Pointedly going for some sense of honesty and "reality" not often seen among the standard fare of romantic comedies, Going the Distance frequently loses itself to this effort, which feels false (and vulgar for the sake of vulgarity) more often than it describes the truth it's after. Though the film would have benefited greatly from a few more minds scrutinizing many of the details (it is … [Read more...]
Even in the midst of our current acceptance of reality, which leads us to the conclusion that theaters will be plagued with remakes and there's little use in griping, there are still those willing to shake a fist in the air when things go too far. Remaking True Grit is the sort of enterprise that causes, at least among some, such fist-shaking. I am not such a naysayer, speaking in general … [Read more...]
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT, starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler and Teresa Palmer opens nationwide on March 4th, 2011, and I want to give you a little preview. While this isn't the sort of thing that would normally jump onto my radar, I'm generally a fan of Topher Grace, and there's something about the recent MIT grad who works at the video store that resonates oddly with me. Take a look at … [Read more...]
Surprisingly, one of my most popular articles here is Why the Voyage of the Dawn Treader will work and Disney is stupid. The key idea in it is that abandoning the franchise after Prince Caspian is simply a mind-boggling decision. Whatever the bottom line might say, the only reason to move beyond the first film and make Caspian at all is so that you get to make Dawn Treader. While all the books in … [Read more...]
Celebrate the holidays with the antics of A CHRISTMAS STORY. This holiday season Warner Bros Digital Distribution invites you to re-discover the classic that will certainly re-kindle memories of your childhood. This year enjoy the holiday favorite anytime and anywhere with On Demand and For Download: http://bit.ly/ays_XmasStory It's Christmas time and there's only one thing on Ralphie Parker's … [Read more...]
I may not have liked Inception quite as much as a lot of people, but I have to admit (as I have been known to say frequently) I would rather see people try to do something great and fail (or not quite get there), than sit through yet another example of trying to do something mindlessly aimed at the lowest common denominator and succeed brilliantly. While I think Nolan ultimately ran away with … [Read more...]
Redbox is ringing in the holiday season with a chance for you to win one of the hottest entertainment items around, a Blu-Ray player. Blu-Rays are taking over, and now you can take advantage. To help you take advantage of your new Blu-Ray players, you'll also get a year's supply of rentals (52, one per week). All you have to do is leave a comment and tell me what new, or upcoming release you … [Read more...]
It's that time of year again, and whatever holiday you may celebrate, the gifts a being wrapped, and the seasonal anarchy is upon us. Just like last year, Are You Screening? is putting together a jumble of goodies for you, and hopefully some of your loved ones. I want to take this opportunity to thank my readers for visiting, sharing, and commenting, especially during the time since September … [Read more...]
You're favorite holiday classics are coming to you in yet another collection, and even if you own them already, this may be the Peanuts collection you find too good to pass up. Remastered, and looking particularly Blu-Ray gorgeous, you get the Peanuts big three, plus an assortment of other great specials. The classic status of these titles certainly goes without saying, but there is a lot more … [Read more...]
One of last year's unsung heroes was Disney's A Christmas Carol. A film I loved, which seemed to largely go unnoticed. The critical consensus was pretty evenly split, which never does much for inciting a great deal of word-of-mouth, but I was thoroughly impressed with this particular telling (see my original review below). I suspect there was a certain disinterest in yet another version of the … [Read more...]
It's that time of year again, and after cramming all week to get my nominations in, the 16th annual Critics' Choice Movie Awards nominations have been revealed. The awards will be on VH1 again, Friday, January 14th at 9:00 PM ET/PT. This is VH1's fourth year hosting the awards, and the first year that the show will be broadcast internationally. It was a strange year in movies, though I suppose … [Read more...]
Boxing movies have a certain advantage over other sports-related films, both in getting people who aren't necessarily interested in the sport to watch them, and in terms of metaphoric ease, and The Fighter takes advantage in every conceivable way. The story of an immense struggle, somewhat obviously, The Fighter focuses on half-brother boxers Micky Ward (Mark Wahlberg) and Dickie Eklund … [Read more...]
This is a strange post, because it was really meant to be an interview with Emily Deschanel. After going through the transcript, and watching the episode, I really couldn't decide where to stop editing the interview in order to keep out spoilers. (It is already much later in the day by virtue of going back and forth) Ultimately, I'm just going to wait and put that up tomorrow, which doesn't do … [Read more...]
I was rather skeptical when it was announced that Matt Smith was taking over the role of Doctor Who for the new incarnation's fifth season, but I was pleasantly surprised by his abilities from the very first episode. Each new Doctor faces a massive challenge stepping into a role that has been around since the early 1960s, and is moreover a cultural icon in a sense that nearly reinvents the term, … [Read more...]
The television classic The Addams Family hit in a new way in the 70s, when an animated version of everybody's favorite kooky, ooky characters came to life. Though a short run, the Hanna-Barbera touch was unmistakable, and the animated model allowed for the family to set out on a journey filled with their own particular brand of high-jinx, rather than having all the fun come to their iconic … [Read more...]
