The Weather Man

In this heartfelt comic drama, a wonderfully controlled Nicolas Cage plays a man who, despite the appearance of success, is despondent over his superficiality.

"...too painfully trite. Also bothersome is the film’s running gag of people throwing food remnants at the local weatherman:..."

Oct. 28, 2005 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Four Brothers

A scrappy Seventies throwback about vigilante justice in the corrupt urban jungle.

"...offhand and more effective than you’d think; the running gag is that the local crime boss (Ejiofor) and his..."

Aug. 12, 2005 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Sky High

An adolescent superhero can't find his niche.

"...is Sky High’s unflappable principal is such an easy gag that it fails to elicit much of a laugh..."

July 29, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith

Veering from moments of breathtakingly visualized valor to outright stupidity, Sith is a vast improvement over the previous two outings, but still and all, it’s no Star Wars.

"...Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew. There’s a wonderful running gag in the BritCom Spaced, which, should you be so..."

May 20, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Kicking & Screaming

Will Ferrell, Robert Duvall, and Mike Ditka all appear together in a film that sings the praises of kids soccer and caffeine addiction.

"...all of the film’s comic highlights, including one snappy gag that has a wired-to-the-gills Phil suggesting that his team..."

May 13, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Inside Deep Throat

This documentary about the heady days of porn – when "deep throat" became a household expression and everyone viewed the movie Deep Throat as a breath of fresh air – is informative yet lacking historical rigor.

"...a great movie. But, hey, at least there's no gag order anymore...."

Feb. 18, 2005 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Balistica

Texas platters

"...BalisticaThe Jungle Science e.p. In a gag audio clip on Balistica's debut EP, an interviewer describes..."

Sept. 3, 2004 Music Review by Belinda Acosta

White Chicks

Wayans brothers' comedy depends on latex and whitewash.

"...tangled and pointless plot that redefines vapidity, they’re the gag writer’s equivalent of sprinkles on a doughnut hole, an..."

June 25, 2004 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Soul Plane

Everything is lewd and crude at this mile-high club.

"...of an airplane toilet, or a nonstop barrage of gag reflex-triggering sexual hijinks rules the show, then this is..."

May 28, 2004 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Intermission

Irish ensemble interweaves a dozen characters and their affairs of the heart.

"...even exploited, throughout at the service of a running gag involving her manly mustache (the punchline being that she..."

April 9, 2004 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Red Trousers: The Life of the Hong Kong Stuntmen

This double-layered documentary examines the creation of a Hong Kong action film and the impossible feats performed by the Asian stuntman.

"...sequence, we see stuntman Wang Hua perform a wire-harness gag three stories over a gulch needled with uninvitingly pointy..."

April 2, 2004 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed

A guilty pleasure for thirtysomething stoners with ironic dispositions and large nacho platters.

"...school of family entertainment – the low tech fart gag got a better reception than any of the costly..."

March 26, 2004 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

New Year's Eve Events

"...GAG REFLEX AT THE HIDEOUT Comedic cutups (and really, are..."

Jan. 2, 2004 Features Feature by Wells Dunbar

New Year's Eve Events

"...GAG REFLEX AT THE HIDEOUT Comedic cutups (and really, are..."

Dec. 26, 2003 Features Feature by Wells Dunbar

Cabin Fever

A festival breakout shocker that twists genre conventions into a jarring battery of scares.

"...enough inexplicable shenanigans to make poor old Agent Cooper gag on his beloved cherry pie. Ultimately, Cabin Fever isn’t..."

Sept. 12, 2003 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

American Wedding

"...American Wedding clearly suffers from a lack of good gags. That’s not to say there aren’t scads of chuckles..."

Aug. 1, 2003 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Alex & Emma

"...the line "Hitler had edge" tossed off as a gag (ah, yes, how could I forget the old genocidal-dictator..."

June 20, 2003 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Italian Job

"...a wealth of modern flourishes, including a clever running gag on Napster (featuring no less than the Napster himself,..."

May 30, 2003 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Bruce Almighty

"...on the toilet, with the sports section (a sight gag that, God help me, splits my side every time)...."

May 23, 2003 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Dancer Upstairs

"...from the novel by Nicholas Shakespeare. The great running gag in Spike Jonze’s Being John Malkovich was that everybody..."

May 16, 2003 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Analyze That

"...simultaneity with the first season of The Sopranos central gag now seems unavoidably dated and tired. Tony Soprano and..."

Dec. 13, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Barbershop

"...sell you out back. Barbershop is peopled with an engaging assortment of peripheral characters, from Michael Ealy's two-time loser..."

Sept. 13, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Simone

"...my filmmaker friend and I could barely stifle our gag reflexes. It's not just that Simone -- which features..."

Aug. 23, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams

"...fare: It's lively and fun, its youthful leads are engaging and authentic, and there's not a single fart joke..."

Aug. 9, 2002 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

The Master of Disguise

"...the movie's most audibly successful laugh-getter and a recurring gag throughout: Every time the villain (Spiner) laughs his hideously..."

Aug. 2, 2002 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Halloween: Resurrection

"...That film, at least, featured a smart (well, semi-smart) gag or two featuring Curtis' real-life mom Janet Leigh, late..."

July 19, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Men in Black II

"...though, who steals the show with a throwaway cameo gag. You just knew the guy was involved with aliens..."

July 5, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Undercover Brother

"...orange Big Gulp. What would have been a throwaway gag in any other film is here raised to high..."

June 7, 2002 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Importance of Being Earnest

For better or worse, Oliver Parker's adaptation of Oscar Wilde's comedy of mistaken identities liberates the play from its drawing-room trappings.

"...invokes in order to skip out on distasteful social engagements with his dour aunt, Lady Bracknell (Dench). Alvy, aware..."

May 31, 2002 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

"...Jayne Mansfield, whose exaggerated body is already a widescreen gag. Tony Randall stars as the jaded ad exec, who..."

May 28, 2002 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

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