The Retrieval

Chris Eska's ambitious indie film is set during the waning months of the Civil War and tells a distinctive coming-of-age story.

"...Chris Eska. Starring: Ashton Sanders, Tishuan Scott, Keston John, Bill Oberst Jr. and Christine Horn...."

May 2, 2014 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Guns Return to Travis County Agenda {UPDATE}

Saxet contract "left pending" once again

"...shows. Barring further action or negotiation, next weekend's show will be the last...."

Jan. 21, 2014 News Post by Michael King

The Heat

In his follow-up to Bridesmaids, Paul Feig re-employs Melissa McCarthy and teams her with Sandra Bullock for a comedy about a mismatched law-enforcement duo.

"...Bullock plays Ashburn, an FBI special agent who is brilliant, by-the-book, and abhorred by her colleagues for her superior..."

June 28, 2013 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Life of Pi

This time Ang Lee's tiger is not crouching; this animal has its claws out and has only an adolescent boy for companionship – or vice versa.

"...Pi promises to tell the Writer a story that will make him “believe in God.” Right there, the magical..."

Nov. 23, 2012 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Bedside Manner: In Memoriam

A few mournful words for books discarded

"...given up to the bookshelf; once safely interred, they will be gazed at fondly, with regret for the lack..."

April 30, 2012 Books Post by Lindsey Flatt

Bedside Manner: Black Holes, Fake Legs, and the Shaggs

Confessions of a late-night page-flipper

"...space by an exploding star?” Whatever you want, Neil. Fill my Sagan void with your cosmic plasma. Downside: reading..."

Jan. 31, 2011 Books Post by Audra Schroeder

Secretariat

Saddle up for some old-fashioned inspirational movie entertainment with Diane Lane in the lead as the owner of the famed Triple Crown winner.

"...owned and trained him and shared with him the will to succeed. How do we know the animal had..."

Oct. 8, 2010 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Speak the Speech

"...the storyline of a Shakespeare play and hope it will provide the framework for great entertainment. Like I said..."

Aug. 19, 2008 Screens Post by Josh Rosenblatt

Bonnaroo (From the Pit)

"...for the premiere of PS I Love You starring Hillary Swank. My wife and I were excited to go..."

June 19, 2008 Music Post by Gary Miller

Semi-Pro

If basketball must be mocked, it deserves to be mocked well, and unfortunately, Will Ferrell's Semi-Pro isn’t up to the challenge.

"...Directed by: Kent Alterman. Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, Maura Tierney, Andrew Daly,..."

Feb. 29, 2008 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

The Brothers Solomon

With three great comic talents in Will Forte, Will Arnett, and director Bob Odenkirk working together in relatively untried and controversial comedy territory, the only result is a syrupy fable about love and family.

"...Directed by: Bob Odenkirk. Starring: Will Arnett, Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Malin Akerman, Chi McBride,..."

Sept. 14, 2007 Movie Review by Josh Rosenblatt

Tears of the Black Tiger

This Thai film is part melodrama and part spaghetti western, as if Sirk and Peckinpah fell into a blender and out poured tear-soaked Polaroids, giant exploding squibs and blown-up heads, tearful Asian songbird ballads, and homoerotic outlaw bonding.

"...Thai film to be shown at Cannes, where it killed in 2001 – now it’s playing the AFS@Dobie series..."

Feb. 16, 2007 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

The Celestine Prophecy

The New Age metaphysics-cum-pulp thriller novel is now a movie.

"...doctrine … well, hold tight: The Da Vinci Code will be here any day now. Though The Celestine Prophecy..."

May 12, 2006 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things

Based on the allegedly autobiographical short stories of alleged teen author J.T. Leroy, Asia Argento's film describes a Gothic maelstrom of psychic and physical abuse.

"...her work and the film’s seamy, tawdry, and technical brilliance. The movie is based on the allegedly autobiographical short..."

April 14, 2006 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Point Austin: Town Lake 'Chinatown'?

Bill Moriarty's lawsuit against the city opens a can of worms on contracting, conflicts, and a good ol' boy network of city contractors

"...It's likely we will not get to the bottom of the Moriarty Affair..."

Jan. 27, 2006 News Column by Michael King

Hostel

In this horror film, three backpackers check in to the wrong hostel where, unbeknownst to them, very bad things happen from dusk till dawn.

"...of Modern America – if we build it, you will cum. It’s the sort of film that’s likely to..."

Jan. 13, 2006 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Ringer

A Farrelly brothers comedy that purports to have a message about treating the intellectually challenged as regular human beings and stars Johnny "Jackass" Knoxville is about as disingenuous as a comedy that urges us to see past a person’s body size to appreciate the beauty within and stars Gwyneth Paltrow in a fat suit.

"...Directed by: Barry W. Blaustein. Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Brian Cox, Katherine Heigl, Camille Chen, Geoffrey Arend, Bill..."

Dec. 23, 2005 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Ushpizin

This Israeli comedy is a wholly original movie that's set and filmed entirely within the insular realm of Jerusalem’s ultra-orthodox Hasidim.

"...that matter – and their fortunes, both good and ill, will be instantly familiar to anyone who’s ever struggled..."

Dec. 23, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Sky High

An adolescent superhero can't find his niche.

"...incognito with heroine wife Josie Jetstream (Preston) and son Will (Angarano), who on his first day at the titular..."

July 29, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Saving Face

In this breezy Chinese-American coming-out comedy, ethnic, generational, and family identities collide with the anything-goes ethos of modern love.

"...fortysomething, traditionalist widow unexpectedly pregnant by a man she will not name to her busybody friends and neighbors, Chen..."

July 1, 2005 Movie Review by Marrit Ingman

Assault on Precinct 13

This new version of John Carpenter's classic is superfluous in the extreme, and while it’s not technically a bad movie, per se, viewers unfamiliar with the film’s lineage will likely write it off as yet another midwinter also-ran, the sort of action film that never quite takes off and instead focuses on random gun battles and cheesy dialogue.

"...movie, per se, viewers unfamiliar with the film’s lineage will likely write it off as yet another midwinter also-ran,..."

Jan. 21, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Shark Tale

Animated Shark Tale lacks bite.

"...sequel, Shark Tale’s blandness bodes more than a little ill for the Spielberg/Katzenberg/Geffen-founded behemoth, which is banking on this..."

Oct. 8, 2004 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

A Better Tomorrow

For years, the city of Austin's arts funding process has been mired in perpetual gloom, but with the city reviewing its Cultural Contracts Program, artists and arts companies talking with each other about collaborations and a shared vision of what the arts mean to Austin, there are glimmers of light on the city's arts funding horizon.

"...to circumvent its procedures. The divisiveness, defensiveness, and plain ill will have cast shadows over Austin's Cultural Contracts Program,..."

Oct. 11, 2002 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

Postmarks

Our readers talk back.

"...around on Friday, seems to be the general rule still, though not with the Chronicle. You all have the..."

Aug. 16, 2002 Column

Happy Accidents

"...in full-on goofball mode and Marisa Tomei apparently so ill-fed she can't stop gnawing on her lower lip in..."

Sept. 21, 2001 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

The Forest for the Trees

The Austin Arts Commission has never been a model of bureaucratic efficiency, but this year it seems to have become a big cliché in action, a body so focused on procedure and minutiae and the concerns of the moment that it can't see the forest for the trees. It's compounding the problems in Austin's profoundly flawed public arts funding system and demonstrating just how poorly that process serves not only the city's artists but all its citizens.

"...Order, windy defenses, and flaring tempers. In short, it will be long. And trying...."

July 6, 2001 Arts Feature by Robert Faires

The Year It All Went Wrong

Looking back at club closings in Austin in 1999.

"...dead. Thankfully. And 1999 deserves to die before it kills anything else. Even as these words are being put..."

Dec. 31, 1999 Music Feature by Michael Bertin

Twin Falls Idaho

"...Ann Warren, Patrick Bauchau, Jon Gries, Garrett Morris and William Katt. In most romantic triangles, and certainly those of..."

Sept. 3, 1999 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Dream With the Fishes

"...that a push?) from the mildly dangerous but terminally ill Nick (Hunt). The nerve, Terry comes to learn, is..."

Aug. 8, 1997 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Hoffa

"...Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante, J.T. Walsh, John C. Reilly and Kevin Anderson. Upon leaving Hoffa, you'll find the..."

Dec. 25, 1992 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

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