ACL Live Review: Shawn Mendes

Nothing holding this Canadian crooner back

"...Shawn Mendes is any major label's dream. He’s charming enough to..."

Oct. 15, 2018 Music Post by Alejandra Ramirez

Skyfall

Daniel Craig's glum third go-’round as 007 is enhanced by fun turns by all the supporting players, as well as the film's exciting camerawork.

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Javier Bardem, Ralph..."

Nov. 9, 2012 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

1917

World War I drama shows heroism in saving, not taking, lives

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Benedict..."

Jan. 10, 2020 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

American Beauty

This Oscar winner is a bleak comedy of suburban mores and one man's sudden rejection of the arrangement.

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes..."

Sept. 24, 1999 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Empire of Light

The bulb glows dim in Sam Mendes' tribute to picture palaces

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Olivia Colman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Tom..."

Dec. 9, 2022 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Road to Perdition

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Daniel..."

July 12, 2002 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Away We Go

See it for the many lovely performances, although the film’s vision of Gen-Y nesting is liable to leave you up a tree.

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph, Carmen Ejogo, Jeff..."

June 19, 2009 Movie Review by Marjorie Baumgarten

Revolutionary Road

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio co-star in this drama set 50 years ago in suburban Connecticut about a married couple who yearns to stand out from its peers, but whose tragedy is that they are cut from the same cloth.

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kathy Bates, Michael..."

Jan. 9, 2009 Movie Review by Kimberley Jones

Jarhead

Though lacking a clear point of view, the film seems to say that war not only dehumanizes soldiers but also infantilizes them. It’s not a pretty picture, but it is a lovely film.

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Peter Sarsgaard, Jamie Fox, Lucas..."

Nov. 4, 2005 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

Spectre

Spectre brings the spectacle, but it lacks a soul

"...Directed by: Sam Mendes. Starring: Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Monica Bellucci, Christoph..."

Nov. 6, 2015 Movie Review by Josh Kupecki

Wolf

An astounding performance at the heart of this strange tale of identity

"...of being a man." That often-abused quote, attributed to Samuel Johnson, is really not about animals at all. The..."

Dec. 3, 2021 Movie Review by Richard Whittaker

Film News

While major productions play tax-incentive hopscotch across the South and Southwest, Austin tries to figure out how to reignite its winning streak

"...very timely take on men who "sell war the same way they would a video game or a Twinkie..."

Oct. 29, 2004 Screens Column by Joe O'Connell

Cabaret: Blinding Furnace

The revamped revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb's Cabaret, in its national tour, may not reproduce the intimacy of the original production's environmental design, but its strong performances and overt theatricality still grip the audience.

"...that houses it, this Cabaret, as conceived by director Sam Mendes and choreographer Rob Marshall, still reaches beyond the..."

Sept. 22, 2000 Arts Review by Robi Polgar

October Previews

"...D: Sam Mendes; with Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes..."

Sept. 10, 1999 Screens Feature

Short Cuts

Upcoming events and workshops of interest to the Austin film community.

"...It came as little surprise when Sam Mendes' American Beauty picked up the Best Director, Motion..."

Jan. 28, 2000 Screens Column by Marc Savlov

Safe Cracking

Longtime screenwriter and first-time director Scott Frank on The Lookout

"...still see yourself in the work. But at the same time, the process is so collaborative that by its..."

March 30, 2007 Screens Feature by Darcie Stevens

Autumn Tales

The fall 1999 film season looks to be busier and noiser than ever.

"...baseball picture, For Love of the Game, directed by Sam Raimi; Tommy Lee Jones and Ashley Judd in Bruce..."

Sept. 10, 1999 Screens Feature by Marjorie Baumgarten

Top 10 Most Read Film Reviews of 2020

The pandemic picks you wanted to read about

"...No, really, it opened in Austin in January. Yet Sam Mendes' impressionistic trip through the battlefields of World War..."

Dec. 19, 2020 Screens Post by Richard Whittaker

SXSW Announces Lee Daniels as Film Keynote

Featured speakers, a panel, and some music acts drop

"...Todd Haynes, Richard Linklater, Todd Phillips, Martin Scorsese, and Sam Mendes...."

Sept. 6, 2016 Screens Post by Josh Kupecki

From the Vaults: Still a 'Heavenly Creature'

Melanie Lynskey started Down Under at the top

"...roles his such films as Steven Soderbergh's The Informant!, Sam Mendes' Away We Go, and Jason Reitman's Up in..."

Sept. 28, 2012 Screens Post by Marjorie Baumgarten

Short Cuts

Bob Ray gets stonied.

"...the category of Best Sound, for his work on Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition. The nomination is shared with..."

Feb. 21, 2003 Screens Column by Marc Savlov

Cabaret

Divine decadence, darling

"...a recent hit on Broadway directed by American Beauty's Sam Mendes...."

April 20, 2001 Screens Review by Stephen MacMillan Moser

Defying Gravity

With Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Ang Lee took one of the most maligned of cinematic genres -- the kung fu film -- and created an epic many critics (this one included) are calling the year's best movie. We spoke with him about the film's grueling shoot, the refinement it makes to the martial arts genre, and more.

"...to believe it was made by a non-native. (Englishman Sam Mendes would repeat this feat with American Beauty.) Lee..."

Jan. 12, 2001 Screens Feature by Sarah Hepola

Magnolia

"...part about cracking the inertia of suburban life. Unlike Sam Mendes' critical darling, however, which unfolded in Suburban Everywhere,..."

Aug. 4, 2000 Screens Review by Sarah Hepola

1999 Film Critics Poll

"...Sam Mendes (American Beauty), Spike Jonze (Being John Malkovich), Guy..."

Jan. 7, 2000 Screens Feature

They Could Be a Contender

Who's Ahead in the Race for Oscar?

"...fall releases already seem well-heeled for Oscar glory ­ Sam Mendes' superlative American Beauty is sure to nail nominations..."

Nov. 26, 1999 Screens Feature by Sarah Hepola

All About the Benjamins

"...Starring: Ice Cube, Mike Epps, Valerie Rae Miller, Eva Mendes, Roger Guenveur Smith and Tommy Flanagan. The ESPN SportsCenterization..."

March 15, 2002 Movie Review by Russell Smith

Ghost Rider

The movie adds little to Marvel's source material, but to be fair, there wasn't a surfeit of originality in the comic book to begin with.

"...Directed by: Mark Steven Johnson. Starring: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Peter Fonda, Sam Elliott and Donal Logue...."

Feb. 23, 2007 Movie Review by Marc Savlov

SXSW Film Announces 2015 Lineup

Circling the Thunderdome

"...Twinsters Directors: Samantha Futerman, Ryan Miyamoto Imagine there was someone out there..."

Feb. 3, 2015 Screens Post by Kimberley Jones

SXSW Unleashes Massive Film List

High-concept horror A Quiet Place to open fest

"...Hayley Law, Brett Dier, Timm Sharp, Avan Jogia, Camila Mendes (World Premiere)..."

Jan. 31, 2018 SXSW Post by Richard Whittaker

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