The story of Stardust begins when an Englishman crosses over a wall that separates his village from the mysterious, magical kingdom of Stormhold. Years later, his son Tristran (in an attempt to win the heart of Victoria, the beautiful but indifferent object of his affection) promises to bring her the falling star that passes over…
Category: Movies
Bourne Ultimatum – Movie Review
Hey Shrek, Pirates, Spider-man, and Ocean’s, take notes. This is how you do a threequel. One of the things that makes the Bourne movies so enjoyable is that we like everything about the character of amnesiac assassin, Jason Bourne. His identity crisis, his unwavering determination, his super-human skills of observation, strategy and combat all make…
The Simpsons Movie – Movie Review
“Spider-pig, Spider-pig, does whatever a spider-pig does.” … [That song is stuck in my head.] I, like every Simpsons fan out there, had such high hopes for The Simpsons Movie (not that it was 18 years in the making — I mean, how bogus is it to “hope” that a TV show you enjoy will…
Sunshine – Movie Review
I’m really excited about a certain pop-cultural sub-genre that seems to be growing: brainy sci-fi. Movies like Children of Men (about a few individuals trying to save a childless world’s last hope) and indie film Primer (about a couple of guys who invent a time machine in their garage) and even the Tom Cruise vehicle…
Hairspray – Movie Review
Can a movie musical be too perky? If so, then Hairspray might fit the bill. This movie-turned-musical-turned-movie-musical tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a full-figured gal with a big heart and tons of perky attitude — and she sings and dances. When Tracy wins the chance to make her dream come true by becoming a…
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix – Movie Review
As a big Harry Potter fan, there was little question of whether or not I would enjoy the fifth movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. However, I have to say that I found it even better than the previous film, Goblet of Fire. This time around, Harry returns to Hogwart’s School of…
Transformers – Movie Review
Whenever Hollywood decides to adapt an existing pop cultural franchise for the big screen, I hate to hear that this adaptation will appeal both to die-hard fans as well as to the masses. With the possible exception of the Harry Potter films, that statement is almost never true. What it usually means is that they’ve…
Ratatouille – Movie Review
The movie’s been out for a while now, and the verdict is already in regarding Pixar’s latest movie, Ratatouille. Critics and audience are proclaiming it a great animated masterpiece, possibly the best Pixar movie so far. For my money, that honour still goes to The Incredibles (also written and directed by Ratatouille creator Brad Bird)….
Ocean’s Thirteen – Capsule Review
This is the fourth three-quel that I’ve seen so far this summer. While most of them seem to follow the law of diminishing returns (I just don’t know how many more Shrek stories they can come up with, really), 13 actually brought better luck than 12 for the Ocean’s franchise. That being said, Ocean’s Thirteen…
Alvin's Adventures in Pop Culture 