After last week's monster Thanksgiving schedule, Hollywood wisely takes a breather from wide releases. In limited release, there's sex addicts, Bollywood starlet biopic & even more animation! more ›

Well, a special edition of Avatar 3D is back in theaters this weekend to suck out more of your hard-earned money. Frankly, I find the film quickly diminishing with the passage of time. I'd rather spend my money on either Centurion or Mesrine: Killer Instinct. Both feature dynamic, charismatic actors in their primes (e.g. not Sam Worthington). Doesn't it seem like Takers is basically the same movie as Armored? And I think it's more than just the presence of Matt Dillon in both. The Last Exorcism violates the cardinal rule of all horror films: it's rated PG-13. Join with me and promise never to pay money to see a PG-13 horror film again! more ›

There's nothing particularly great about Black Dynamite (it's no I'm Gonna Git You Sucka!), but it is a hell of a lot of fun. The normally dour Michael Jai White has a great time as the titular hero, and any movie featuring the fantastic Charlotte Stokely is worth a look. Remember when Gerard Butler was an intriguing actor on the rise -- around the time as Dear Frankie? Now it looks as if he's just cashing checks to pay for big houses. Sad. There's a great story about how the Weinstein Brothers leveraged The Secret Policeman's Ball to first build Miramax. Given the precarious state of the Weinstein Company, is Private Party yet another spin-off? Few directors have had a better run at a studio than Clint Eastwood has had at Warner Brothers. Wish I had that life. Big day at Criterion today. Open your wallets! more ›

There's already been a ton of Inglourious Basterds material on LAist this weekend, so I'll only say, "Check it out. It's a helluva ride." My One and Only looks like an intriguing film. Based in part on the life of George Hamilton, it tells the story of a determined woman looking for a wealthy man to provide a nice life for her and her sons. It's been awhile since there's been a film about The Troubles, but Five Minutes of Heaven is a welcome addition to the canon. Liam Neeson stars as a man who, as a child, murdered the brother of another man (a fantastic James Nesbitt). The film tells a story of forgiveness as both try to reconcile the past. more ›

(editor's note - LAist sent our intrepid reporter, Lois Lane, er, Courtney Quinn to the Inglourious Basterds Press Day last weekend. In the spirit of Tarantino's film, she's segmented her coverage into something very, well...Basterd-like. It's a good, long read so get comfortable in your chair. Extra points for creativity, Coco.) more ›

The difficulty in reviewing a film like Inglourious Basterds is that it's really two films mashed up into one. One of those films concerns a young Jewish woman named Shoshanna who exacts a brilliant revenge against the Nazis who murdered her family. The other regards a group of mostly Jewish-American military assassins (the titular "Basterds") who scour the French countryside killing everyone in a German uniform. What's strangely problematic about Inglourious Basterds is that while the latter story is full of Quentin Tarantino's characteristic bluster and brio, you can't wait to get back to Shoshanna and find out what's happening with her life. more ›