The World's Fastest Indian

Anthony Hopkins' great performance as Burt Munro, the real-life New Zealand codger and Indian motorcycle enthusiast who in 1967 set a land speed record that still stands today, is not enough to crash through this unabashedly sentimental wall of schmaltz.

"...wizened iconoclast best the young turks at their own game, works as well as it does. Remarkably, if you’re..."

Feb. 3, 2006 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Fusillade No. 1 in Disney's presumed seven-film adaptation of C.S. Lewis' beloved children's tales is marred by dodgy CGI work and windy pacing.

"...so. (Kong triumphs yet again.) The film's rapid, almost video-game sense of narrative (and I don't recall the books..."

Dec. 9, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Squid and the Whale

In this expertly acted piece about the coming apart of a family of New York intellectuals, humor is served not with a smirk but with a helpless shrug.

"...Frank (Kline) is merely delineating sides for a family game of tennis, but when that family – the Berkmans..."

Nov. 4, 2005 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story

You could call it Seabiscuit Jr., but this horsey heartwarmer does something surprising in spite of its underdog sports-movie formula and shameless emotional manipulation: It manages to be an enjoyable movie about and for girls.

"...Big Money assholes and beat them at their own game. Gatins cuts the sugar by surrounding Fanning with a..."

Oct. 21, 2005 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Roll Bounce

Hot-wiring a penchant for sports film truisms to some seriously spot-on Seventies nostalgia, this Bow Wow vehicle is an easygoing portrayal of teenage camaraderie and its attendant difficulties.

"...closing of his local skate palace by taking his A-game uptown and sticking it to the man. In this..."

Sept. 23, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

A Sound of Thunder

Abandoning any pretense of respect for the Ray Bradbury source material, this film manhandles the author’s delicacies into a lumbering and bewildered mess of grade-Z sci-fi clichés.

"...late Cretaceous where they can bag some really big game, namely a Tyrannosaurus rex, from the relative safety of..."

Sept. 9, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

November

November, starring Courteney Cox, is a dense, dark head-trip of a movie that seems like the bastard offspring of Memento and Mullholland Dr.

"...clever, grad-student thesis film, but at least Harrison is game enough to mess with your head in the first..."

Sept. 2, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Must Love Dogs

Convinced that one is the loneliest number, a divorced woman uses man's best friend to catch a new mate.

"...tries, and mostly fails, to get back in the game. But it’s hard to cheer for a film that..."

July 29, 2005 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Murderball

This doc about quadriplegic rugby entertains, informs, and inspires.

"...structured so that these personal sagas are intercut with game footage that builds dramatically to the high point of..."

July 22, 2005 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

The Longest Yard

Sandler and Rock keep the ball in play for this old prison football gem, although they fail to score any new points.

"...Captain Knauer (the underused Fichtner). Once the ramp-up to game day begins, however, the film asks you to buy..."

May 27, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

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