http://www.citybeat.com/cincinnati/ (Plexifilm) 2009, Not Rated Andy Warhol’s “screen tests” — in which he used a stationary 16mm Bolex camera to shoot silent, black-and-white 100-foot rolls of film studying guests to his Factory between 1964-1966 — are among his most mesmerizing and beautiful (and painterly) work. They have been too rarely seen. Plexifilm has partnered with Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum for this first-ever official DVD release of 13 of the choicest screen tests, paired with a newly commissioned soundtrack by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips.]]> (Flicker Alley) 1927-1933, Not Rated Flicker Alley, a leading curator, restorer and distributor of lost and forgotten cinema gems, digs up a particularly niche bunch for its latest collection. Under Full Sail: Silent Cinema on the High Seas details early celluloid depictions of the grand vessels that sailed the world’s waterways at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The five films (one full-length and four shorts, all excellent transfers) are snapshots of a forgotten time when mammoth ships with masts to the heavens took seafarers to adventure.]]> (Universal) 2009, Not Rated Maybe it’s because the fad hasn’t worn off, but prequels seem to be far less objectionable than sequels. It makes sense in that with a prequel you have to be somewhat loyal to an end point, whereas a sequel has to make up a bunch of new stuff that might or might not live up to the original. So is the situation the producers of Battlestar Galactica found themselves in when their series recently wrapped up. The notion of Carpica telling the back-story to BSG was formulated in the latter’s second season and came to fruition late last year. ]]> 2008, Rated R It’s tempting to label this melancholy wisp of a film as a wake-up call for a nation gone bankrupt (in more ways than one). But Wendy and Lucy is far too subtle for that: It makes Marley and Me look like Porky’s. Kelly Reichardt’s follow-up to the excellent Old Joy tells the simple story of a girl, Wendy (Michelle Williams, whose compelling, vanity-free performance is the film’s glue), and her dog, Lucy (Reichardt’s own dog).]]> 1963, Not rated Japanese filmmaker Seijun Suzuki opens his 1963 yakuza actioner with a literal bang as sharply dressed gangsters battle on a dark backcountry road in the Tokyo outskirts. Bullets fly. Autos careen off the road. Bodies pile up. A glorious screen-engulfing car explosion ends this out-of-control melee but kick-starts a dirty Rock & Roll number.]]> 1973, Rated R The macho superstars of the 1950s and 1960s had a tough go of it in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Times were changing, they were too old for the hip youth culture of the New Hollywood and their kind of virile, iconic acting had lost favor for the more eccentric and idiosyncratic approaches of Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino.]]> 1959, Not Rated A piece of legendary television history, long considered lost but discovered and restored by the Archive of American Television, makes its DVD debut with its crackling, electrifying energy intact. Budd Schulberg wrote What Makes Sammy Run?, a portrait of venal and ignorant but desperately striving, hustling Hollywood studio boss Sammy Glick, way back in 1941.]]> 2007, Not Rated Herk Harvey’s classic 1962 low-budget horror flick Carnival of Souls is twisted into an odd, disquieting but ultimately unsatisfying thriller in the new effort from German filmmaker Christian Petzold. Nina Hoss stars as the titular Yella, who decides to flee her abusive husband in the countryside for a new life and job in the city. ]]> 1940, Rated G Walt Disney ran into roadblocks with Bambi. Struggling with the script and overall structure, he delayed its release and began work on Pinocchio — a story from Italian author Carlo Collodi about the adventures of a wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. But Disney again strained over the script, revising and tweaking a story that was episodic in nature.]]> 2007, Rated R I wish that I didn’t have to review Timecrimes. Not that I didn’t like it — quite the opposite. This Spanish sci-fi thriller is one of the most original films released in years. Why the hesitation? Simple. In order to experience this intense mind-fuck puzzle to its fullest, confronting it blank is essential.]]> Set in the Belle Epoque era of the late 1800s, Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lea, an aging high-society courtesan whose romantic dabblings with a young stud named Cheri (Rupert Friend) lead to a certain ennui of requited lust for the aged Lea, whose life plan was not as thoroughly conceived as she imagined. Pfeiffer momentarily teases the oh-so-droll drama from its dull-witted eroticism from time to time, but the overall effect is that of stale chocolate. Grade: C.]]> John Dillinger used his Midwestern sensibility to become a national celebrity in the 1930s By the summer of 1934, John Dillinger's fame had caught up with him and his debts were getting close. Even at the tail end of a one-year crime spree totaling at least six states (including Ohio and Indiana), 11 banks and $300,000, he remained a working-class hero. The law saw things differently, promoting him to Public Enemy No. 1.]]> Larry David, of 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' fame, is an acquired taste I no doubt won't ever wholly embrace. That being said, I had far less difficulty than you might imagine giving Woody Allen's latest film, 'Whatever Works,' the benefit of the doubt despite the presence of David as Boris Yellnikoff, a pompous boor. Grade: B-.]]> While rife with period detail and often shot at authentic locations, 'Public Enemies' doesn't possess the visceral jolt of director Michael Mann's best films, all of which pulsate with the technologically informed rhythms of modern life. Yet Mann almost makes us believe that Public Enemy No. 1 John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) will live forever. And, in a sense, he has. Grade: B-.]]> Younger moviegoers in search of thoughtful, literate romantic comedies that credit them for being intelligent and sensitive might respond strongly to 'Away We Go,' directed by Sam Mendes ('Revolutionary Road,' 'American Beauty') from a screenplay by husband-and-wife writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. Grade: B.]]> Nick Cassavetes' three-hankie weepy lurches during its music-video sequences and gratuitous voice-over narration from members of the Fitzgerald family as they struggle with their terminally ill daughter Kate (well played by Sofia Vassilieva). Yet, in spite of some of its less-than-elegant editorial decisions, 'My Sister's Keeper' is full of terrific performances. Grade: B.]]> The Wrecking Crew is a term — which has become part of Rock history lore — for the younger, talented session musicians who arrived in Los Angeles as the city was becoming a center for such gifted, ambitious Rock & Roll and 1960s-Pop producers/arrangers/artists as Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Webb, Herb Alpert, Lee Hazlewood, Lou Adler, Bones Howe (the Fifth Dimension) and many more. Cincinnati World Cinema presents this documentary Sunday and Monday at The Carnegie in Covington. Grade: B-plus.]]> The 48 Hour Film Project injects Cincinnati with a weekend of creative juice Taken aback by that crazy-looking dude wielding a big knife in your neighbor's backyard last weekend? Don't be: It was probably just one of the 56 area teams that took part in 48 Hour Film Project, a celebration of creative smarts.]]> (Plexifilm) 2009, Not Rated Andy Warhol’s “screen tests” — in which he used a stationary 16mm Bolex camera to shoot silent, black-and-white 100-foot rolls of film studying guests to his Factory between 1964-1966 — are among his most mesmerizing and beautiful (and painterly) work. They have been too rarely seen. Plexifilm has partnered with Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum for this first-ever official DVD release of 13 of the choicest screen tests, paired with a newly commissioned soundtrack by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips.]]> (Flicker Alley) 1927-1933, Not Rated Flicker Alley, a leading curator, restorer and distributor of lost and forgotten cinema gems, digs up a particularly niche bunch for its latest collection. Under Full Sail: Silent Cinema on the High Seas details early celluloid depictions of the grand vessels that sailed the world’s waterways at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The five films (one full-length and four shorts, all excellent transfers) are snapshots of a forgotten time when mammoth ships with masts to the heavens took seafarers to adventure.]]> (Universal) 2009, Not Rated Maybe it’s because the fad hasn’t worn off, but prequels seem to be far less objectionable than sequels. It makes sense in that with a prequel you have to be somewhat loyal to an end point, whereas a sequel has to make up a bunch of new stuff that might or might not live up to the original. So is the situation the producers of Battlestar Galactica found themselves in when their series recently wrapped up. The notion of Carpica telling the back-story to BSG was formulated in the latter’s second season and came to fruition late last year. ]]> 2008, Rated R It’s tempting to label this melancholy wisp of a film as a wake-up call for a nation gone bankrupt (in more ways than one). But Wendy and Lucy is far too subtle for that: It makes Marley and Me look like Porky’s. Kelly Reichardt’s follow-up to the excellent Old Joy tells the simple story of a girl, Wendy (Michelle Williams, whose compelling, vanity-free performance is the film’s glue), and her dog, Lucy (Reichardt’s own dog).]]> 1963, Not rated Japanese filmmaker Seijun Suzuki opens his 1963 yakuza actioner with a literal bang as sharply dressed gangsters battle on a dark backcountry road in the Tokyo outskirts. Bullets fly. Autos careen off the road. Bodies pile up. A glorious screen-engulfing car explosion ends this out-of-control melee but kick-starts a dirty Rock & Roll number.]]> 1973, Rated R The macho superstars of the 1950s and 1960s had a tough go of it in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Times were changing, they were too old for the hip youth culture of the New Hollywood and their kind of virile, iconic acting had lost favor for the more eccentric and idiosyncratic approaches of Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino.]]> 1959, Not Rated A piece of legendary television history, long considered lost but discovered and restored by the Archive of American Television, makes its DVD debut with its crackling, electrifying energy intact. Budd Schulberg wrote What Makes Sammy Run?, a portrait of venal and ignorant but desperately striving, hustling Hollywood studio boss Sammy Glick, way back in 1941.]]> 2007, Not Rated Herk Harvey’s classic 1962 low-budget horror flick Carnival of Souls is twisted into an odd, disquieting but ultimately unsatisfying thriller in the new effort from German filmmaker Christian Petzold. Nina Hoss stars as the titular Yella, who decides to flee her abusive husband in the countryside for a new life and job in the city. ]]> CityBeat film writers reveal their favorites of 2008 Need more proof of film culture’s fractured state? Twenty-three different titles grace the 30 slots on the three Top 10 lists that follow, and only two — Man on Wire and The Wrestler — appear on all three.]]> John Dillinger used his Midwestern sensibility to become a national celebrity in the 1930s By the summer of 1934, John Dillinger's fame had caught up with him and his debts were getting close. Even at the tail end of a one-year crime spree totaling at least six states (including Ohio and Indiana), 11 banks and $300,000, he remained a working-class hero. The law saw things differently, promoting him to Public Enemy No. 1.]]> Veteran director Tony Scott is back with another overindulgent mess Look, I'm not making any inappropriate allegations. All I'm saying is that, if Tony Scott has scandalous photos of Denzel Washington, it might explain a lot. This is what I'm trying to wrap my head around: How does one of the most universally respected actors of this generation come to trust this particular director? Grade: D.]]> Clint Eastwood bids a limp farewell to acting in a laughable film Clint Eastwood is not a gifted actor. Twenty years ago, that wouldn’t have been a particularly daring critical statement. The odd outlier like Tightrope notwithstanding, he was known primarily as a guy who could squint one-dimensionally while firing a gun or squint one-dimensionally while being punched by an orangutan.]]> Action series continues with surprisingly strong results In 2018, the Resistance — better yet, the Resistance within the Resistance — is led, as we all know, by John Connor (Christian Bale), eager to bust up Skynet (the computer controlling the machines), although he knows he also has to save the boy who will become Kyle Reese. Director McG proves here that the Terminator franchise has a soul worth saving. Grade: B.]]> 2008, Rated R It’s tempting to label this melancholy wisp of a film as a wake-up call for a nation gone bankrupt (in more ways than one). But Wendy and Lucy is far too subtle for that: It makes Marley and Me look like Porky’s. Kelly Reichardt’s follow-up to the excellent Old Joy tells the simple story of a girl, Wendy (Michelle Williams, whose compelling, vanity-free performance is the film’s glue), and her dog, Lucy (Reichardt’s own dog).]]> Slick but empty romantic comedy falls flat Fashion photographer and swarmy cad Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) returns to the family estate of Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas) for the wedding of his younger brother (Breckin Meyer) and comes face-to-face with Jenny (Jennifer Garner), the one who got away. Connor cruises his sexscapade dreams with a disparate trio of spirit guides in search of true love, but the only spark of life here is the roguish Douglas. Grade: D.]]> (Universal) 2009, Not Rated Maybe it’s because the fad hasn’t worn off, but prequels seem to be far less objectionable than sequels. It makes sense in that with a prequel you have to be somewhat loyal to an end point, whereas a sequel has to make up a bunch of new stuff that might or might not live up to the original. So is the situation the producers of Battlestar Galactica found themselves in when their series recently wrapped up. The notion of Carpica telling the back-story to BSG was formulated in the latter’s second season and came to fruition late last year. ]]> 1963, Not rated Japanese filmmaker Seijun Suzuki opens his 1963 yakuza actioner with a literal bang as sharply dressed gangsters battle on a dark backcountry road in the Tokyo outskirts. Bullets fly. Autos careen off the road. Bodies pile up. A glorious screen-engulfing car explosion ends this out-of-control melee but kick-starts a dirty Rock & Roll number.]]> 1973, Rated R The macho superstars of the 1950s and 1960s had a tough go of it in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Times were changing, they were too old for the hip youth culture of the New Hollywood and their kind of virile, iconic acting had lost favor for the more eccentric and idiosyncratic approaches of Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson and Al Pacino.]]> J.J. Abrams boldly charts a brand new course for a sci-fi staple With this prequel, director J.J. Abrams aims to give us the legendary back-story of one of Starfleet's great leaders, James Tiberius Kirk. Of course, the truly great leaders achieve that status thanks to the support of top-notch subordinates. Where would Kirk be without Spock, Chekov, Sulu, Uhura, Scotty and Doc "Bones" McCoy? This film races right to the heart of that question, defining each and every one of these loveable characters in deft strokes. Grade A.]]> Another young star tries a familiar premise You might wonder why it was necessary to add '17 Again' to Hollywood's long list of "body swap" comedies over the last 25 years, but I have a theory about such genre fare. At some point in the rise of every young would-be star, the movie industry needs to figure out if they've really got what it takes. Grade: C.]]> Rian Johnson's overly written work is somewhat saved by a joyous Rachel Weisz One keeps waiting for 36-year-old Adrien Brody to capitalize on his unexpected Best Actor Oscar for 2002's 'The Pianist' and do some mature work that really moves us. Instead, he gets stuck running around in overactive action films ('King Kong') or playing soulfully perplexed, hangdoggy young men in arch, belabored "quirky" indies like 'The Darjeeling Limited,' 'Dummy' and the new 'The Brothers Bloom.' Grade: C-.]]> (Plexifilm) 2009, Not Rated Andy Warhol’s “screen tests” — in which he used a stationary 16mm Bolex camera to shoot silent, black-and-white 100-foot rolls of film studying guests to his Factory between 1964-1966 — are among his most mesmerizing and beautiful (and painterly) work. They have been too rarely seen. Plexifilm has partnered with Pittsburgh’s Andy Warhol Museum for this first-ever official DVD release of 13 of the choicest screen tests, paired with a newly commissioned soundtrack by Dean Wareham and Britta Phillips.]]> Drink, drugs, dubious charm and general bad behavior To its credit, 'The Hangover' transfers to the audience the smelly, still-inebriated state that the title promises. Director Todd Phillips (Old School) is nothing if not relentless in his pursuit of a full sack of masculine stupidity at the hand of drink, drugs and the dubious charms of Las Vegas. Grade: B-.]]> Everyone takes Dan Brown way too seriously again Tom Hanks (sans his greasy 'Da Vinci Code' mullet) is back as Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, summoned by Vatican officials to help deal with a potential crisis. Though Dan Brown's 'Angels & Demons' book was written before 'Da Vinci,' a few knowing references here make it clear that the events in the movie post-date 'Da Vinci' and therefore the Church understands that Langdon knows his stuff. At its core, though, this is a movie about people racing around Rome trying to prevent an anti-matter explosion. Grade: C-.]]> Without a clear identity, 'Earth' is often merely a reminder of things that IMAX documentaries have done better. It manages a few gripping moments, but it might actually be most fascinating watching the filmmakers at their risk-taking work during the closing credits. Grade C.]]> Best-selling book gets fair treatment on the big screen Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez’s best-seller about how he befriended and tried to help a talented but mentally ill homeless man who loves to play classical music on the streets isn't an easy book to film. But the film, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, surprisingly gets a fair portion of it right. Grade: B. ]]> Sam Raimi returns to his horror roots with stellar results Co-written with his brother Ivan, Sam Raimi crafts an enormously enjoyable house of cinematic horrors that is at turns funny, campy, shocking and scary. He uses everything in his bag of cinematic tricks to create a fast-paced, 'Twilight Zone'-styled horror movie that continuously goes much further than you might expect. Grade: A.]]> Pixar's latest is high on the emotional scale 'Up' explicitly captures Pixar's more adult scope in that it's the studio's first film with exclusively human protagonists. There are no superheroes, humanized machines or talking animals. They've opened the doors of the animated world and let in a broad new range of emotions that will become the foundation for even more rollicking adventures. Grade: A.]]> 2007, Not Rated Herk Harvey’s classic 1962 low-budget horror flick Carnival of Souls is twisted into an odd, disquieting but ultimately unsatisfying thriller in the new effort from German filmmaker Christian Petzold. Nina Hoss stars as the titular Yella, who decides to flee her abusive husband in the countryside for a new life and job in the city. ]]> 1940, Rated G Walt Disney ran into roadblocks with Bambi. Struggling with the script and overall structure, he delayed its release and began work on Pinocchio — a story from Italian author Carlo Collodi about the adventures of a wooden puppet who becomes a real boy. But Disney again strained over the script, revising and tweaking a story that was episodic in nature.]]> 1959, Not Rated A piece of legendary television history, long considered lost but discovered and restored by the Archive of American Television, makes its DVD debut with its crackling, electrifying energy intact. Budd Schulberg wrote What Makes Sammy Run?, a portrait of venal and ignorant but desperately striving, hustling Hollywood studio boss Sammy Glick, way back in 1941.]]> Nia Vardalos' return falls flat Nia Vardalos, along with husband-and-wife producers Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson, hit the big time by accident with 'My Big Fat Greek Wedding,' so they figure, 'Let's try it again.' This time, Vardalos is an uptight American with a degree in ancient history who is slumming as a tour guide in Greece because she can't find a university job.]]> Wallows in genre pleasures and avoids a Pixar comparison Creature features, alien invasions, 3-D gimmickry: From start to finish, 'Monsters Vs. Aliens' celebrates some of the staples of the 1950s B movie. And in a way that's perfectly fitting, because maybe it's time to start giving the unapologetic genre picture some credit again. Grade: B.]]> Tedious thriller is too tame Derek Charles (Idris Elba) is a successful investment banker with a beautiful wife (Beyonce Knowles) and a young son. His wife was his assistant, and everyone points out his history as a single player around the office, but he points out at every turn that he has retired his jersey happily thanks to the love of his good woman. Grade: F.]]> (Flicker Alley) 1927-1933, Not Rated Flicker Alley, a leading curator, restorer and distributor of lost and forgotten cinema gems, digs up a particularly niche bunch for its latest collection. Under Full Sail: Silent Cinema on the High Seas details early celluloid depictions of the grand vessels that sailed the world’s waterways at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. The five films (one full-length and four shorts, all excellent transfers) are snapshots of a forgotten time when mammoth ships with masts to the heavens took seafarers to adventure.]]> The Wayans family falls down The next generation of the Wayans family storm the gates of Hollywood in this urban interracial romance dance spoof from the fountain of Wayans family pens. A big family reunion obviously took place on set, but someone certainly forgot to bring a fresh supply of jokes. Grade D-. ]]> Pixar's latest is high on the emotional scale 'Up' explicitly captures Pixar's more adult scope in that it's the studio's first film with exclusively human protagonists. There are no superheroes, humanized machines or talking animals. They've opened the doors of the animated world and let in a broad new range of emotions that will become the foundation for even more rollicking adventures. Grade: A.]]> Ben Stiller sequel is a losing battle I never saw the first 'Night at the Museum,' but there are times when you just know everything you need to know about a movie from a trailer, especially those aimed at the broadest audience possible. And this latest installment looks just as silly, mainly because I've come to realize that I just don't have a thing for Ben Stiller's brand of humor. Grade D. ]]> A satisfying romantic comedy The filmmakers behind 'The Proposal' didn't even try to find a new premise. They found something that had worked before and changed a few of the other details. And the fact that it actually worked again says everything about the virtues of simple execution. Grade: B.]]> Jack Black and Michael Cera essentially play themselves in lifeless comedy 'Year One' features the hyper-stylized flow of Jack Black and the more laidback comic science of Michael Cera as a pair of pre-historic dudes bumrushing their way through the less-than-epic first era of Man. Problems abound in this tone-deaf mix, beginning with the fact that Zed (Black) and Oh (Cera), besides being completely incompetent as hunters and gatherers — the only jobs available at the time in their village — aren't even thinly disguised versions of the actors. Grade: D-.]]> Although the filmmaker fumbles with connecting Noel Coward and Cole Porter tunes to the film's narrative fabric, director Stephan Elliott wisely plays to the seething conflict between Larita (Jessica Biel) and Mrs. Whitaker (Kristen Scott Thomas). Restrained in its execution, 'Easy Virtue' is a nearly bawdy take on women's liberation in a post-Victorian England just before the Great Depression. Grade B-.]]> You can call it updating or re-imagining or anything else you want, but the new Brad Silberling take on the Sid and Marty Kroft classic Land of the Lost is, at its core, lost. That’s the plain a]]> Set in the Belle Epoque era of the late 1800s, Michelle Pfeiffer plays Lea, an aging high-society courtesan whose romantic dabblings with a young stud named Cheri (Rupert Friend) lead to a certain ennui of requited lust for the aged Lea, whose life plan was not as thoroughly conceived as she imagined. Pfeiffer momentarily teases the oh-so-droll drama from its dull-witted eroticism from time to time, but the overall effect is that of stale chocolate. Grade: C.]]> Larry David, of 'Seinfeld' and 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' fame, is an acquired taste I no doubt won't ever wholly embrace. That being said, I had far less difficulty than you might imagine giving Woody Allen's latest film, 'Whatever Works,' the benefit of the doubt despite the presence of David as Boris Yellnikoff, a pompous boor. Grade: B-.]]> While rife with period detail and often shot at authentic locations, 'Public Enemies' doesn't possess the visceral jolt of director Michael Mann's best films, all of which pulsate with the technologically informed rhythms of modern life. Yet Mann almost makes us believe that Public Enemy No. 1 John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) will live forever. And, in a sense, he has. Grade: B-.]]> Younger moviegoers in search of thoughtful, literate romantic comedies that credit them for being intelligent and sensitive might respond strongly to 'Away We Go,' directed by Sam Mendes ('Revolutionary Road,' 'American Beauty') from a screenplay by husband-and-wife writers Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida. Grade: B.]]> Nick Cassavetes' three-hankie weepy lurches during its music-video sequences and gratuitous voice-over narration from members of the Fitzgerald family as they struggle with their terminally ill daughter Kate (well played by Sofia Vassilieva). Yet, in spite of some of its less-than-elegant editorial decisions, 'My Sister's Keeper' is full of terrific performances. Grade: B.]]> The Wrecking Crew is a term — which has become part of Rock history lore — for the younger, talented session musicians who arrived in Los Angeles as the city was becoming a center for such gifted, ambitious Rock & Roll and 1960s-Pop producers/arrangers/artists as Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Jimmy Webb, Herb Alpert, Lee Hazlewood, Lou Adler, Bones Howe (the Fifth Dimension) and many more. Cincinnati World Cinema presents this documentary Sunday and Monday at The Carnegie in Covington. Grade: B-plus.]]> Nothing I or any other critic can say about this movie will have even the slightest impact on the summer blockbuster crowds starving for a real tent-pole, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to direct moviegoers from seeing this epic monstrosity from the king of epic monstrosities, Michael Bay. Grade: F.]]>