reviews

'Men in Black 3': What the Critics Think of Will Smith's Sci-Fi Sequel

May 25, 2012 By Brent Lang 21 hours ago

Roger Ebert, Peter Travers and A.O. Scott are among the top critics sounding off on "Men in Black 3"

  

'Moonrise Kingdom' Review: Wes Anderson's Sad-Tweens Tale Engaging, Deadpan-Funny

May 23, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 2 days ago

While it won’t win over detractors who think that Wes Anderson’s work is precious and fussy, "Moonrise Kingdom" does see the filmmaker firmly rooted in his comfort zone

  

'Men in Black 3' Review: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones Drag Down a Cool Party

May 22, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 3 days ago

If the marquee names are going to phone it in this flagrantly, why not reboot the franchise with Josh Brolin and “SNL” star Jay Pharoah?

  

'Battleship': What the Critics Think of Taylor Kitsch's Naval Adventure

May 18, 2012 By Brent Lang 1 week ago

America's critics fall over each other trying to sink Peter Berg's "Battleship"

  

'What to Expect' Review: All the Appeal of Pickles and Ice Cream

May 17, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 1 week ago

There’s an OK drama buried within the hacky sitcom clichés of this idiotic, all-star comedy that’s as funny as post-partum depression

  

'Battleship' Review: Sheer Adrenaline Keeps Dopey Action Epic Afloat

May 17, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 1 week ago

Peter Berg’s big-budget board game adaptation is as ridiculous as you expect, but it’s never dull

  

Adam Lambert CD Review: 'Trespassing' Shows Us the True, Naked Adam

May 15, 2012 By Chris Willman 1 week ago

Lambert vows to show fans his naked self, but ditching rock to overemphasize electronic dance production leaves his musical personality undetermined 

  

Lisa Marie Presley CD Review: The Best Thing Any Presley Has Done Since 'Suspicious Minds'

May 15, 2012 By Chris Willman 1 week ago

The King's daughter, trespassing into T Bone Burnett territory, finds her voice on "Storm & Grace"

  

Willie Nelson CD Review: His Son Also Rises in Duets-Heavy 'Heroes'

May 15, 2012 By Chris Willman 1 week ago

Snoop Dogg, Sheryl Crow and Merle Haggard all show up on Willie's mostly satisfying new album, but it's really a torch-passing exercise 

  

'The Dictator' Review: Laughs Keep Sacha Baron Cohen's Shaky Regime Afloat

May 15, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 1 week ago

Sasha Baron Cohen’s latest is a scattershot mess, but the film delivers enough solid gags to keep audiences from revolting

  

'Glee' CD Review: Po(m)p and Circumstance-Themed 'Graduation'

May 14, 2012 By Chris Willman 1 week ago

The song selection on "Glee's" set of valedictory songs isn't bad, though you're better off using the track list as a guide to download original versions for your own graduation party

  

'Where Do We Go Now?' Review: Political Tale Can't Figure Out If It's a Satire

May 11, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 2 weeks ago

Nadine Labaki’s inventive satire of Middle East politics that won Toronto's audience awards makes bold comic statements but collapses when tragedy erupts

  

'Dark Shadows': What the Critics Think of Johnny Depp's Latest

May 11, 2012 By Brent Lang 2 weeks ago

The reviews are in for Tim Burton's adaptation of the campy soap opera "Dark Shadows," and the response is chilly

  

'God Bless America' Review: Dark Satire Curdles into Cranky Rant

May 10, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 2 weeks ago

Writer-director Bobcat Goldthwait’s jeremiad against reality TV feels preachy, ponderous and about five years out of date

  

'Dark Shadows' Review: It's Not Just the Vampire That Sucks in Tim Burton's Retread

May 10, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 2 weeks ago

Johnny Depp’s courtly vampire provides the only laughs in this leaden misfire of the "Dark Shadows" pop-culture reboot

  

Sara Watkins CD Review: Fiddling While 'Sun Midnight Sun' Burns Brilliantly

May 8, 2012 By Chris Willman 2 weeks ago

A Fiona Apple duet and songs by Willie Nelson and Dan Wilson help ex-Nickel Creek member Sara Watkins come up with the year's best Americana album

  

'The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' Review: A Sweet and Funny Fantasy for Retirees

May 3, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 3 weeks ago

Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and an all-star cast of Brits get their groove back in a ramshackle retirement home in India

  

'A Little Bit of Heaven' Review: 107 Minutes of Cutesy, Cancerous Hell

May 3, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 3 weeks ago

Kate Hudson vehicle marries the worst of rom-com whimsy with the deadliest pretty-girl-with-cancer clichés

  

'Smash' Soundtrack Review: Everything's Coming Up Skimpy

May 1, 2012 By Chris Willman 3 weeks ago

The curiously short soundtrack is a sampler that particularly stiffs fans of the Marilyn Monroe-themed show-within-a-show "Smash"

  

George Harrison Review: 'Early Takes' Puts a Gorgeous, Stripped-Down Spin on 'All Things'

May 1, 2012 By Chris Willman 3 weeks ago

The ex-Beatle's demos and early takes from "All Things Must Pass" offer a stripped-down alternative to the Phil Spector treatment they got in 1970

  

'The Avengers' Review: A Satisfying Super-Hero Sandwich

May 1, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 3 weeks ago

In "The Avengers," director Joss Whedon gets the Marvel Comics super-team the same way that Spielberg and Lucas understood serials in “Raiders of the Lost Ark”

  

Carrie Underwood Review: 'Blown Away' Doesn't Kick Up More Than a Breeze

May 1, 2012 By Chris Willman 3 weeks ago

Although she's in typically expert vocal form, Underwood doesn't offer much sense of a real emotional or musical personality on her scattershot fourth album

  

'The Pirates! Band of Misfits' Review: This Clay Play Goes Overboard But Gets the Booty

April 27, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 4 weeks ago

The latest Aardman Animations adventure is silly enough for kids and smart enough for their parents, but it gets a bit frantic by the end

 

  

'The Five-Year Engagement' Review: Too Long, But Worth the Commitment

April 26, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 4 weeks ago

Jason Segel and his “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” collaborator score with another hilariously prickly and poignant look at relationships

  

'Safe' Review: Jason Statham Gives This B-Movie Some A-Movie Cred

April 26, 2012 By Alonso Duralde 4 weeks ago

British action star Jason Statham keeps the adrenaline pumping as he protects a young girl from corrupt cops and Russian and Chinese mobsters in "Safe"

 

  

Jack White CD Review: 'Blunderbuss' Spins Gold Out of Girl Trouble

April 24, 2012 By Chris Willman 4 weeks ago

White's first solo album has a bit of a bad attitude about women, even as his all-female band helps drive the diversified rockers home

  
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