Monday, July 6th, 2009
The Critic’s Criticism of His Critics
Of late, I’ve had the pleasure of reading some very negative comments made about my reviews. Because blogs are a newfangled, “democratic” medium, I respect my reader’s right to express him or herself that way, but I also reserve my right to respond—as lengthily (or douche-ily) as I please…
Comment 1:
Because God forbid we enjoy [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in obiter dictum by elliott
Saturday, June 13th, 2009
Up
These days, Pixar stands alone in being a reliable source for “family” entertainment that doesn’t leave any quarters cringing. It’s for this reason, perhaps, that I recoil whenever anyone self-identifies as a “Pixar dork”—as if it were unusual to appreciate something that’s both critically acclaimed and gobbled up by the masses. That peculiarly self-serving form [...]
5 Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by elliott
Wednesday, May 20th, 2009
Star Trek
Star Trek blithely goes where many blockbusters have gone before. And, by God, if that experience comes with a few drinks, a greasy bucket of popcorn, a drive-in theater, and some person(s) with whom to nuzzle, then it’s sure to be a blissfully dunderheaded time.
I must preface this review with my bias: There remains a [...]
9 Comments » - Posted in Uncategorized by elliott
Sunday, November 30th, 2008
Quantum of Solace
Quantum of Solace is a schizoid movie. There’s a definite tension between the material and the intentions of the filmmakers—should the hero be Bond or badass? The question is never resolved, but one needn’t care; the movie was thoroughly enjoyable. Quantum is saved by its odd combination of professionalism and incompetence.
This is the first actual [...]
1 Comment » - Posted in Uncategorized by elliott
Sunday, September 14th, 2008
The Dark Knight
The word “Batman” is omitted from the title of The Dark Knight for good reason: He’s hardly in it. His screen time pales in comparison to his adversary’s—maybe not in terms of minutes, but certainly in memorableness. To fend off comparisons to Jack Nicholson, director Christopher Nolan pulled a wild card for his Joker: the [...]