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Latest Video: FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, and Premonition in this episode of FilmCrunch.
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Antichrist Lacks Scares, Boasts Biblical Allegory

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: IFC Films, Foreign, Horror, Independent, Religious, Thrillers, Casting, New Releases, Trailers

Antichrist posterFor a film whose trailer advertises a critic hailing it as “The most shocking film in the history of Cannes Film Festival,” you’ve at least got to wonder—if not for a mere moment—what a movie like that has to offer. While some remarkable trailers go on to pull back the curtains on so-so films (Where the Wild Things Are, anyone?), a plethora of descriptive words come to mind as I write about Antichrist and “so-so” is hardly one of them.

Opening on a handful of screens in the midst of Halloween season, Lars Von Trier’s latest achievement seemed the perfect pick for the indie lover (or at least those sick of the Saw franchise and/or already viewed Paranormal Activity, the little horror film that could). A fan of the ever-adroit Willem Dafoe and alluring French singer/actress Charlotte Gainsbourg, I find myself drawn to limited casts (Hard Candy); with that, I cannot imagine that Von Trier’s history with Dogme 95 had little to do with this. There was also the slight fact that the director himself was clinically depressed during the writing and some of the production process. Here marks more of an appeal and effort to view the film—did Von Trier meet the challenge of a two-person cast?

Aside from the slight deceit of its “scary movie” marketing poised for shocks (i.e. the bombarding, sanguine title atop corpses intertwined with a tree on the film’s poster), I believe that Von Trier does just that.

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Movie Review: Star Trek (2009)

Posted by David Torres Categories: Paramount, Science Fiction

StarTrek

Rating: *** 1/2 stars

(Warning: The following review contains some spoilers.)

The world of in crisis! No, it’s not on the verge of dying due to the release of this film. Instead it’s on the verge of going in a whole new direction. In the 1980s, DC Comics published a mini-series entitled “Crisis on Infinite Earths”. If you are a comic book fan, you are aware of this series and know that it was written in order to say goodbye to DC’s old continuity and create an entirely new one. A new world was born. New stories were able to be told because the previous “universe” no longer existed. That is what has happened to the world of Star Trek.

In this film, there is a Romulan named Nero. Nero and his crew travel back in time and as a result create a new timeline. If you are a Trekker, I’m sure you remember the Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG) episode entitled “Yesterdays Enterprise” in which the Enterprise C traveled into the future and created a new timeline. The timeline was later corrected and everything was back to normal, but that will not be the case here.

Star Trek as a franchise was certainly in a crisis prior to the release of this film. With the two previous Trek films received poorly by both fans and critics as well as the demise of the series “Enterprise” Star Trek looked dead. Many people felt that Star Trek should stay low for a while and maybe come back much later with an attempt at reviving the series. Paramount said no and went with and his crew and they have succeeded. This film was great. Tons of action; humor; heart breaking moments. I really enjoyed this film both as a fan of the franchise and as a movie on its own.

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FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: MGM, New Line, Universal, Adaptation, Drama, Musicals, Period, Science Fiction, Comedy, Thrillers, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


In this episode of FilmCrunch, Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, along with the DVD release of Premonition. Neil also hits us with a 60 second review of I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry. All that, plus your typical dose of hilarity, in this episode.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


FilmCrunch 066: Rescue Dawn, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Astronaut Farmer

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: MGM, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Period, Sequels, Comedy, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with more FilmCrunch video goodness, this time focusing on the theatrical releases of Rescue Dawn and the release of The Astronaut Farmer. Veronica also checks in with her review of and the Order of the Phoenix. This episode kicks off with Veronica and Neil naming what they chose as their most inspirational movies.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


Eastern Promises Review

Posted by Shannon Bennett Categories: FOCUS, Action, Drama, Foreign, Independent, Thrillers, Theatrical Reviews

Eastern Promises Review

Using the journal of a fourteen-year-old girl who died on her table, a London midwife () becomes determined to track down the father of the motherless baby in her ward.  However, the deeper she delves into the diary, the more entangled she becomes with a string of Russian organized crime, and a mysterious man () who warns her to stay away. That’s the basic premise of the film Eastern Promises. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, so let’s jump right in to our full review, after the jump.

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FilmCrunch 065: Transformers, 9/11 Loose Change, Old Cartoons

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Paramount, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Period, Political, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review the theatrical release of in this episode of FilmCrunch. In addition, they also look at the 9/11 documentary Loose Change and give their thoughts on the evidence and theories presented in the movie. Lastly, they take a look at the influx of old-school cartoons being transformed and updated for the big screen. Check the video for all the goods.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


FilmCrunch 064: Blades of Glory Review

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Comedy, Sports, DVD Reviews, Short FilmCrunch, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep take a look at Blades of Glory in this episode of FilmCrunch.

When the macho, swaggering Chazz Michael Michaels takes to the rink, he is the rock star of the arena, leaving a trail of thrashed ice and shrieking female fans in his wake. The only competitor who can match Michaels’ scores is the driven former child prodigy, Jimmy MacElroy. Spotted as a youth executing triple lutzes on the frozen pond of an orphanage, MacElroy was whisked away to days of endless training, and now stands as the picture of poise, the personification of the highest ideals of the men’s sport. Michaels and MacElroy have met in finals rounds before, but their latest head-to-head at the World Championships—when they tie for first—is more than either one can bear, and their longstanding rivalry erupts into a no-holds-barred fight. The ensuing brawl not only sets fire to the World Championship’s helpless mascot, but lands both athletes in hot water: Chazz and Jimmy are called before the sport’s governing board, stripped of their gold medals and banned from the sport for life. Now, three-and-a-half years later, both men are still trying to find their way in a world without competitive skating. To skate again, all Chazz and Jimmy have to do is set aside their long festering hatred of one another and join forces—as the first male/male figure skating pair to compete in the history of the sport.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


FilmCrunch 063: Ocean’s Thirteen, SiCKO, Live Free or Die Hard, Black Snake Moan

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Documentary, Drama, Political, Sequels, Thrillers, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with another episode of FilmCrunch - this time we review Michael Moore’s SiCKO, Live Free or Die Hard, Ocean’s Thirteen (in under a minute), and the DVD release of Black Snake Moan.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


FilmCrunch 062: Shrek the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean 3, The Good German

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Period, Romance, Sequels, Thrillers, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review the Third, Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End, and the DVD release of The Good German. Plus, Neil goes into detail of his celebrity run-in while working at a high-end Seattle restaurant.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


FilmCrunch 061: 28 Weeks Later, The Fountain, MPAA Dislikes Smoking

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Drama, Horror, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Thrillers, DVD Reviews, Full Episodes, Theatrical Reviews, Videocasts


Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review the theatrical release of 28 Weeks Later, as well as The Fountain on DVD in this episode of FilmCrunch. In addition, we discuss the MPAA’s decision to take scenes that involve smoking into effect when making their decision on a film’s rating.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


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