Movie Smackdown!®

Big Miracle (2012) -vs- Free Willy (1993)

After sitting at home, wiping the tears off of my cheeks as a boy goes over and beyond to liberate a killer whale from its tank, and then sitting in a movie theater crying my eyes out over the giant rescue mission to save three whales from suffocating in the ice, I had to wonder why humans care so much about their seafaring brothers-in-mammaldom. Why was it so believable that these characters would go to such great lengths to protect some whales? And why did I use a whole box of tissues over it? Drew Barrymore’s character explains it this [more]

Chronicle (2012) -vs- Kick-Ass (2010)

Ah, teenagers. Aren’t they charming? We don’t think so. We’ve got a surly bunch of ’em in this Smackdown, and rather than have them bother us hard-working adults, we’ll just let them whine and snap at each other or simply sulk in a corner by themselves. The main character in sci-fi drama Chronicle is a troubled loner dealing with a messed-up family life and a general inability to relate to other kids his [more]

The Grey (2012) -vs- The Edge (1997)

When it comes to high profile, scenery-chewing actors lost in the wild, Mother Nature sure can be a bitch. In The Grey and The Edge it’s Man vs. Nature, Man vs. Man, and Actors vs. Script. It’s survival of the fittest, [more]

On The End

This is it. Here we go… Today’s screenings: Price Check: Perennial Sundance favorite Parker Posey plays Susan, a newly hired, incredibly manic boss who turns her department upside down and inside out, wreaking particular havoc on the life of nice guy/worker-bee Pete Cozy (Eric Mabius). [more]

Man on a Ledge (2012) -vs- Inside Man (2006)

A bank robbery that isn't really a bank robbery! A suicide attempt that isn't really a suicide attempt! A Jodie Foster performance that isn't really good! A movie star who isn't really an actor! Yes, nothing is what it seems this week, except that this really is a Smackdown of the new Man on a Ledge and 2006's Inside Man, two heist movies, each set mostly on one long day in Manhattan, and neither of them are Dog Day Afternoon. Are you kiddin' me? [more]

On Early Mornings at the End

Four screenings on the docket today, so let’s get to ’em: Goats: A chance to go to this Sundance screening popped up at the last minute yesterday, when a colleague offered me an extra ticket, and I grabbed it, despite it’s 9 a.m. starting time. [more]

On Graffiti, Mental Athleticism, Comic Books and the French

Now that the weekend’s screenings and events are behind us, Park City’s a much quieter town. Personally, that’s just fine with me. As terrific as all excitement’s been, it’s nice to know I’ll be able to make it up Main Street to a screening without having to fight my way past a ton of people. It’s been warmer over the past few days, but, as I write this, it’s 18 degrees (F). That’s eighteen degrees, people. This is the kind of temperature at which your memories of the fourth grade start feeling the [more]

The Oscar as the Ultimate Smackdown

Despite the major studios' insistence on making primarily mega-budget, tent-pole, comic-book, sequel-remake, monster-alien-scifi films as their bread-and-butter, challenging and compelling original films do get made every year through alternative means. And, despite the harping and complaining we all do, there always seems to be a great crop that bridge the divide and are worth saluting. Those are the kinds of films that the Academy Awards gravitate to as their [more]

On Day 4

My quads are sore from walking uphill. My body grows weary of the late nights and early(ish) mornings. My... well... every fiber of my being resounds against trekking through the slush for hour after [more]

On Recharging

Fortunately, today was quite a bit warmer than the icy deluge that was Saturday night, and by warmer, I mean it was in the mid-30's (F) with the sun out. It's strange how fast one grows grateful for the slightest hint of sun when it's been absent for any length of time. My Monday will be packed with screenings, receptions and post-events, but today (Sunday) evolved into an unexpected day to recharge my [more]

The Artist is Already a Lock for the Academy Award

That's right. Everyone in Hollywood already knows The Artist is going to win Best Picture. It has already won top honors at the awards ceremonies for the Golden Globes, Critics' Choice and Producers Guild. Sure there will be Academy Award nominations announced this week and everyone will handicap which film is likely to win. It's all hype. After all, the Oscars are a very lucrative business for a lot of people and it's important that the "Best Picture" race look like, well, a race. But it isn't. Not anymore than it was a few years ago when Slumdog Millionaire won. When they open the [more]

On Park City Under Siege

It's cold. No, it's VERY cold. The first couple of days were relatively mild, with some light snowfall and rain. That's all changed very quickly. I left the condo at 9:20 a.m., caught the bus to Main Street, and spent the next 10-15 minutes walking uphill with the snow in my face. Let's just say I picked a lousy day to wear my glasses. My coat hat and gloves were soaked when I sat down for the first screening of the day, which [more]