Josh Tate

It's a pretty slow week for quality DVD releases. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was targeted at children but will almost certainly find its true home amongst serious drug users. LSD + food falling from the sky = tripping balls. Does anyone really think that The Final Destination will really be the last film of the series? I know it won't happen, but I think it would be awesome if the next one was...

Remember that time we boned in that car? | Photo courtesy of Fox The mighty Avatar trounced all comers for the third weekend in a row, taking in a huge $68.3M ($352.1M) to easily win the weekend. Sherlock Holmes had a good second week and brought in $38.3M ($140.6M) to squeak by Dumb Fucking Chipmunk Movie ($36.6M | $157.3M). It's Complicated had a strong hold and made another $18.7M ($59.1M) while The Blind Side...

This is my third year-end best list for LAist (2007, 2008), and it ain't getting any easier. I could easily list forty films that are worth your time and money, but that would get all sorts of unwieldy and expensive so I'll limit it to the traditional ten. I won't even try to rank them. All I'll say is that each one captured my imagination in a unique way, and each still lingers clearly in...

Following its stunning financial success earlier this year, Paranormal Activity received its required backlash from the cynical (e.g. it wasn't even that scary!). I'd rather focus my attention on the sheer improbability of it all. Folks, this is a film that was made for around $15,000 that went on to gross $107M at the domestic box office. That is an astonishing achievement, both for the filmmakers and the marketing team at Paramount who saw something...

I am sooo gonna bone this alien chick! | Photo courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox For the second week in a row, Avatar blew away the competition to easily capture the box-office crown ($75M | $212.2M). It's presumed challenger, Sherlock Holmes was a distant second ($65.3M) while Dumb Fucking Chipmunk Movie made an obscene amount of money ($50.2M) (presumably, from moronic families trying to keep their bratty kids quiet for a few hours). Adult...

In a just world families would be heading out to the multiplex this afternoon to see Terry Gilliam's latest (and Heath Ledger's last) The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Of course, we don't live in such a world so Sherlock Holmes will be getting all of the business. If you want to try something thought-provoking and serious (yeah, I know you don't), check out Police, Adjective. I respect everything about Nancy Meyers other than the actual...

The internet is, of course, the greatest invention since manned flight. To wit: a few months ago, the prettiest girl that ever was (who I met, incidentally, thanks to the internet) sent me a Youtube link to a video that she thought was cool. I watched it and agreed. In fact, I not only thought it was cool, I thought it was kind of perfect. Sure, it was decidedly low-tech, but it succeeded brilliantly at...

Just what Kermit always wanted -- a Christmas ham! | Photo courtesy of Kermit On Tour via Flickr According to Andy Williams, this is the most wonderful time of the year. Why? Scary ghost stories! On the surface, it's drier than Mormon egg-nog out there, but seen through Williams' lens, the screens are full of magic. The most wonderful film of the week may be Nightmare Before Christmas, but don't forget the ghosts in...

Young and breaking up. Having just gotten out of a relationship which had eerie parallels to (500) Days of Summer, I have no intention of seeing it anytime soon. You should, though. It's wonderfully melancholy and real (excepting the amazing musical sequence with the animated musical bird). I was thrilled to see that District 9 made such a large impact at the box-office. It gives hope to those of us who are tired of...

James Cameron's Avatar broke 3-D records this weekend as it surged to a strong $73M opening to top the box office. Disney's The Princess and the Frog was a distant second with $12.M ($44.7M) just ahead of the still-strong The Blind Side ($10M | $164.7M). Did You Hear About the Morgans? disappointed in its debut ($7M) as the audience just doesn't appear to be there for Sarah Jessica Parker if she's not playing a vapid,...