Josh Tate

Speaking of relatively unknown but superb actors. | Photo courtesy of Sony In the latest example of Hollywood underestimating the size of the African-American audience, Basic Instinct knock-off Obsessed stormed to the top of the box office this weekend with a healthy take of $28.5M. Last week's lame champ 17 Again ($11.6M/$39.9M) edged out newcomer Fighting ($11.4M) while newbies The Soloist ($9.7M) and Earth rounded out the top 5 ($8.5M). Kiddie hit Monsters vs....

Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics For a certain generation (I'll call them the "Mike Tyson Punch Out!" generation), there has always been a strange fascination with the now-humbled pugilist. It's those people -- myself included -- who will be lining up to see James Toback's very well-reviewed documentary, Tyson. Those in need of a gooey validation of the human spirit, on the other hand, will be seeing The Soloist. Downey is obviously a...

Maybe I should consider relocating to Poland. | Photo courtesy of Van Worden It's a very festive time right now. The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and there's a lot of copying & pasting in Film Digest land. The Indian Film Festival continues its run at the Arclight, as well as its mixed masala line-up. Joining it are the 10th Annual Polish Film Festival, the 4th Annual Jewish Film Festival & a virtual...

Rourke is so Method that I think this might be real blood. | Photo courtesy of Fox Searchlight Though it was almost criminally ignored by the Academy, The Wrestler was among the very finest movies released in theaters last year. Since it made only a little more than $26M at the box office, there are still plenty of people who haven't seen it. To those people I say: buy, buy, buy this DVD! It...

Yet another hilarious scene! | Photo courtesy of New Line (R.I.P.) Hordes of sexually-confused young girls made Zac Efron and 17 Again this week's box-office champ as it pulled in an impressive $24M. The superb State of Play lagged far behind ($14M), just edging Monsters vs. Aliens ($12.9M/$162.7M), Hannah Montana: The Stupid Movie ($12.6M/$56.1M) and Fast and Furious and Stupid ($12.2M/$136.7M). Crank: High Voltage disappointed in its opening frame ($6.5M) despite the angelic presence...

Okay, Ben. This is how you act. | Photo courtesy of Universal Am I the only one who is really looking forward to seeing State of Play? Surely, Russell Crowe is on the short list of actors whose films we should always see, right? And doesn't Jason Bateman land on that list as well? It's a tad embarrassing to admit, but I'll probably see 17 Again, too, mostly because I will always have a...

Photo courtesy of Kunal Sen Animation If you're a connoisseur of "psychotronic cinema", scanning the New Beverly's weekend line-up just might melt your face. Thursday, the Alamo Drafthouse rolls into town and saddles up some good ol' backwoods sleaze, joining forces with L.A.'s own Grindhouse Film Festival. Friday, those crazed Texans whip out '80s nightmare Surf II (there is no Surf I), in which a mad scientist turns surfers to zombies and everyone grooves...

Sure, she's a cold-blooded Nazi, but still...hotness! | Photo courtesy of The Weinstein Company Does Stephen Daldry have the goods on a large majority of Academy Award voters? I mean seriously, how else does a fine, but limited movie like The Reader get nominated for an Oscar instead of more thrilling work like, say, The Wrestler? (I could say the same thing about The Hours a few years ago -- something is rotten here.)...

Thank you for rescuing my failed career, daughter. | Photo courtesy of Disney Millions of Americans ignored Christ this weekend in order to fill the already overstuffed pockets of the vaguely satanic and horribly buck-toothed Miley Cyrus. Hannah Montana: The Movie picked up a cool $34M to rule the box-office roost, eclipsing last week's winner Fast and Furious ($28.7M/$118M). Monsters vs. Aliens enjoyed a strong third weekend ($22.6M/$141M) to crush disappointing newcomer Observe and...

You will laugh. You will cry. YOU WILL ROCK! | Photo courtesy of VH1 Over the last two years of writing this column I've made numerous, promptly ignored recommendations regarding documentaries that have managed the near-miraculous feat of making it into an actual movie theater. Today, I make the most urgent and heartfelt plea yet -- GO SEE Anvil! The Story of Anvil!!! No matter what you think about documentaries (or heavy metal for...