Thompson on Hollywood

Weekend Preview: 'Total Recall' a Noisy, Shallow, Costly Misfire

Reviews

For a reported budget of $200 million, you'd think that if nothing else "Total Recall" would be visually dazzling. Sadly, Len Wiseman's futuristic universe lacks believable depth and texture, and the actors are stuck with a truly uninspired script. A zero-gravity sequence is an exception to the otherwise incessant and forgettable action.

By Sophia Savage
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August 2, 2012 1:58 PM
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Weekend Preview: 'Trishna,' 'Farewell My Queen,' 'Alps' & 'The Imposter' Join 'Ice Age' At the Box Office

Box Office

With Comic-Con occupying the fanboys, there's a great selection of limited-release indie and foreign films arriving this weekend to satiate hungry cinephiles...

By Sophia Savage
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July 12, 2012 2:17 PM
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Weekend Preview: 'Amazing Spider-Man,' 'Savages,' 'Do-Deca,' 'Collaborator' & More

Box Office

In case you haven't seen "Beasts of the Southern Wild" yet, that's still your best bet for an exciting cinematic experience. This holiday weekend's offerings feel tired and uninspired...

By Sophia Savage
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July 5, 2012 1:27 PM
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Weekend Preview: Slim Pickings Ahead

Features

There aren't many fresh choices at the box office this weekend. Critics deem "Snow White and The Huntsman," "For Greater Glory" and "High School" misfires, while first-person Israel/Palestine documentary and SXSW breakout "5 Broken Cameras" is the weekend standout. Oscar-nominated French animation "A Cat in Paris" lands (with a new English-language voice cast) for families to enjoy and the underappreciated Josh Lucas returns with "Hide Away." Check out trailers and reviews below:

By Sophia Savage
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June 1, 2012 1:27 PM
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Weekend Preview: 'Dictator,' 'Polisse,' Pregnant Movie Stars & Vibrators

Box Office

"The Dictator" rules with provocateur Sacha Baron Cohen, and here's what you'll get from "What To Expect When You're Expecting": easy laughs, strategically placed music and one-dimensional characters. Jennifer Lopez is the soul of the movie (if there is one), Chace Crawford is the eye candy and Elizabeth Banks is the lovable mess. The rest are forgettable. You'd think a movie about the creation of vibrators, "Hysteria," would be hilarious, sexy and frank. Instead, it's lands between dull and creepy (even if it is the tame vibrator comedy you could watch with your mother). Per usual, the real gems arriving this weekend are foreign: "Polisse," "Beyond the Black Rainbow" and "Elena" - Criticwire's pick of the week. There's also "Animerican Animal," "Viriginia" and "Battleship." Details and trailers below:

By Sophia Savage
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May 17, 2012 4:05 PM
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Weekend Preview: From Steve Jobs and Paul Simon to France, Lebanon & Japan

Box Office

Take your pick: A Johnny Depp-Tim Burton misfire, a slight but charming Lebanese comedy-musical (Toronto's People's Choice Award, "Where Do We Go Now"), an anti-American shoot 'em up ("God Bless America"), a delightful Japanese kids' movie ("I Wish"), the impeccably reviewed thriller "Sleepless Night" or Paul Simon music doc "Under African Skies" -- and that's just a few of this weekend's offerings. Details on these and more below. Indiewire has reviews for 15 indies hitting theaters.

By Sophia Savage
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May 10, 2012 5:04 PM
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Weekend Preview: 'The Avengers,' 'First Position' & 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' Are Best Bets of New Arrivals

Box Office

"The Avengers" will take most of the attention at this weekend's box office; the Marvel franchise mash-up delivers 142 minutes of satisfying, bombastic entertainment, with Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. stealing the show.

By Sophia Savage
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May 3, 2012 3:20 PM
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Weekend Preview: From 'Raven' and 'Five-Year Engagement' to 'Headhunters' and 'Elles'

Box Office

Among the many new releases this week, the Edgar Allen Poe inspired "The Raven" and NC-17 French exploration of female sexuality, "Elles," have the steepest climb in the eyes of the critics, sitting at 19% and 25% on the Tomatometer, respectively...

By Sophia Savage
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April 27, 2012 12:20 PM
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Weekend Preview: Indie & Foreign Arrivals Include 'Damsels,' 'Comic-Con,' 'Heyhole,' 'Pope' & 'Hunter'

Box Office

The re-release of "Titanic" in 3-D and the return of the "American Pie" gang in "American Reunion" will take a big bite of the pie at theaters this weekend, where "The Hunger Games" is still going strong with $378 million worldwide. (All three are expected to score about $25 million.)

By Sophia Savage
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April 6, 2012 12:17 PM
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Weekend Preview: Washington's 'Safe House,' 'In Darkness,' 'Rampart,' 'The Vow' and 'Star Wars' in 3-D

Box Office

If you like the idea of seeing "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace" (and paying for it) in 3-D, go forth. However, if you want to enjoy some grittier contemporary cinema...