management job and falls for his daughter, played by Scarlett Johansson. Now that's what I call a competitive compensation package. (11/08/04)
Like Alfie, film is pretty shallow

Instead of real introspection, director Charles Shyer gives us artificially thoughtful close-ups, panoramic shots of Manhattan at night and a series of faux-artistic catch words - "desire," "wish" - placed in convenient spots around the city. (11/08/04)
'Ray' plays with uncommon clarity

"Ray" is packed with such glimpses of the man behind the music, ultimately succeeding because it avoids the trap of fawning hero worship that has befallen lesser biographies. (11/01/04)
Preview review: 'Diary of a Mad Black Woman' and 'Hitch'
Will Smith is a doctor who teaches losers how to impress women. Eva Mendes is supernaturally hot. See, something for everyone. (11/01/04)
DVDs now out
Colin Farrell in a sweet, introspective film about familial relationships and man on man love? (11/01/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Directed by Jonathan Glazer, 'Birth' puts a high gloss on the second-chance-with-dead-lover film. (11/01/04)
DVDs now out
Mistakenly dubbed a comedy, "White Chicks" speaks volumes for where the lines should be drawn for creative costumery. (10/26/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'I Heart Huckabees' takes two hours to say what a soft-drink ad I heard coming out of the theatre says in four words: "I want to be free." (10/26/04)
Preview review: 'Hide and Seek,' 'Guess Who' and 'Boogeyman'
Dakota Fanning is a disturbed young girl with an evil imaginary friend. Robert DeNiro is her concerned father. Looks scary, but then again I had just seen the trailer for "White Noise" and I was feeling a little jittery. (10/25/04)
'Grudge' another in new horror

Give us screams, give us laughs, give us style. and if you can bother to come up with a coherent plot along the way, dude, bonus. (10/25/04)
DVDs now out
At some point in the future there might be an SAT analogy question that looks something like this - Helena Bonham Carter:Renaissance Fair :: Kate Beckinsale:Hot Topic. (10/18/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The winning and heartfelt 'Shall We Dance?' begins with one of the gentler midlife crises in movie history. (10/18/04)
Preview review: 'The Grudge' and 'The Ring Two'
Sarah Michelle Gellar spars with the ghosts that cling to her new house, including one that seems to like following her into the shower. What's creepy about that? (10/18/04)
Focus strays in puppet parody

Parker and Stone aim for the heart with "Team America." Whose heart is not quite clear, because their usually sharp aim seems a little unfocused. (10/18/04)
'Lights' converts after false start

"Friday Night Lights" is not a great movie in the vein of "Hoosiers," but it is a good sports movie. Sometimes "good" is enough for the win - get on the bus and look forward to next week. (10/11/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Raise Your Voice" has both feet firmly planted in cliché; all problems are solved with hugs and quiet talks. (10/11/04)
Preview review: 'Flight of the Phoenix' and 'Coach Carter'
Dennis Quaid crashes a small passenger plane in the desert. They try to save themselves by rebuilding the plane. Word is that Wilson from "Cast Away" thought this would be bad for his comeback. (10/11/04)
DVDs now out
If the recent activity of Mount St. Helens has got you all in a stir, then you might enjoy the disaster epic 'The Day After Tomorrow.' (10/11/04)
DVDs now out
Love it or hate it, 9/11 is absolutely the most talked about movie of the year. (10/04/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"Little fish in big sea," isn't exactly a new storyline, but Shark Tale still delivers a number of well-timed one-liners. (10/04/04)
Preview review: 'Spanglish' and 'National Treasure'
Adam Sandler continues his quest for cinematic credibility as a father struggling to raise his kids amidst the neurosis of wife Tea Leoni. Oh, and he has the help of a hot Mexican housekeeper. What was the problem again? (10/04/04)
Storyline gets drenched in cliché

Junior Mint-melting pyrotechnics might be enough for some moviegoers, but those hoping for a story that goes deeper than a typical episode of "Third Watch" might be disappointed. (10/04/04)
Cinema revival; 'Shaun' has a pulse

Supernatural forces and zombie hysteria are the brain food of the zombie genre, but the axe-sharp wit of "Shaun of the Dead" gushes from the idea that there's really little difference between the modern working stiff and the human-flesh-craving living dead. (09/27/04)
Preview review: 'Final Cut,' 'Seed of Chucky,' 'Unleashed,' 'Surviving Christmas' and 'Life Aquatic'
The killer doll is back and he's feeling kinda paternal. Lock up your daughters and Cabbage Patch Kids: if Chucky is anything, he's persistent. (09/27/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Julianne Moore stars in abduction thriller that's much less than it appears. (09/27/04)
DVDs now out
I never thought I would say this but this Jim Carrey vehicle is hands down the best film of 2004, at least so far. (09/27/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
When a pair of numbskulls agree to marry spinster sisters three times their age, they figure it's a matter of time before their plan pays off. (09/20/04)
Imaginative 'Sky Captain' a strong effort
Regardless of this favoring of style over substance, it would be hypocritical not to appreciate a movie that attempts to counter the lack of vision that pervades theaters. (09/20/04)
Preview review: 'The Incredibles' and 'Are We There Yet?'
Pixar's latest is a team of goofy superheroes who balance their crime- fighting duties with everyday problems, like losing a costume in the wash. (09/20/04)
Anderson theater travels back in time
This fall you can revisit some of the favorites of the generation that was coming of age in the 1980s. (09/20/04)
Tennis-themed romantic comedy holds serve despite unforced errors
As I watched I couldn't help wondering if the club's cooperation was contingent upon the filmmakers taking as bland and inoffensive a view of the tournament and indeed of professional tennis life as possible. (09/20/04)
DVDs now out
What can you say about "Star Wars" that hasn't already been said? The much loved trilogy finally sees the light of day on DVD, although purists might groan to learn that these are the "Special Edition" versions that were re- released in theaters featuring updated special effects and slight story changes. (09/20/04)
B-status phone thriller is not all that
If Kim Basinger isn't nominated for Worst Actress at this year's Razzie Awards - the annual "celebration" of the year's worst in film - I'll pay her cell phone bill for a year. (09/13/04)
Preview review: 'Bridget Jones', 'I Heart Huckabees', 'Birth' and 'After the Sunset'
Bridget (Renee Zellweger) is back, and in love. Here's the twist: her English boyfriend is not played by Hugh Grant OR Jude Law. There are other English leading men? My mind is blown. (09/13/04)
DVDs now out
In their second pairing Denzel Washington and director Tony Scott once again aim for a high-level suspense thriller. (09/13/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
I have a friend who likes to joke that most bad movies would be improved by the addition of zombies. This idea sort of makes sense. (09/13/04)
DVDs now out
Yet another film adaptation from the Marvel Comics family. Most accounts have the live-action "Punisher" falling closer to less successful projects like "Daredevil" than the mega-blockbuster "Spider-man." (09/07/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Josh Hartnett was better when he was cast as a soldier at war in 'Black Hawk Down'. (09/07/04)
Preview review: 'Vera Drake,' 'Closer' and 'Phantom of the Opera'
A British flick about an elderly woman who is arrested for performing abortions on women in the 1950s. A "hot-button" movie if there ever was one. Ladies and gentlemen, prepare your riot gear. (09/07/04)
Cool costumes can't save dull tale
"Vanity Fair" will probably not cause a run on Thackeray at the book store, but it nonetheless presents a respectable extra credit opportunity for you English teachers out there. (09/07/04)
Setting subtle scenes
Q+A with a local filmmaker (09/07/04)
Preview review: 'Sideways' and 'Alfie'
Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church are a couple of middle-aged odd balls cutting loose before one of them gets married. (08/30/04)
Zero plot, zero point, zero fun, etc.
Writer Zak Penn gives us a story duct-taped together by so many convoluted twists and nobody characters that "Suspect Zero" should come with a tablet of Dramamine and a scorecard. (08/30/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The numerous sword fights in "Hero" are filmed in the air-ballet style that will be familiar to those whose only exposure to martial arts films was "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." (08/30/04)
DVDs now out
Although this movie is pretty much the same film as "Braveheart" and "The Patriot" with more blood, it definitely struck a chord with the world's film going masses. (08/30/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Even the fuzzy celebrities can't fully save 'Benji' with its inadequate plot and sometimes predictable laughs. (08/23/04)
Preview review: 'The Motorcycle Diaries,' 'The Last Shot' and 'Shaun of the Dead'
Gael Garcia Bernal plays revolutionary hero Che Guevara. Finally, 100,000 college freshmen across America will learn who that groovy dude on their favorite T-shirt is. (08/23/04)
'Open Water' coasts in mediocrity
"Open Water" feels like the nightmare reel of a home movie, both its strength and its weakness. (08/23/04)
DVDs now out
In the title track from the soundtrack, Prince lies that he "never meant to cause you any sorrow, never meant to cause you any pain," yet he went on to follow "Purple Rain" with the cinematic migraine of "Under The Cherry Moon." (08/23/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"The Village" wanders so deep into a thicket of metaphors and ideas that "Those We Do Not Speak Of" - the film's horror catalyst - at times become the giant pink elephant in the room. (08/16/04)
Preview review: 'Paparazzi,' 'Friday Night Lights,' 'Blade' and 'Resident Evil'
A movie star arouses the violent, vengeful nature of celebrity photographers, who terrorize his family. Mel Gibson has made another historically accurate film that will touch the common people. (08/16/04)
AVP battle a push; film a disaster
"Alien Vs. Predator" is a wonderful outlet for anyone who was ever belittled by an annoying Scottish scientist, lost a girl to a hunky Italian archeologist or been fired by a self-important billionaire businessman. (08/16/04)
DVDs now out
Not dropping a beat in it's quest for Sunday night domination, HBO delivers yet another comic goldmine with Ali G. (08/16/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
"The Village" wanders so deep into a thicket of metaphors and ideas that "Those We Do Not Speak Of" - the film's horror catalyst - at times become the giant pink elephant in the room. (08/09/04)
Preview review: 'Team America: World Police'
"South Park" geniuses Trey Parker and Matt Stone present a team of wooden puppets who aim to rid the world of evil terrorists and over-exposed celebrities. (08/09/04)
'Collateral' crawls and wanders
Please don't let this one have a sequel ... (08/09/04)
DVDs now out
See Daryl Hannah lose an eye! See Uma Thurman buried alive! See David Carridine make a sandwich! (08/09/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
Jonathan Demme's well-cast remake of 'The Manchurian Candidate' is too serious for its own good and ultimately collapses due to the lack of a clearly defined villain. (08/02/04)
Preview review: 'Batman Begins' and 'Cellular'
By the time the 'Batman' franchise is put to bed, every male north of the Rio Grande will have had at least a screen test to play the caped crusader. (08/02/04)
'Village' concept blunts horror
"The Village" wanders so deep into a thicket of metaphors and ideas that "Those We Do Not Speak Of" - the film's horror catalyst - at times become the giant pink elephant in the room. (08/02/04)
Out on DVD this week
'13 Going on 30,' 'Hidalgo' and 'Spinout, Speedway, Double Trouble, Harum Scarum, The Trouble With Girls' (08/02/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
The good, the bad and the ugly of movies playing in Upstate theaters. (07/26/04)
Preview review: 'Alien vs. Predator,' 'Collateral,' 'The Village' and 'Little Black Book'
It's comforting to know that humans aren't the only pop culture figures who don't know when their fifteen minutes are up. Courtney Love, meet Predator. Predator, Courtney ... (07/26/04)
Now here's your summer thriller
Bourne sequel sets pace in season of major flops (07/26/04)
Out on DVD this week
No review or bodyCopy could possibly do 'Showgirls' justice. (07/26/04)
Out on DVD this week
(07/20/04)
'I, Robot' needs reprogramming
Will Smith's latest big movie is loosely based on Isaac Asimov's classic book about the robot-saturated world of 2035. (07/20/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
(07/20/04)
Out on DVD this week
'Never Die Alone,' 'The Manchurian Candidate,' 'Hercules,' 'The Bourne Identity' and Against the Ropes' (07/13/04)
Preview review: 'Lemony Snicket' and 'Taxi'
Jimmy Fallon is a NYC cop without a driver's license. Queen Latifah is a cabbie with a turbo-charged ride. Do the math. Fallon left Tina Fey for this? (07/13/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
We're in the middle of the summer movie season and there's some great movies out there. (07/13/04)
So what's TV news really like?
We sent journalists from the Upstate's four major network news stations to see 'Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,' an admittedly silly movie about network news. (07/13/04)
SNL buds deliver 91 minute skit
Consistent with most movies starring SNL alums, "Anchorman" sometimes feels like it should have been limited to skit status. (07/13/04)
Movies now playing in the Upstate
'Spider-Man 2' isn't the only hero in town. There's plenty more playing in areas theatres. (07/06/04)
Preview review: 'Collateral,' 'Wimbledon' and 'Christmas with the Kranks'
Another Tom Cruise machine, a tennis love-love story and once again Tim Allen in an annoying role. (07/02/04)
Film sequel spins web of humanity
Scenes of Spider-Man delivering pizza and making nervous conversation in an elevator--in costume--humanize the character and remind us why the doe-eyed, physically slight Maguire is the perfect photographer geek for this role. (07/02/04)
Out on DVD this week
The boys from South Park are back and move out of the third grade and into the fourth. (06/29/04)
Preview review: 'Without a Paddle' and 'Mr. 3000'
A 'Punk'd' 'Deliverance' and Bernie Mac does baseball. (06/29/04)
Movies now playing in the U