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About This Blog
Movies editors Dawn Burkes and Holly Warren offer views, news and nuggets on all things movies. July 2009
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Brace yourself, Texas: Bruno arrives July 10 'Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen' opens tonight FINALLY saw Up -- and I'm still crying Categories
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July 2, 2009
Photo: The one and only Sacha Baron Cohen The entry "Brace yourself, Texas: Bruno arrives July 10" is tagged: Bruno , Sacha Baron Cohen July 1, 2009
Johnny Depp returns to the big screen today as larger-then-life gangster, John Dillinger. Rounding out the cast: Academy Award winning actress Marion Cotillard and Christian Bale. Read the review and get showtimes for Public Enemies. Also hitting theaters today is Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs in 3D and plain old fashioned 2D. The animated gang is back with the voices of Denis Leary, Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Simon Pegg, Queen Latifah. Read the review and get showtimes for Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs. | Get 3D showtimes. The entry "New releases for July 1" is tagged: Ice Age 3 , Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs , new releases , Public Enemies June 23, 2009
(Read Media Critic Tom Maurstad's review.) MovieTickets.com reports that it has already broken into their list of the Top-25 Pre-sellers of All-Time, with 600 sold out performances nationwide including 274 midnight showings. It gained its spot by bumping its predecessor (2007's Transformers) off the list. Update: MovieTickets.com is reporting over 1,000 sellouts as of 5 p.m., including 600 midnight showings But never fear. Midnight is for wimps What about a 3 a.m.? Two Cinemark theaters -- Cinemark Megaplex 17 and Tinseltown Plano -- will be showing Revenge of the Fallen for 24 hours straight. In Dallas, it will be in the IMAX theater; in Plano, it will be in the XD auditorium. Or if you're really in the mood for a dose of "firsties," be part of the first audience at Garland's newest IMAX theater at AMC Firewheel 18. The entry "'Tranformers: Revenge of the Fallen' opens tonight" is tagged: new releases , Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen June 18, 2009
The entry "New releases for June 19" is tagged: Enlighten Up! , Food Inc. , new releases , Sleep Dealer , The Merry Gentleman , The Proposal , Yer One June 15, 2009
Am I the only one who couldn't stop crying after seeing Up? I know that the point of this exquisite Pixar film was not to make me weep but to show how life must move on after death (and disappointment). But I found it so sad! While Disney has a grand tradition of killing off a beloved figure in the film, usually, with the exception of Bambi's mother, it happens before you get TOO attached. Here Carl spends a lifetime with his beloved Ellie. And I don't know, maybe it's because I just had a wonderful visit with my parents who have been married 66 years and can't conceive of being without each other, but this was a scenario I struggled with emotionally. Which is not to say that struggle is a bad thing, but still -- any thoughts? The entry "FINALLY saw Up -- and I'm still crying" is tagged: Disney , Pixar , Up June 11, 2009
The entry "New releases for June 12" is tagged: Away We Go , Imagine That , Little Ashes , new releases , O'Horten , Outrage , The Taking of Pelham 123 May 28, 2009
The entry "New releases for May 29" is tagged: Anvil! The Story of Anvil , Drag Me to Hell , Lemon Tree , new releases , Treeless Mountain , Up May 22, 2009
Photo: Faye Dunaway in Bonnie and Clyde The entry "Bonnie and Clyde at the Texas Theatre " is tagged: Bonnie and Clyde , Faye Dunaway , Morgan Fairchild , Robert Benton , Warren Beatty
The entry "New releases for May 22" is tagged: Dance Flick , Every Little Step , new releases , Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian , Summer Hours , Terminator Salvation , The Brothers Bloom , The Girlfriend Experience May 8, 2009
Photo: A scene from Letters for Jenny The entry "Nobly, Jewish Film Festival comes to a close " is tagged: A Touch Away , Beau Jest , Jewish Film Festival , Letters for Jenny , The Debt
If you're planning on seeing Valentino: The Last Emperor, you might want to plan on going this weekend. Director Matt Tymauer will be on hand for question-and-answer sessions following all of the Saturday showings and for the 2:10 and 4:45 p.m. shows on Sunday. Read an interview by former DMN fashion writer David Ninh with the director: Behind the scenes on Matt Tyrnauer's documentary, 'Valentino: The Last Emperor' The entry "Q&A with 'Valentino' director this weekend" is tagged: events , Q&A , Valentino: The Last Emperor May 7, 2009
I went in to this movie hoping to be wowed, but prepared to be disappointed. I mean, there was just so much that could go wrong. For where there is potential for greatness, there is such potential for suckage. There wasn't much middle ground. And yet? Greatness. Everything, from the sound to the lighting to the sheer scope of the sets, just blew me away. Abrams and the cast nailed the right balance: funny but not campy, dramatic but not taking itself too seriously, either. While I'll admit to being a big Trek fan from TNG and beyond, I've never seen more than a few minutes of an episode from the original series. (And as for the movies? I have two words for you: Ear. Worm.) But I never felt lost or let out of the inside joke. I mean, c'mon: Trek fan or no, it's nearly impossible to have no cultural reference for the show or films. Oh, yeah, and there are some other movies out this week, too. The entry "New releases for May 8: 'Trek' edition" is tagged: new releases , Next Day Air , Skills Like This , Star Trek , The Limits of Control , Tyson , Valentine: The Last Emporer , Valentino: The Last Emperor May 6, 2009
And TV has embraced its dorkier side from Chuck and The Big Bang Theory to Heroes and Lost. If the world of entertainment is any indication, the geeks shall inherit the Earth. Programs like CBS' The Big Bang Theory" are indicative of the coolness of geeks and nerds in pop culture. And from the Associated Press: It took just a few seconds of footage - a single trailer, dropped from the heavens with great fanfare - for the hue and cry to rise on Trekmovie.com, the top fan site for J.J. Abrams' new "Star Trek" movie. By the hundreds they weighed in, a contentious cacophony that would have jammed even Lt. Uhura's comms system. Admittedly, this trend isn't as new as recent stories would have you believe. Heroes and Lost have both been going strong for some time. The big screen has embraced its nerd cred during the past few summer. I'm looking at you, Iron Man, The Dark Knight, and 300. But the interesting thing is it's still happening. It hasn't fizzled out yet, and (if Mr. Abrams has anything to say about it) it won't be any time soon. There's also the question of why. Why now, why so popular, why why why? Ultimately, it comes down to the dollar. If one comic book or graphic novel film does well, the studio throws even more money at the next one. So did all the '90s honor students score the high-paying jobs that lead to lots of disposable income? Or has the mainstream audience finally learned that "speculative fiction" actually just means "really cool story?" The entry "Geek is the new chic" is tagged: Star Trek , summer movies , X-Men Origins: Wolverine April 30, 2009
Did you see Wolverine at midnight? Then it's your turn to be the critic. Let the clamoring masses know what they can expect. Should we be running to the theaters, or saving our pennies and time for Star Trek next week?
The entry "Summer movie season begins: New releases for May 1" is tagged: Battle of Terra , Ghosts of Girlfriends past , Is Anybody There? , Lymelife , new releases , X-Men Origins: Wolverine April 29, 2009
Photo: Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff The entry "Texas Theatre to show The Hunchback of Notre Dame " is tagged: Jason Roberts , Lon Chaney , Texas Theatre April 23, 2009
Photo: A scene from Beau Jest The entry "Beau Jest: Next up at the Jewish Film Festival " is tagged: Beau Jest , Jewish Community Center of Dallas , Jewish Film Festival , Lemon Tree April 20, 2009
Photo: Russell Crowe in State of Play. The entry "Two new movies address print journalism " is tagged: Jamie Foxx , Russell Crowe , State of Play , The Soloist April 17, 2009
The entry "New releases for April 17" is tagged: 17 Again , American Violet , Crank: High Voltage , Gigantic , new releases , Paris 36 , Spinning Into Butter , State of Play , Tokyo! April 10, 2009
Just want to give a big shout out of thanks to those girls from Lake Highlands who stayed after the screening to give me their impressions of Hannah Montana: The Movie, which we then featured in a quote board with the review. Rebecca Grunewald, Sydney Lacey, Amanda and Mackenzie Fugate, Katherine McCoy, Sydney Schnurrenberger, Danielle Sullivan -- you really helped me "get it"! And here's one thing I didn't have room for in the review: Danielle's amazing story of running into Miley Cyrus in Franklin, Tennessee. Franklin is not only where Miley was born, it was where she filmed the movie. Evidently, just as in the movie, when Miley is treated like a regular girl and not like superstar Hannah Montana when she goes back to Tennessee, no one rushed up to Miley for autographs or snapped her picture there, not even Danielle, who is a very big fan. Danielle and her mom, Lori Sullivan, ran into Miley with her mom in a store where Miley was trying on outfits, while the boy playing Travis was sitting outside waiting for them with that expression boys have when they are waiting for girls to finish trying on clothes. In Danielle's own words (which she wrote down for me after the screening): "As I was visiting Franklin, Tennessee I saw Miley and "Travis" from the movie!! So I was super excited to see the movie." So, we know what our Lake Highlands team thought of the film. What do you think? The entry "Thanks, Lake Highlands, for helping me with Hannah Montana!" is tagged: Franklin , Hannah Montana , Hannah Montana: The Movie , Lake Highlands , Miley Cyrus , Tennessee
The entry "New releases April 10" is tagged: Dragonball Evolution , Everlasting Moments , Good , Hannah Montana: The Movie , Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 , new releases , Observe and Report , The Black Balloon April 3, 2009
The entry "New releases for April 3" is tagged: 12 , Adventureland , Alien Trespass , Beauty in Trouble , Fast and Furious , new releases , Sin Nombre , The Edge of Love , The Great Buck Howard March 30, 2009
Did you and your kids see Monsters vs. Aliens this weekend? Did the female empowerment theme register? Or was it enough that it was funny with terrific 3D special effects? Talk parent to parent about it on the Dallas Moms blog. The entry "Monsters vs. Aliens conquered the box office, but what did your kids think about it?" is tagged: Monsters vs. Aliens March 20, 2009
It looks like a promising weekend for new movies. Romance! Action! Comedy! Drama! Or as I like to call it: I good time to enjoy a movie away from the kids. Don't worry, little ones. You'll get your chance next week with Monsters vs. Aliens. Edge of Love, which we were expecting to open this week, was pushed back to April 3. The entry "New releases for March 20" is tagged: Duplicity , I Love You Man , Knowing , new releases , Sunshine Cleaning March 13, 2009
The entry "New releases for March 13" is tagged: Crossing Over , Miss March , Phoebe in Wonderland , Race to Witch Mountain , The Last House on the Left , The Secrets March 9, 2009
What is shocking, at least to me, is how fast the mighty Jonas Bros. have fallen. Opening weekend, they couldn't edge out Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail, which was in its second week. Okay, no big deal. Perry's got a huge following. But week 2? Nick and Co. are #9? Hannah Montana's 3D concert film raked in $31 million on its opening weekend and ran for 15 weeks. Jonas? Opened with $12 million. How long can they hold out? The entry "Who watches the 'Watchmen'? More than watch the Jonas Brothers, it seems" is tagged: 300 , box office , Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience , Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail , Watchmen March 6, 2009
The entry "New releases for March 6" is tagged: Familiar Strangers , Gomorrah , new releases , Watchmen February 27, 2009
Now we know the Jonas Brothers are getting a lot of love lately, but this item from Common Sense Media really caught our attention. Not only have they given the Jonas Brothers a 2008 Common Sense Media "Onnie" Award for serving as "strong positive role models for kids and teens," they're working on a 25 Things We love About the Jonas Brothers list. (They've got five reasons posted, they're looking for 20 more). So, what say you Jonas fans, big and small? Can you tell us 25 things you love about the Jonas Brothers before the Common Sense list is complete? The entry "Why Parents Love the Jonas Brothers" is tagged: Common Sense Media , Jonas Brothers
The entry "New releases for Feb. 27" is tagged: Echelon Conspiracy , Jonas Brothers , Jonas Brothers: The 3-D Concert Experience , new releases , Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun-Li , Two Lovers February 20, 2009
The entry "New releases for Feb. 20" is tagged: Fired Up , The Betrayal , The Class , Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail , Wendy and Lucy February 19, 2009
The entry "The ending of The Boy in the Striped Pajamas " is tagged: Oscars , The Boy in the Striped Pajamas , the Holocaust February 16, 2009
Poor Jensen Ackles turn in My Bloody Valentine 3-D raked in $21.2 million in its opening weekend and has only doubled that during its month-long run so far. So what did you see this weekend? The entry "'Friday the 13th' slays at the box office" is tagged: box office , friday the 13th , My Blood Valentine 3D February 13, 2009
The entry "New releases for Feb. 13" is tagged: Confessions of a Shopaholic , Friday the 13th , new releases , The Internataional , Under the Sea 3-D February 6, 2009
The entry "New releases for Feb. 6" is tagged: Coraline , He's Just Not That Into You , new releases , Push , The Pink Panther 2 January 30, 2009
Mea Culpa. The Univited DID in fact screen in advance for critics. Just not far enough in advance to get a review in the GuideDaily section. You can read the review now at the link above. And color me shocked, but wow - a B+? I had a hard time keeping The Uninvited and The Unborn straight in my head. But it looks like maybe the Uninvited might be worth my time: Some of us over the age of 30 remember when horror filmmakers made movies that didn't feature people getting their faces cut off by elaborate mechanical torture devices, or weird little girls who kill you by crawling out of your cellphone. The entry "New releases for Jan. 30" is tagged: New in Town , new releases , Taken , The Uninvited January 23, 2009
The Underword prequel was not screened for critics, which is seldom a good sign for a film. Sometimes the strength of the director's reputation (see: Tyler Perry) can carry a film without a review; other times, we are oddly surprised with how good a film is and just why on Earth did Paramount not want to screen Aeon Flux. So really, Underworld could go either a way. As a fan, I'm interested in another film. But as a fan, all I can think is "Didn't we see all of this in Michael's flashbacks? And where IS Scott Speedman? I know it's a prequel, but c'mon!" But I digress. Also speaking as a fangirl, I am all about Outlander. It's science fiction! With Vikings! And Jesus, I mean, Jim Caviezel! And fangirl favorites Sophia Myles (Doctor Who, Moonlight), Ron Perlman (Hellboy, Hellboy II: The Golden Army) and John Hurt (of the "John Hurt Moment" in Aliens). Considering that it's Starman meets Beowulf, there was/is a LOT of room for badness. I was full prepared for disappointment. We'll see if Cary Darling's review holds up. The entry "New releases for Jan. 23" is tagged: Inkheart , new releases , Outlander , Underworld: Rise of the Lycans , Waltz With Bashir January 16, 2009
The entry "New releases for Jan. 16" is tagged: Chandni Chowk to China , Che , Defiance , Hotel for Dogs , Last Chance Harvey , My Blood Valentine 3D , new releases , Notorious , Paul Blart: Mall Cop January 2, 2009
Slow week at the multiplex, but better than usual. Typically, the first week of January is a barren wasteland of "You Best Go See Something That Came Out Last Week." Of course, January itself is typically a barren wasteland "No, Really. Go Catch Up on the Movies That Might Win an Award. Because None of These Will." It's where movie go to die. And with that happy thought: The entry "New release for Jan. 2" is tagged: new releases , Revolutionary Road December 29, 2008
Even in this tough economy, it looks like moviegoers found the time and the coin to head out to the theaters this holiday weekend: Audiences wanted to see pretty much everything over the holiday weekend. Revenues had plunged the previous two weekends, but Hollywood ended the year on a high note as the top 12 movies took in $182.5 million, up 8 percent from the same weekend in 2007. (Read the rest of the story here.) There were a lot of big hitters this weekend: The family-friendly Marley and Me; a fanboy's dream with The Spirit; the romantic and fantastical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Did you go? What did you see? What did you think? C'mon, you know you want to talk about it. The entry "Big weekend at the box office" is tagged: new releases December 25, 2008
The entry "New releases for Dec. 25" is tagged: Bedtime Stories , Gran Torino , Marley and Me , new releases , The Curious Case of Benjamin Button , The Reader , The Spirit , Valkyrie December 23, 2008
Photo: Dustin Hoffman The entry "Gotta love that local connection (part 2)" is tagged: Dustin Hoffman , Jose Ferrer , Tootsie
In m Photo: Mickey Rourke in The Wrestler The entry "Gotta love that local connection!" is tagged: Dallas Cowboys , Mickey Rourke , The Wrestler December 18, 2008
The entry "New releases for Dec. 19" is tagged: A Secret , new releases , Seven Pounds , The Tale of Despereaux , Yes Man December 17, 2008
When I hadn't heard anything about this film until a few days before it opened, I figured it would flop. But this? This is a little impressive: From the Chicago Tribune: A philosophical question: If a film bombs at the box office, but almost no one is there to see it, is it still a bomb? The entry "Ouch: 'Delgo' least-attended film ever to open on 2,000 screens" is tagged: Delgo , flops , holiday movies December 12, 2008
The entry "New releases for Dec. 12" is tagged: Dark Streets , Delgo , Frost/Nixon , How About You , new releases , Nothing Like the Holidays , The Day The Earth Stood Still December 5, 2008
The entry "New releases for Dec. 5" is tagged: Cadillac Records , new releases , Nobel Son , Punisher: War Zone , Repo! The Genetic Opera November 26, 2008
From the "No 'Milk' for Cinemark" Facebook group: The CEO of Cinemark, Alan Stock, donated $9999 to the Yes on 8 Campaign, but now expects to profit from showing Milk in his theaters. More information available at "The No Milk for Cinemark" site. The entry ""No 'Milk' for Cinemark" calls for boycott of the theater chain" is tagged: Cinemark , Milk
No new movies this Friday. All the new flicks hit the screen today. Here's what's on the marquee: The entry "New releases for Nov. 26" is tagged: Australia , Four Christmases , Milk , new releases , Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom , Transporter 3 November 24, 2008
Okay, for those who saw Bolt this weekend -- is it just me, or is Bolt the Buzz Lightyear story redux? Remember how Buzz in Toy Story thought he was the real-life action hero as portrayed on television, until he finally learns that he's just a toy? And now we have Bolt, who thinks he's a real-life action dog, until he finds out he's just a dog? What do you think? Is it just the monosyllabic name beginning with a B that's throwing me off? The entry "Bolt Buzz" is tagged: Bolt , Buzz Lightyear , Toy Story November 21, 2008
Hellooooo, Twilight fans! Are you going to see it this weekend? Did you already see it at the early screening? Are you just OMG dying to talk about it? SO ARE WE. So join us at 4 p.m. Monday afternoon at DallasNews.com/livechat to talk about just how well the film translated to screen. Remember: 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24, at DallasNews.com/livechat. The entry "Twilight talk: Join us 4 p.m. Monday to chat" is tagged: chat , Twilight November 20, 2008
We've talked a lot (and I mean a LOT) about Twilight on this blog lately. To you non-teen-vampire fans: Thanks for sticking around. And you'll be pleased to know there are some strong candidates for you time and money this weekend. Not many choices, but good ones all the same from a French twist on the dysfunctional family holiday film (with bonus Catherine Deneuve!) and a Jean Claude Van-Damme film you don't have to be ashamed to enjoy: FYI - Next week's new flicks hit theaters on Wednesday, not Friday. The entry "New releases for Nov. 21" is tagged: A Christmas Tale , Bolt , JCVD , new releases , Slumdog Millionaire , Twilight
More stats from Fandango: The Top Ten Advance Ticket-Sellers on Fandango.com As of 2 p.m. today: Hundreds of tonight's midnight showtimes are already sold out. Theater owners are adding additional showtimes - some as late as 2:45 a.m. on Friday morning - to meet the demand for tickets.
The entry "'Twilight' advance tickets surpass 'Harry Potter' films" is tagged: ticket sales , Twilight November 14, 2008
The entry "New releases for Nov. 14" is tagged: Anita O'Day: The Life of a Jazz Singer , I've Loved You So Long , Let the Right One In , Morning Light , new releases , Quantum of Solace November 7, 2008
The entry "New releases for Nov. 7" is tagged: House , Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa , Midnight Movie , New releases , New York , Role Models , Soul Men , Synecdoche , The Boy in the Striped Pajamas October 31, 2008
The entry "New releases for Oct. 31" is tagged: August Evening , Happy-Go-Lucky , RockNRolla , The Haunting of Molly Hartley , Trouble the Water , Zack and Miri Make a Porno October 24, 2008
The entry "New releases for Oct. 24" is tagged: Ashes of Time Redux , Changeling , Filth and Wisdom , High School Musical 3 , Passengers , Pride and Glory , Saw V October 23, 2008
Keep an eye on the high school "juniors" introduced in the film, Matt Prokop, 18, and Justin Martin and Jemma McKenzie-Brown, both 14, especially as the Wall Street Journal reports that the Disney Channel has ordered a fourth movie ( the decision has not been made whether it will be released on T.V. or in theaters). So, what do you think? Tell us if you would see a High School Musical 4 with these teens as the new leads? I'm also wondering if they're holding out the possibility of Ashley Tisdale's Sharpay returning. The drama teacher does say that Sharpay may be coming back to help her in the drama department...Good idea -- or not? Check our our review and more HSM 3 coverage here. And don't forget to stick around for some funny outtakes during the credits. The entry "High School Musical: the next generation?" is tagged: Ashley Tisdale , Corbin Bleu , High School Musical 3 , Vanessa Hudgens , Wall Street Journal , Zac Efron October 14, 2008
Staff Writer Michael Granberry talks with actor Dennis Quaid about his latest film, The Express: The Ernie Davis Story, which reflects on the racism of the 1950s and 1960s in Dallas and elsewhere. Have you seen The Express? Do you think Dallas was fairly portrayed in the film? The entry "'The Express,' also starring the City of Dallas" is tagged: Dennis Quaid , Ernie Davis , Michael Granberry , The Express October 9, 2008
The entry "New releases for Oct. 10" is tagged: Bill: The Early Years , Body of Lies , City of Ember , Girl Cut in Two , Loins of Punjab Presents , Quarantine , The Express October 6, 2008
The entry "Simon Pegg talks with SMU journalism student" is tagged: How to Lose Friends and Alienate People , interview , Simon Pegg , video October 2, 2008
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua (C+) The entry "New releases for Oct. 3" is tagged: Allah Made Me Funny , An American Carol , Appaloosa , Battle in Seattle , Beverly Hills Chihuahua , Flash of Genius , How to Lose Friends and Alienate People , New releases , Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist , Religulous
Reuters reports: Film director Spike Lee has set off a storm in Italy with a movie about black American soldiers fighting alongside Italian partisans in World War Two. Miracle at St. Anna opened in Dallas on Sept. 26. The entry "Spike Lee's 'Miracle at St. Anna' angers Italy's surviving partisans" is tagged: Miracle at St. Anna , Spike Lee September 26, 2008
The entry "New releases for Sept. 26" is tagged: Another Gay Sequel: Gays Gone WIld , Choke , Eagle Eye , Fireproof , Miracle at St. Anna , new releases , Nights in Rodanthe , The Duchess , The Lucky Ones September 18, 2008
• Ghost Town (B+)
The entry "New releases for Sept. 19" is tagged: Chris and Don: A Love Story , Ghost Town , Igor , Lakeview Terrace , My Best Friend's Girlfriend , OSS 117: Cairo Nest of Spies , Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired , the Duchess , Towelhead September 16, 2008
Our story in today's GuideLive talks about a friendship cemented and celebrated at the movies. What about you -- what has movie-going meant to you and your friends? And while we're at it, what's your favorite movie about friendship? (Anyone suggesting Ben will be shunned, permanently.) Michael Merschel The entry "'The Women' and friendship onscreen" is tagged: moms out loud , the women September 12, 2008
War movies are tough. But when they're good, they bring home the sacrifice on the ground like nothing else. Beaufort, nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2008 Academy Awards, won four Israeli film awards for its unflinching portrayal of a 22-year-old Israeli outpost commander and his troops, who fight hard to occupy a fortress inside the Lebanon border, only to be told afterwards to destroy and leave the place. This Dallas premiere continues the International Jewish Film Festival of Dallas Saturday at 9 p.m. at the Angelika Plano. Tickets $10 in advance, $12 at the door. 214-739-2737. The entry "Jewish Film Festival continues with Beaufort" is tagged: Angelika Plano , Beaufort , International Jewish Film Festival of Dallas September 11, 2008
The entry "New releases for Sept. 12" is tagged: Burn After Reading , I Served the King of England , new releases , Proud American , Righteous Kill , Sixty Six , Surfer Dude , The Family That Preys , The Women , Up the Yangtze
She's Jewish, he's Muslim and their baby will be what? Check it out when the 12th Annual Jewish Film Festival of Dallas continues with the Dallas premiere of Bad Faith, a 2006 French comedy with its own unique Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? moments tonight at 7 p.m. at the Studio Movie Grill Dallas. The couple is easy on the eyes, too. Cécile De France, who won the best actress Étoile d'Or prize co-stars with Roshdy Zem, who also wrote and directed the movie. Tickets are available online, at the Aaron Family JCC, by phone at 214-739-2737 or at the theater one hour before showtime. The entry "Good 'Bad Faith'" is tagged: Bad Faith 12th Annual International Jewish Film Festival of Dallas , Cecile De France , Roshdy Zem , Studio Movie Grill September 9, 2008
The 12th Annual International Jewish Film Festival continues with Secrets tonight at 8 p.m. at the Angelika in Plano. And boy, does this film live up to its title. It begins quietly as the story of a very serious, very observant young Jewish woman who wants a little more time to study at a religious school before marrying the rabbinical student selected by her father. Then as she learns secrets about a rebellious roommate and a poor and emotionally needy woman near her school, she discovers secrets in herself that make her question who she is, what she wants and what she had previously thought of as right and wrong. This one is for adults only, with some nudity and gay themes. If anyone sees it, I'd love to know what you think. It was nominated for eight Israeli film awards. $10 in advance at 214-739-2731 or www.jccdallas.org, $12 at the door. The entry "Secrets revealed at Angelika Plano" is tagged: 12th Annual International Jewish Film Festival , Israel , Jewish Community Center of Dallas , Secrets September 5, 2008
The entry "New releases for Sept. 5" is tagged: America the Beautiful , Bangkok Dangerous , new releases , Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired , The Edge of Heaven August 28, 2008
Maybe its just me, but it seems like a bad sign -- or at least par for the course -- that the three biggest end-of-summer flicks weren't screened in advance for critics. Why, it's almost as if the studios wanted Babylon A.D., College and Disaster Movie. to slip under the radar! That said, just wait and see if all three of those don't find a spot in the box office top 10 by Monday morning. Did you catch any of these films? Am I right or wrong? The entry "New releases for Aug. 29" is tagged: A Man Named Pearl , Babylon A.D. , College , Disaster Movie , Hamlet 2 , In Search of a Midnight Kiss , New releases , The Traitor , Transsiberian August 25, 2008
Exit Speed, an action movie filmed primarely in Coppell and Carrollton, will have its red carpet debut Tuesday night at the Studio Movie Grill on Centrail Expressway and Royal Lane. Walking the carpet will be cast members of the film including Lea Thompson, plus Bob Hudgins of the Texas Film Commission and Janis Burkland of the Dallas Film Commission. The film was produced by Sally Helppie, a Dallas lawyer who is president of Sabbatical Pictures. The entry "'Exit Speed' premiere on Tuesday" has no entry tags.
Such an embarrassment of Jewish film riches. Just two nights before the 12th Annual International Jewish Film Festival opens with the affecting Sixty Six, a story inspired by a real-life bar mitzvah, 3 Stars Cinema is presenting a different kind of story, Praying with Lior. It's an award-winning documentary about a boy with Down syndrome and his journey to study for his bar mitzvah. It's a one-night only showing Thursday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. at the Angelika Film Center. Tickets are $9 and are available here. The entry "Praying with Lior for one night only" is tagged: 12th Annual International Jewish Film Festival , 3 Stars Cinema , Angelika Film Center , Down syndrome , Praying with Lior , Sixty Six August 22, 2008
If you were planning on heading out to the Angelika for a movie tonight, don't. The theater is closed to the public as it hosts the premiere of Drive and Deliver, a documentary about professional truck drivers. That film screens at 6 p.m., though I'm not sure how to get tickets. Maybe you can find out here. The entry "Friday night at the Angelika Dallas" has no entry tags.
The entry "New releases for Aug. 22" is tagged: Death Race , Elegy , Frozen River , I.O.U.S.A. , New releases , The House Bunny , The Longshots , The Rocker August 21, 2008
Finding it hard to resist belting out "The Winner Takes It All" or dancing to "Dancing Queen" with Meryl Streep at Mamma Mia!? Resistance is futile and actually detrimental at a new sing-along version of the hit movie opening Aug. 29 at AMC NorthPark and Cinemark Legacy in Plano. It's part of a limited national release for this cleverly plotted cornucopia of ABBA songs, boisterously performed on a lush Greek island and which despite the scoffing remarks of some (mostly males, ahem!), has already scored more than $320 million worldwide. Cool thing is, with the words on the screen, you don't have even brush up on the lyrics (as if you didn't know them all). Well, that takes care of our plans for Labor Day weekend... And if you will be away for Labor Day weekend, look here to find out your closest sing-along location. The entry "ABBA-dabba-do: Mamma Mia! Sing-along Takes It All" is tagged: ABBA , AMC NorthPark , Cinemark Legacy , Dancing Queen , Mamma Mia! Meryls Streep , Plano , singalong August 20, 2008
I.O.U.S.A., a documentary that inspects the financial troubles facing the country, officially opens on Friday, but a special presentation of the film will be shown Thursday. After the screening, a panel discussion featuring Warren Buffett and other financial leaders will be shown via satellite. All screenings will be held at 7 p.m.; for a list of participating theaters, go to www.fathomevents.com. The entry "It's the economy, stupid" has no entry tags. August 15, 2008
The entry "New releases for Aug. 15" is tagged: Fly Me to the Moon , Henry Poole is Here , Mirrors , new releases , Star Wars: The Clone Wars , Tropic Thunder , Vicky Christina Barcelona August 12, 2008
Support? System Down, a documentary exploring the short comings of the country's child-support system, will screen Thursday night at the Angelika Film Center in Plano (7205 Bishop Road). Following the film, audience members are encouraged to stay and discuss the topic further. Tickets are $8; for more information on the film, go to www.supportthemovie.com. The entry "A film with a forum" has no entry tags. August 8, 2008
Somehow, amid all of the blockbusters, several compelling docs have managed to creep onto screens. One of them (Werner Herzog's Encounters at the End of the World) unfortunately leaves screens Thursday, but two more deserve our attention.
The entry "Summer -- the season for documentaries?" has no entry tags.
The entry "New releases for Aug. 8" has no entry tags. August 7, 2008
Pineapple Express was by far the funniest thing I have watched all year! Seth Rogan (Dale Denton) and James Franco (Saul Silver) are hysterical together and Danny R. McBride (Red) adds the icing on the cake. I want so badly to talk about the best parts and lines but I don't want to give anything away. I will say that the movie is much more graphic than I expected. Body parts are lost and you will get a close up of the whole thing. Go catch Pineapple Express and let me know what you thought of the movie. The entry "'Pineapple Express' a squeamish surprise" is tagged: Danny McBride , Danny R. McBride , James Franco , Pineapple Express , Seth Rogan August 1, 2008
The entry "Brendan Fraser's secret powers" is tagged: Brendan Fraser , The Mummy
The entry "New releases for Aug. 1" is tagged: new releases July 28, 2008
All I can say is, "My bad." Too many sights in that film for these sore eyes. Me and mine silently agreed to never speak of it again, mostly by avoiding eye contact for a bit of the ride home and then finding other things to talk about. Ah, well. Room was left for a third installment of the franchise ... and third time's the charm, or so they say. The entry "More like a Gold-plated Army ..." is tagged: Hellboy II , The Golden Army July 24, 2008
Just wanted to get out there the day before it opens to say the X-Files movie may be the most unaccountable and hopeless movie release of the summer. Here's a show that ended five years ago, when its shelf-life was already running out. And now, five years later, here's comes the big-screen return. I understand that X-Files has a devoted community of hardcore fans on the Internet, but in any sort of broad, pop-cult-buzz way that drives the requisite masses to make a successful movie opening, X-Files is completely off-the-radar. Today's young-movie-goers have a new generation of cool/sexy/spooky science-fiction-fantasy-conspiracy projects to obsess over. They've never heard of and/or don't care about the X-Files. And for the boomers/GenXrs who did watch X-Files? They've moved on. Nostalgia and taut, paranoia-and-suspense-driven drama don't really go together. If Speed Racer's shocking freefall at the box office earlier this summer taught us anything, it's that consumer awareness and brandname relevance have a breathtaking brevity in today's overloaded/A.D.D-driven cultural marketplace. Nostalgia was a boomer thing. To today's audience of young media consumers, yesterday was an eternity ago. X-Files opening will be like a Star Trek convention -- hardcore (and perhaps costumed) fans only. Weekend total, maybe $11 million.. The entry "X-Files forecast: ...like a stone" is tagged: X-Files July 23, 2008
If you had plans to catch either Gunnin' for that # 1 Spot or Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, better make like the wind. Both of them will play through Thursday before leaving local screens. Chris Vognar really liked Gunnin' (he said so himself in this review). Of course, he is a basketball nut of unnatural proportions. Meanwhile, Gonzo scored 86 percent positive reviews over at Rotten Tomatoes and is directed by no less than this year's Oscar winner for documentary filmmaking, Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side). The entry "Last days for a couple of docs" has no entry tags. July 21, 2008
Christian Bale plays John Connor in the upcoming Terminator: Salvation; Gary Oldman played Bram Stoker's Dracula; Michael Jai White was Spawn; and Tommy Tiny Lister played "Debo" in the Friday series. (Guilty pleasure alert: He was also the wrestler "Zeus.") How's that for random? (Spawn © 1997 New Line Cinema Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Spawn, its logo and symbol are registered trademarks of Todd McFarlane Productions. All Rights Reserved.) The entry "Batman and Dracula walk into a movie ..." is tagged: Christian Bale , Dark Knight , Gary Oldman , Maggie Gyllenhaal , Michael Jai White , Movies , The Fifth Element , Tiny Lister July 20, 2008
The Dark Knight earned an estimated $155 million this weekend, breaking the 14-month old record of Spider-Man 3 by about $4 million. Putting Batman just over the top were likely all of those midnight screenings on Friday, as The Dark Knight earned $18 million on them alone, breaking the record for biggest midnight opening previously held by 2005's Revenge of the Sith. And that figure doesn't include the cash it earned from numerous 3 a.m. and 6 a.m. screenings. The entry "'The Dark Knight' breaks opening weekend record" is tagged: The Dark Knight July 18, 2008
The Dark Knight can already lay claim to one record: biggest midnight opening. In earning $18.4 million on its early Friday showings, the film surpassed 2005's Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith to take the crown. The entry "'The Dark Knight' raking it in" is tagged: The Dark Knight
The entry "'The Wackness' outtakes" is tagged: The Wackness
Tired of waiting in that line at the Dallas Angelika that can stretch all the way to Margarita Ranch? Starting today, you have another option. The Angelika Film Centers in Dallas and Plano have partnered with online ticket seller Fandango to sell advanced tickets to Angelika shows. To purchase the tickets, go to fandango.com or call 1-800-Fandango. Then you can skip the lines by picking up your tickets from kiosks located inside the theaters. The entry "Angelika and Fandango team up" has no entry tags.
The entry "New releases for July 18" is tagged: new releases July 17, 2008
After months of counting down, The Dark Knight is upon us. Screenings start tonight at midnight, and you can get a sneak peek at Chris Vognar's review. So tell us what you think. Follow the links below or comment here on the blog:
The entry "The Dark Knight cometh" is tagged: Batman , Sneak Peek , The Dark Knight July 11, 2008
The entry "New releases for July 11" is tagged: new releases July 10, 2008
I saw U2 3D earlier this year, and it was definitely worth it. Yeah, I would have enjoyed the movie either way, but I was definitely impressed by the technology. And while I didn't exactly feel like I was at the concert, there were moments I leaned to see around a head in front of me -- a head that wasn't actually in the theater. What do you think about this resurgence? Will you chose Journey to the Center of the Earth's multi-dimensional version over the flat-screened variety? Does it add to the movie experience, or is it merely a gimmick to put more bodies in theater seats? The entry "3-D makes a comeback" is tagged: 3-D July 4, 2008
Opening this week: The entry "Holiday weekend movie planning and new releases for July 4" is tagged: new releases , summer movies |