In Theatre

Reading the movie credits, it is apparent that it takes a lot of people to make a film. Aside from the typical jobs like director and actor, there are plenty of jobs that might make you raise an eyebrow. You can rest assured that each person listed has a pretty important job on set.

Many of these jobs are related to the electrical work on stage. For instance, a gaffer is an electrician who handles all the plans and grips on set. He or she will pay attention to the type of lighting the Read the rest of this entry »

One of the most common mistakes movie characters seem to make is wearing high heels in the first place. Heels are fine for going on a date, but who wears them camping? They always have to run, and they always seem to fall down and sit there rubbing their ankle and screaming while waiting to be butchered.

This goes right along with mistake number two, running through the woods and making as much noise as possible with the rustling and crying as they run. Climb Read the rest of this entry »

Few actors have portrayed a more wide variety of quirky characters than Johnny Depp. He seems to search for roles in which he can display a character’s “individuality.” In his latest effort, “The Tourist,” he plays a relatively normal math-teacher. But a quick look back shows that, for Depp, normal in not the norm.

Of course his quirkiest role was as poor Edward Scissorhands… or was that Willie Wonka…or Captain Jack Sparrow… you get the idea. Even when his Read the rest of this entry »

Not every actor makes a strong impression the first time out. As filmmaking has evolved, glamour has become less a part of the “star quality” that draws people to the theater. Today, it’s more about acting chops, and that sometimes takes a while to develop. Moviegoers who saw the Coen Brothers’ version of “True Grit” were treated to an impressive acting debut recently in the person of Haliee Steinfeld, who plays the precocious Mattie Ross.

In her first outing Steinfeld showed that she can carry a scene, as when she bargains for her murdered father’ Read the rest of this entry »

As many adults know, there are plenty of anime movies out there not suitable for children, but what many don’t know is the plethora of anime for children that adults will also enjoy. Some titles that are family friendly include the many works of Hayao Miyazaki’s, such as “My Neighbor Totoro” and “Ponyo”, which mostly center on children discovering a world beyond their own, Katsuhiro Otomo’s “Steamboy” (though this does have some violent scenes toward the end), and Hiroyuki Morito’s “The Cat Returns”. Miyazaki’s main characters are for the most part girls aged Read the rest of this entry »

• Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (March 25): Although the first adaptation of the popular middle-school graphic novel series garnered mixed reviews, Roger Ebert rated the film three-and-a-half out of four stars. The sequel is based on the second book in the series and revolves around main character Greg Heffley and his torturous older brother, Rodrick. When Rodrick finds Heffley’s original diary (the recorded story of the first film), the conflict between the brothers is ratcheted up to the next level. The actor who plays Greg, Zachary Gordon, has appeared in television shows as varied as How I Met Your Mother, Ni Hao, Kai-lan, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold, all available from Direct TV Indiana dealers, along with all other Direct TV locations.
• Scream 4 (April 15): Director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson return to their popular horror series with the intent of starting up another trilogy. David Arquette, Courteney Cox, and Neve Campbell return from the first trilogy, this time joined by Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, and Rory Culkin. The film will parody the endless commercialization of the horror industry. Read the rest of this entry »

Anybody under the age of 40 had to be asking themselves why we’re getting a new “Green Hornet” movie when they first found out. That’s after they looked him up to find out who he was, of course. The pulp-fiction hero of the ’30s and ’40s hasn’t had a presence in mainstream pop-culture since the 1966-1967 television series, which was more notable for introducing Bruce Lee to American audiences than anything else. For some reason, though, starting in the 1990s, big-name writers started batting around screenplay ideas, with George Clooney attached at one point to play the lead. The result, after more than a decade, is Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet. Read the rest of this entry »

With big American blockbusters dominating the current theater scene, it’s important to remember that there are still some independent and foreign films on the market worth your time. Here are a few that might catch your interest.

• The Secret in Their Eyes is an Argentine mystery by director Juan Jos Campanella. While set in 1999, it flashes back to 1974 when a federal agent begins to investigate the murder of a young woman. Campanella had previously directed episodes of House and Law & Order, but this film shows him at his best, and has already won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Don’t let this one pass you by.
• City Island is a limited-release American comedy film set in the Bronx location of the same name. Stars include such big names as Andy Garcia, Julianna Margulies, and Alan Arkin. The plot follows an Italian family named the Rizzos hiding some big secrets, like an illegitimate son and what the daughter is doing when she’s supposed to be in college. Overall, this film focuses on the importance of family, and could provide a smart and touching alternative to the standard family fare. Read the rest of this entry »

Hollywood has been entranced by remakes for about a decade now, and comic books have also become increasingly popular sources of inspiration. Here is a look at some of the films out now that you may recognize from somewhere else.

• The Karate Kid is a remake of the 1984 film by Rocky director John G. Avildsen. The new film comes from the director of Agent Cody Banks, Harald Zwart, and stars Jackie Chan and Will Smith’s son, Jaden Smith. The film looks like a classic tale of overcoming adversity and standing up for yourselfwith a healthy dose of kung-fu added in.
• The A-Team is another 80′s remake, this time of the popular television show which ran from 1983-1986 and launched the career of Mr. T. The military thriller follows a unique Army Special Forces unit attempting to recover their good name, and features cameos by some stars from the original show like Dwight Schultz and Dirk Benedict. For a slice of summer action, it will definitely fit the bill. Read the rest of this entry »

Now in its second week in theaters, Knight & Day debuted at 3 last weekend, coming in behind Toy Story 3 and the comedy ensemble piece Grown Ups.  Although the film marked the second pairing of Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz since 2001′s Vanilla Sky, the movie is falling hard below expectations.  It lost 9 in ticket sales after its first day and becoming the least-earning Tom Cruise action movie of the last 20 years.

Considering the attachment of director James Mangold (best known for hits Walk the Line and 3:10 to Yuma), this turn of events is equally surprising.  However, Mangold was not the first choice for the filmand neither were Cruise or Diaz.  The disparate list of considerations for Cruise’s role included comedians Adam Sandler and Chris Tucker, as well as more versatile star Gerard Butler.  In a similar turn, Diaz took over for Eva Mendes.  Tom Dey, the director of Shanghai Noon and Failure to Launch, was originally signed on for the project.  What did he choose instead?  Family comedy Marmaduke, which has been gaining even more scathing reviews.

Things aren’t all bad, however.  Cruise’s and Diaz’s on-screen chemistry has been praised, as well as Cruise’s strong solo performance.  The film is not catching on with younger viewers, though, perhaps because of the age of the two stars.  In that respect, maybe the similar romantic-action-comedy Killers will perform better, despite its even lower reviews.  That film stars Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl, both of whom have a strong teen fanbase thanks to shows like That ’70s Show and Grey’s Anatomy, respectively.  If you’re looking for a fluffy summer film, you could just take your pick, but you may feel more adult if you go with Knight & Day.