Arts and Culture (Movie Previews)

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/22/11

Movie Previews

for the week of December 22, 2011

Adventures of Tintin Young reporter Tintin (Jamie Bell: Jane Eyre) and his intrepid fox terrier Snowy find a clue to the location of a sunken treasure ship. Standing in his way is Ivanovich Sakharine (Daniel Craig: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), who will kill for the location. Based on the long-running Belgian comic series and mainstay of American French classes, Tintin was director Stephen Spielberg’s inspiration for his famous bullwhip-snapping...

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/15/11

Young Adult

Do you remember that girl in high school you hated? The one who thought she was better than you, dated the school jock, picked on the nerds and moved away to an exciting life in the city? Well, that’s Mavis (Charlize Theron: Astro Boy). Things haven’t been going so well for the high school mean girl: She’s divorced. Her young adult book series had been cancelled. She’s broke. How will Mavis turn her life around...

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/15/11

Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked

In the latest chipmunk caper, Alvin, The Chipmunks and The Chipettes are enjoying a tropical cruise. When light-hearted shenanigans ensue, the furry pals are marooned on an island. I’m sure this movie will produce loads of laughs for the youngsters, but the success of these singing rodent films is becoming a bit worrisome. Do we really need small creatures singing helium-high pop songs? Probably not, but it makes a buck at the box office. Prospects: Flickering • G...

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/15/11

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

Literature’s greatest detective jumps back onto the screen in director Guy Ritchie’s sequel to his gritty Sherlock Holmes reboot. In this film Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.: Due Date) reteams with his former partner Dr. Watson (Jude Law: Hugo) to catch master criminal Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris: Mad Men). Though sequels usually disappoint, the additions of Harris and Stephen Fry — who plays Holmes’ brother Mycroft — are good signs. Still, if...

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/8/11

The Sitter

College student Noah (Jonah Hill: Money Ball) is in need of some cash. His neighbor is in need of a babysitter for her three hellions. What on earth could go wrong? A lot. Instead of movies and pizza, Noah and his charges go on a wild ride thru the city, where they’ll get in bar fights, blow up restaurant toilets and probably tell a fart joke or two. This is Adventures in Babysitting for the Apatow generation, so if you like stoner humor, cursing kids and shrewish...

Article - Movie Previews; by Diana Beechener - 12/8/11

New Year’s Eve

Hey, do you like celebrities? How about hokey romantic premises? Maybe you have the attention span of a cranky toddler? Then director Garry Marshall has the movie for you! Set during — you guessed it — New Year’s Eve, the film follows approximately 800 different celebrities as they find love and happiness before midnight. I could try to describe the plot but honestly, there’s a word limit to these previews and too many couples to discuss. Let’s...