The Small Town Critic » best reviewed

INCEPTION (2010) ***** movie review by COOP

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 05:35:51 +0000

Every few years or so, a film comes along that changes the way you look at cinema... One that incites scholarly debates, spawns books dedicated to analyzing it and inspires lesser filmmakers to shamelessly imitate it. Critics have to watch a lot (a whole lot) of bad movies to find these diamonds in the rough. I had a sneaking suspicion “Inception” might be a “crown jewel” in the rough, but often when I get that feeling I shuffle out of the theater with nothing but lumps of coal in my pocket. Not this time...

KICK-ASS (2010) ***** movie review by COOP

admin — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 21:54:58 +0000

We've all heard the urban legend about the kid who put on a red cape and jumped out of his bedroom window after watching “Superman” back in 1978. While that story may or may not be true – and I'm honestly afraid to look it up to find out – it presents us with a cautionary tale that we are all merely human. Trying to live out foolish fantasies of superheroism could easily shorten our already limited lifespan. This is also the basic premise of the Mark Millar/John Romita comic book “Kick-Ass”, criticized for its portrayal of youth engaged in graphic violence and it's cavalier approach to the subject. The film adaptation shares...

I Predict the Predictable 82nd ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS (and I dare you to beat me) by COOP

admin — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:00:35 +0000

In what looks to be one of the most predictable Oscar races of all time, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has made a few changes to their nomination format, but those changes have not ramped up the suspense in many of the categories. For the first time, 10 movies have been nominated for “Best Picture”. While that sounds unorthodox, I believe it's a perfectly altruistic and fair move to some of those great films that don't usually get a lot of attention come awards season. Many voters (and the media) have jumped on highly influential bandwagons to champion a select few of the nominees, so the chances for an upset or two seem few and far between. However, in the Academy Awards, upsets do happen and with the changes to the voting system this year, things could get interesting...

Jay’s Picks for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards: (Nostradamus, eat your heart out.)

admin — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 21:38:39 +0000

A note from Coop: Jay has once again thrown down the gauntlet to declare his annual Oscar picks. With my own queued up and ready to go (you can go ahead and download my picks ballot, but my reasoning behind my choices won't be posted for another couple of days), he gets first crack at doing the convincing. To download his ballot, go here. Below are some jpegs of his picks. For a clearer, more readable version, go to the link above to either view or download the ballot...

UP IN THE AIR (2009) ***** movie review by COOP

admin — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 22:26:58 +0000

“Up in the Air” first received a limited release in November to overwhelming critical acclaim. Soon after, it racked up multiple award nominations, including 6 potential Golden Globes. On Christmas Day it released wide to audiences with very little advertising or fanfare, but after finally getting an opportunity to see this film, I can confirm the hype is grossly understated. Ryan Bingham (George Clooney) lives out of a suitcase 322 days out of the year. He travels around the country firing people for a living and...

PRECIOUS (2009) ***** movie review by COOP

admin — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 23:55:57 +0000

While many moviegoers enjoyed the inspiring, true-life story of Michael Oher in “The Blind Side” over the past few weekends, many skipped the similarly-themed “Precious.” Perhaps they thought it would be a bit of a downer… and they would be right. “Precious” is a melancholy tale in which the main character seems doomed from beginning to end, but this compelling tearjerker delivers some of the...

THE BLIND SIDE (2009) ***** movie review by COOP

admin — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:43:08 +0000

I’ll wager movie theaters in Mississippi and parts of Tennessee are selling out screenings of this movie all opening weekend. Ole Miss fans and South Eastern Conference followers have watched the exceptional football career of Michael Oher and have been touched by his inspiring life story. Those same fans (myself included) have eagerly awaited the release of this film. I had a feeling I’d enjoy the movie regardless of its merits. To my shock, I was completely blown away. “The Blind Side” is indeed THE feel-good movie of the year. Based on a true-life story, large and good-hearted African American teen Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) lives a solitary life of poverty and hopelessness on the streets of Memphis. A twist of fate...

Belated ZOMBIELAND (2009) ***** movie review by DARK SIDE

admin — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 17:10:09 +0000

“Zombieland” is an R-rated “Ghostbusters” for the new millennium. This crowd-pleasing film has won over jaded audiences and critics from coast to coast, taking most of its inspiration from a source I did not anticipate… blockbuster comedies from the 1980’s. It has elements that put it in the same category as “Vacation” and “Planes, Trains and Automobiles,” resurrecting a tone and atmosphere I thought was long gone from the films of today. For this reason, I’m giving it my highest recommendation, not only to horror fans, but to those who miss the heyday of actors like Chevy Chase and Bill Murray. Set months after the destruction of the world, neurotic college student Columbus (Jessie Eisenberg) has survived the zombie apocalypse by following his own set of obsessive/compulsive rules...

DARK SIDE says the new DVD release TRICK ‘R TREAT (2009) ***** is the greatest Halloween movie that doesn’t feature Michael Myers!

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:59:23 +0000

That's right, I said it. The cat's out of the bag. There's no going back now... Michael Dougherty's long-beleaguered holiday film has finally found a wide-release on video. Originally slated for a theatrical release in October 2007, Warner Bros. suddenly shelved it with no explanation. The rumor was that the bigwigs feared it would bomb competing against Saw IV and then Saw V the following year. Not seeing an end to the Saw tradition of releasing a high-grossing film every Halloween (Saw VI releases this month), The WB decided to dump Trick 'R Treat to a DVD/Blu-Ray release for Oct. 6 and market the hell out of it for one month. What a low-down, dirty shame. One of the best Halloween movies of all time, it gets delayed for two years and it doesn't even get a theatrical release. I hope someone leaves a flaming bag of crap at the Warner Brothers studio gate for that one...

DARK SIDE sez, “You must see PANDORUM before it leaves the theater!”

admin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 16:27:51 +0000

I'm giving this one 4 and 1/2 out of 5 stars. Now you know how I feel about it right off the bat. Why the urgency? Because like many others, I waffled in seeing it. For this reason, it's tanking like Ishtar which isn't fair at all because it's a great sci-fi film that deserves a dedicated following of fans, and it may not be in the theaters much longer. It's one of the oldest pitches in the book: "A guy wakes up in a ______ with amnesia, so he must solve the mystery of who he is, how he got there and why someone (or something) is after him."...

BOONDOCK SAINTS II: ALL SAINTS DAY finally has a trailer! I still can’t believe it actually got made. by COOP

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:25:10 +0000

(NOTE: I'm delaying the next installment of HAIR METAL MOVIE MADNESS #11 for another week. Partially due to this week's technical difficulties but also so I can save up some of the good horror ones for the month of October. Plus, this news was too juicy and I had to jump on it ASAP...) My love for Boondock Saints (5 out of 5 stars!) has no bounds. Which is why with a heavy heart I still feel that a sequel should've never been made. Why? Because writer/director Troy Duffy didn't deserve one. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Saints involve a pair of illegal immigrant Irish twins, the McManus brothers (Sean Patrick Flannery and Norman Reedus) who get in a scrap with some local Russian mobsters in a Boston slum. After killing the mobsters in self defense, the brothers simultaneously get a divine vision instructing them to...

DISTRICT 9 (2009) ****1/2 movie review by COOP

admin — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 19:11:11 +0000

There’s a reason why you haven’t heard the name of “District 9” director, Neill Blomkamp. An accomplished special effects wiz, “D-9” marks his first feature-length movie as a director. Based on his short film “Alive in Joburg,” Blomkamp received some high-ranking confidence from Producer/Director Peter Jackson who helped him get “D-9” off the ground with a meager budget of $30 million. Despite the relatively cheap price tag, Blomkamp has created one of the most...

MULHOLLAND DRIVE: David Lynch’s 10 Clues to Unlocking This Thriller by BIG WHOOP

admin — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 20:57:58 +0000

Coop here. David Lynch's puzzle of an Oscar-nominated film is always a hotly debated topic when it comes down to deciding what the whole thing was all about. I like a challenge and "Mulholland Drive" provides one of the most intriguing head-scratchers out there (not to mention some terrifying scenes). Big Whoop thinks so as well and she'd like to issue a challenge to you: Discover the secrets of the film by following these clues and mulling over these questions while you watch the movie...

David Cronenberg’s CRASH (1996) NC-17 movie reviewed in 159 one-word statements. by DARK SIDE

admin — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 16:40:26 +0000

No, not that lame, heavy-handed racial character study starring Sandra Bullock and Don Cheadle. This one won a Cannes Special Jury Prize for "Daring, Audacity and Originality." It premiered with a limited run in America with an NC-17 rating. It stars James Spader, Holly Hunter, Deborah Unger, Rosanna Arquette and Elias Koteas. Its experimental nature inspired me to do some experimenting of my own. Instead of a run-of-the-mill plot description how about one in haiku form?...

WHAT WE DO IS SECRET and BRONSON… 2 amazing biopics! by COOP

admin — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:36:41 +0000

Both of these deserve your intense scrutiny. They involve real-life controversial (anti-heroes, if you will) figures who set out to impact the world and did so in their unique way. Love ‘em or hate ‘em, they sure are interesting:

UP (2009) ***** quick movie review by COOP

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 18:00:41 +0000

I'm not going to spend a lot of time on this one, but know that it's not just for kids. "Up" strikes exactly the right balance between kid-friendly and adult-friendly. It manages to entertain on all levels and it does it all in 3-D. I was amazed how it could wrench at your heart one minute, then get you laughing again in the next. I might even go so far as to say...

TOP 10 GREATEST MOVIE TITLES EVER by COOP

admin — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:42 +0000

Here are the movie titles that – when you see them – completely grab your attention. Whether they are the best piece of cinema of all time or a complete piece of crap, one thing cannot be denied… You gotta love that title. Here are the 10 best movie titles of all time in descending order all the way down to #1…

STATE OF PLAY (2009) ***** movie review by SEBASTIAN

admin — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 18:22:04 +0000

Director Kevin Macdonald scores a homerun with this tale of Capital Hill conspiracy and intrigue. Macdonald’s “Last King of Scotland” failed to impress me, but State of Play is the real deal: a thriller with teeth and enough story to keep you thinking well after the last frame rolls. If you like films like “All the President’s Men” and “The Insider”, then this film is for you. U.S. Senator Stephen Collins (Ben Affleck) is forced to turn to old friend and reporter Cal McAffrey for help after the death of an aide exposes a personal conflict that threatens...

10 TOUGHEST MOVIE HEROES OF ALL TIME by COOP

admin — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 04:57:27 +0000

These are the heroes that just won't go down no matter what you thow at them. The best of the best. The Greatest. Here's the criteria I used while making the list... a. The heroes must survive to the end of their film/franchise. b. No superheroes with superpowers. c. Pick heroes who represent cult phenom films. These are my results:

“TAKEN” SEQUEL!!! COOP says: “I told you so!” UPDATE

Coop — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 19:20:00 +0000

I knew it! The character of Brian Mills (played by Liam Neeson) from the movie “Taken” (read my review here) was so cool, I predicted they were going to bring him back for another film. Slashfilm reports that “Taken” writer Robert Kamen will take another stab at putting Brian Mills into another kick-butt situation. I doubt [...]