The summer movie season has come to an end, and what an interesting season it was. We saw three billion-dollar grossers for the first time ever in one year, let alone one three-month spread (thank you, 3D). We saw a bit of a glass ceiling for comic book movies, proving nothing is a sure thing […]
OFF THE CARPET: Closing the book on summer 2011
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:38 am · August 22nd, 2011
Filed in: Off the Carpet
Hero takes a fall
Posted by Guy Lodge · 6:35 pm · June 16th, 2011
In coming up with an idle, pop-related title for this post, I was faced with two choices: the one I eventually went with, or “We don’t need another hero.” I decided against the latter — partly because I’m sure other writers have already exhausted it, partly because The Bangles can always do with another shout-out […]
Filed in: Daily
Tell us what you thought of ‘Thor’
Posted by Guy Lodge · 3:54 pm · May 7th, 2011
I guess the summer movie season has officially kicked off (or did so last week, depending where you live) with the release of Kenneth Branagh’s take on Marvel’s “Thor.” For my money, it’s a pretty respectable start — an uneven but refreshingly uncynical popcorn adventure that announces a major star in the shape of Chris […]
Filed in: Daily
OFF THE CARPET: Setting the field
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:44 am · May 2nd, 2011
It’s a strange feeling writing about this kind of thing after last night’s news announcement. But that chapter is finally behind us, so behind us it shall remain. This is not an Oscar column (even though it’s labeled as such). This is not a predictions column. This isn’t even really a column. We should all […]
Filed in: Daily
REVIEW: “Thor” (***)
Posted by Guy Lodge · 10:49 am · April 30th, 2011
As superheroes go—and go they do, with alarming frequency, at the cape-wearers’ convention that the multiplex has become in recent years—Thor, or at least the Marvel-authored Artist Formerly Known As Norse God Thor, is more super than most. Where most beloved superheroes are humans (at least ostensibly so) who grow into their superhuman powers as […]
Filed in: Reviews
The Super Bowl spots
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 7:52 pm · February 6th, 2011
7. “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” Outrageous. Make it stop. 6. “Cowboys & Aliens” Though cluttered, expands on what we’ve seen. 5. “Captain America: The First Avenger” Not a bad trailer but something lingering still has me on guard. 4. “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” A true teaser, promising escalation but more contained.
Filed in: Daily
Comic-Con 2010 on the way
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 4:30 pm · July 12th, 2010
Well, the inbox is getting stuffed with this and that regarding breakfasts and panels and viral marketing and yada, yada, yada. That can mean only one thing: Comic-Con is around the corner. And as I poured over the recently released schedule over the weekend, I found myself excited for…very little. DreamWorks Animation will make its […]
Filed in: Daily
Paging Rene Russo
Posted by Guy Lodge · 4:11 pm · May 4th, 2010
Honestly, the last time the name “Rene Russo” crossed my mind, I was still wearing school uniform and Bill Clinton was still president of the United States. Even then, it was only fleetingly: if you want the last time she was in a film that actually merited a second thought, we’re looking more at the […]
Filed in: Daily
5/19 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 10:54 am · May 19th, 2009
• Anthony Breznicaan reports on the big “Christmas Carol” to do at Cannes. [USA Today] • John Hiscock talks to Ron Howard about getting around the Vatican’s disapproval of “Angels & Demons” while filming on location. [Daily Telegraph] • David Cox, meanwhile, believes the film will indeed hurt the Catholic Church with its depiction of […]
Filed in: Daily
5/18 Web Round-up
Posted by Kristopher Tapley · 8:20 am · May 18th, 2009
• “Star Trek” looks to be a hit off-world. [The Carpetbagger] • It looks like Kenneth Branagh and Marvel have found their Thor: Chris Hemsworth from “Star Trek.” [Deadline Hollywood Daily] • Jeff Sneider takes a long, hard look at the MTV Movie Awards. [Examiner.com] • Tom O’Neil poses the obvious question: Will “Angels & […]
Filed in: Daily