MOVIE REVIEW
Battle: Los Angeles (2011)
Columbia Pictures
“Battle: Los Angeles” zeroes in on the least interesting aspect of a hostile, militaristic alien invasion: the frontline combat. The specter and mystery of a sudden and fierce extraterrestrial colonization attempt is wiped away by filmmaker Jonathan Liebesman. In its stead is a full-length version of one of those ubiquitous “Be all you can be” ads, an excuse for a band of one-dimensional United States Marines to flex its collective muscle.
Continue reading “Tell It to the Marines” »
MOVIE REVIEW
Observe and Report (2009)
Peter Sorel/Warner Bros. Pictures
“Observe and Report” could easily have been Binghamton killer, the movie, and it’s really not a stretch. The protagonist of this alleged dark comedy exhibits the same personality traits and psychological profile as Jiverly Wong, who killed 13 people and himself on April 3. A loner constantly enduring taunts for his mental illness, Ronnie Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) has developed an obsession with firearms and a vigilante complex. Although the similarities end there, one can’t help but think that laughing at a dangerously deranged person in the wake of Wong’s mass murder could be in very poor taste.
Continue reading “Earning the Badge of Dishonor” »
MOVIE REVIEW
The Lucky Ones (2008)
James Bridges/Roadside Attractions
Writer-director Neil Burger has transformed himself from a promising new talent to a major filmmaker on the strength of two showy, well-constructed films: the buzzed-about 2002 mockumentary “Interview with the Assassin” and the 2006 surprise hit “The Illusionist.” By contrast, his newest effort “The Lucky Ones” seems at first glance like an anticlimactic third act. It concerns three American servicemen stationed overseas who are back in the country on a one-month leave and embarking on an impromptu road trip because returning to their respective homes isn’t an option. The film actually has its share of smoke and mirrors just like Mr. Burger’s previous features, and these will surely catch moviegoers off guard given that the selling point here isn’t that anticipated giant plot twist. But perhaps the biggest surprise in store is how genuinely affecting “The Lucky Ones” turns out to be.
Continue reading “Why We Fight” »
