Okay, maybe "terminate" is a little harsh -- the last movie wasn't that bad -- but wouldn't an infusion of fresh concepts and mythologies juice up that half-tired feeling one gets from most of Hollywood's blockbusters these days? And couldn't they have stuck with the original ending for Salvation? Not only was it a great mind-fuck, but it would have struck the final nail in this franchise's coffin. Hence...REPLACED! The first Night at the Museum sucked balls of course, so I expected the sequel to suck a relatively equal nut apportionment. more ›

Paramount refused to screen G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra for critics which is usually a huge, obvious warning that the film is an unmitigated disaster. Then again, maybe the studio is still just chafing from the deserved reaming given to Transformers 2: Racist CGI Porn by reviewers. In any case, G.I. Joe is obviously on the "skip" list. The consensus on Julie & Julia (LAist review here) appears to be that the movie would have benefited from more Julia and less Julie. To get a true grasp of what an amazing actress Meryl Streep is, Netflix the following movies and watch them in this order: Doubt, Silkwood, Sophie's Choice, Stuck on You. more ›

Joe Dante returns to the New Bev, and this time he's brought company! Living legend Roger Corman joins Dante for a double-feature of his films St. Valentine's Day Massacre (Corman's first directed for a major studio) & Not Of This Earth (far from his first directed for a schlocky drive-in). The inferno rages all-day Saturday, with a screening of The Movie Orgy, a cut-and-paste epic of found footage & cinematic anarchy. Best of all, to quote Dante, "admission is free because even I don't know who owns the rights to all this found footage". It all climaxes with a 25th anniversary screening of Dante's classic Gremlins. You will have to pay for that, but Gizmo's so cute! Just keep your popcorn away...it's a midnight show. more ›

Before diving into a review of the wonderful Paper Heart, allow me to relate an episode from last night's screening. I think it provides a key insight into the whimsical mind of Charlyne Yi. Following the screening, Charlyne and director Nicholas Jasenovec sat down for a Q&A. Ten minutes in, Charlyne excused herself to the restroom. Moments later, she returned. Except she didn't. A man dressed exactly like her entered the theater and continued the Q&A as her. It's just that sort of innocent guile that makes Paper Heart so winning. more ›