 For those who dig stargazing, Ocean's Eleven must have seemed like a gift from heaven. Featuring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Julia Roberts, and Don Cheadle, and directed by the always interesting Steven Soderbergh, it was a heist movie with some good laughs and a sleek design. Ocean's Twelve may have been of a trifle, but it got by on the sheer fun of watching a bunch of big name stars having a good time. Now the gang is back (sans Roberts) with Ocean's Thirteen, and critics say it's loaded with the same stylish, unpretentious charm as the first two. This time, the crew plots to undermine a big-time casino mogul, played by Al Pacino, who swindled one of the gang. Ocean's Thirteen may not be the height of cinematic profundity, but pundits say it's a slick, entertaining piece of mainstream entertainment.
With the release of Saw and Hostel, critics devised a label for the sub-genre of particularly grisly slasher flicks: torture porn. Within this sub-set, Eli Roth is emerging as an auteur; in addition to his howlingly funny (and completely depraved) fake trailer for Thanksgiving in Grindhouse, Roth brings us Hostel: Part II. Yet again, American college students fall into the clutches of sicko Europeans obsessed with torture. Critics say that while many will be repulsed by what they see (if they see Hostel: Part II at all), Roth's filmmaking craftsmanship has markedly improved, with better developed characters and some sly political commentary -- in addition to oodles of gore. But other critics say Roth's work is still in service to brutally disgusting material.
Can't get enough of cinematic penguins? How about animated penguins? Well, if March of the Penguins and Happy Feet didn't sate your appetite for the antics of those well-dressed, flightless residents of Antarctica, now comes Surf's Up. Sort of a Waiting for Guffman for the kiddie set, the movie goes behind the scenes -- mockumentary style -- at the Penguin World Surfing Championships, where young upstart Cody Maverick (voiced by Shia LaBeouf) hopes to make a splash. The critics say many of the gags will soar like eagles over the heads of the little ones, but Surf's Up is a laid-back, witty frolic. Find out what else is playing this week. |
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