The Hunger Games

Katniss Everdeen wins the Hunger Wars and our hearts.

"...Ray) and producer, the story and action here hew bone-close to the source material. Jennifer Lawrence feels perfectly cast..."

March 23, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

The renowned Tokyo sushi master Jiro Ono is profiled in this artful documentary.

"...served in HD slow motion and punctuated with mouthwatering close-ups, I'd probably go there far more frequently than I..."

March 23, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Plastic-Free Payment

Austin's Tabbed Out increases their presence in the service industry

"...the club without waiting in a long line to close your tab...."

March 19, 2012 Food Post by Meghan Ruth Speakerman

The Innkeepers

With slow-burn shudders, Ti West's haunted-inn story provides a stellar model for creeping dread.

"...pair of twentysomethings manning the front desk at the soon-to-close Yankee Pedlar Inn, a job that's by turns stultifyingly..."

Feb. 3, 2012 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Shark Night 3D

These sharks are as bland as their comely victims.

"...Night 3D’s scripters Will Hayes and Jesse Studenberg stick close to the playbook here: a collection of young, comely..."

Sept. 9, 2011 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

A Good Old Fashioned Orgy

Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice meets a considerably tamed Van Wilder for a mediocre romp in the Hamptons.

"...House a run for its togas, Eric and his close-knit circle of friends are understandably forlorn at the prospect..."

Sept. 2, 2011 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Hoodwinked Too!: Hood vs. Evil

Back for another installment is this rude animated riff on Red Riding Hood and other fairy tales.

"...do with the rescue of Red Riding Hood’s Granny (Close) from an evil witch. But, wait, the witch is..."

May 6, 2011 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen

Bone-pulverizing kickassery trumps plot in this Donnie Yen martial-arts film directed by Andrew Lau.

"...of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen comes close to overdosing on bone-pulverizing kickassery at the expense of..."

April 29, 2011 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Last Lions

This stunning nature documentary about the vanishing lions of Africa is not your children’s Lion King.

"...approximately 450,000 lions in Africa; today that number is closer to 20,000. Apart from those cold statistics, The Last..."

March 18, 2011 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Megamind

This animated film is vibrant and exceedingly clever, but also a rather slight thing for such mega-sized proportions.

"...the action for a few more of those tight close-ups of blue-hued Megamind (voiced by Ferrell), his doleful eyes..."

Nov. 5, 2010 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Paranormal Activity 2

Although this follow-up is considerably spookier than the original, there are only so many gotcha moments that can transpire without feeling wholly contrived.

"...with matching suburban-tacky furniture. It's not hell, but it's close...."

Oct. 29, 2010 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

It's Kind of a Funny Story

When a 15-year-old overachiever checks himself into a mental ward, he learns to affirm the good things in life without ever whitewashing the bad.

"...head of 15-year-old overachiever Craig (Gilchrist). Recognizing that he’s close to buckling under the demands of his age and..."

Oct. 8, 2010 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

'No No: A Dockumentary' Benefit

Celebrate the 40th anniversary of Dock Ellis' LSD no-hitter

"...sound, just remember that none of it even comes close to what an eccentric African-American baseball player did 40..."

June 9, 2010 Sports Post by Will Eidam

Oscar-Nominated Short Films 2010: Live Action

Judge for yourself among the five films contending for this year's Oscar for live-action short. The five international shorts nominated for Best Live Action Short Film include Patrik Eklund’s “Instead of Abracadabra," Luke Doolan's “Miracle Fish," Juanita Wilson's “The Door,” Gregg Helvey's “Kavi," and Joachim Back’s award-winning “The New Tenants.”

"...of the lot, although the Indian/American co-production “Kavi” comes close. "Kavi" concludes with a sobering statistic – that 27..."

Feb. 19, 2010 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Up in the Air

The director of Juno and Thank You for Smoking is back with another film that is perfectly in touch with the times.

"...Bingham, by choice, is a man without country or close ties, but very quickly two women arrive in his..."

Dec. 18, 2009 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Beeswax

This Austin-shot indie from Andrew Bujalski is a remarkably naturalistic slice of life.

"...proves to be much more than simply another extreme close-up of late-twentysomething naifs trying to gather enough energy to..."

Oct. 9, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

So a mammoth, a sloth, and a saber-toothed tiger walk into a Mesozoic Age ….

"...a relatively sharp sense of the absurdities of the close-knit clan. That, and a love for dinosaurs, goes a..."

July 10, 2009 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Austin Lyric Opera

A local operatic production gets a trip to the ball: a showing on public television

"...chic costumes look even snazzier and more stylish up close, where every pinstripe and pleat, every ruffle and sequin,..."

Jan. 23, 2009 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

The Wrestler

In the latest film from Darren Aronofsky, Mickey Rourke rips his tattered name from the dustbin of history with his portrayal of an aging professional wrestler.

"...are the intimacy that develops between men engaged in close-contact battle and the contrivances needed to make that contact..."

Jan. 9, 2009 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

Bedtime Stories

Adam Sandler has finally found his audience: 3-year-olds. Maybe he should stop making movies already and just rent himself out for kids’ parties.

"...in Bedtime Stories, the actor’s childishness, when in such close contact with the childishness of real children, comes off..."

Dec. 26, 2008 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

Yes Man

Jim Carrey plays a guy who just can't say no, a predicament which creates more a collection of humorous set-pieces than a satisfying movie.

"...opportunity that presents itself. This plot gimmick veers suspiciously close to the 1997 Carrey vehicle Liar Liar, in which..."

Dec. 19, 2008 Movie Review by Theresa Everline

Youth Without Youth

After a 10-year absence, Francis Ford Coppola has come in from the vineyards, but his Youth Without Youth is a self-satisfied bore that fails to connect with the audience.

"...sort of way), Youth Without Youth is solipsistic and close to impenetrable. Coppola adapted the story himself from a..."

Feb. 29, 2008 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?

The creative powerhouse known as Tyler Perry is back in front of and behind the camera with this predictable film about four married couples.

"...psychologist who vacations every winter with a group of close friends, all married couples and all dealing with much..."

Oct. 19, 2007 Movie Review by Toddy Burton

Texans vs. Colts: the Game Plan

"...division rival Indianapolis. The Colts like to keep games close for the first two quarters, make adjustments at halftime,..."

Sept. 24, 2007 Sports Post by Timothy Braun

War

Jet Li and Jason Statham spar and provoke all-out war among the Asian mobs.

"...and 50 Cent. The action sequences are shot in close-ups, and with such rapid editing, it’s nearly impossible to..."

Aug. 31, 2007 Movie Review by Toddy Burton

Hot Rod

Cross Napoleon Dynamite's endearing optimism with Ben Stiller's total commitment to his goofy characters, and you'll wind up with a character something like Andy Samberg's hapless stuntman.

"...and discover that none of them is swimming particularly close to the deep end. Hot Rod is a stupid..."

Aug. 3, 2007 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Day Watch

The second in a Russian science-fiction trilogy is a fantastic sight to behold, but don't try explaining the plot.

"...follow-up film takes place a few years after the close of the first and employs essentially the same lead..."

June 15, 2007 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Farewell to Blair

What will the resignation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair mean for the U.S.?

"...tatters, and much of this is due to his close relationship with President George Bush. Now the Bush administration,..."

May 11, 2007 News Post by Richard Whittaker

Once a Cardinal, Always a Cardinal

Josh Hancock, St. Louis Cardinals pitcher, dead at 29

"...the St. Louis Cardinals, a Major League Baseball team close to my heart. He came to the club only..."

April 29, 2007 Sports Post by Shawn Badgley

Avenue Montaigne

A young Frenchwoman moves to Paris from with nothing but the knapsack on her back and the innocent gleam in her eye.

"...the world on a string. Thompson’s Paris is a close cousin of Woody Allen’s Manhattan: a place of boundless..."

April 20, 2007 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

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