Movie Review – 9 (2009)
by NIR SHALEV
Shane Acker’s 9 is a visually stunning, original, and depressing portrayal of ragdolls that begin to exist after mankind’s extinction. Read more 
Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
70s Disney perennial Dean Jones and Rob Zombie will be at the same Indianapolis-area theater this week, but they won’t be in the same movie. (It’s probably a little early for Zombie to follow Ice Cube into family-style films, after all.) O’Horten and Tetro hold over at the Keystone Arts, which also sees the local debut of My One and Only with Renee Zellweger and Kevin Bacon. For the complete listing of limited release films opening in Indiana and around the country, read on below…. Read more
Movie Review – All About Steve (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
All About Steve is a coming of age road trip movie, except instead of the usual 17 year old boy desperate to lose his virginity with the cheerleader he barely knows the lead role is filled by a 40ish woman desperate to have a relationship with the news cameraman hunk she barely knows. Actually “barely knows” is a substantial overstatement. Mary Horowitz requires less than five minutes in his company to fixate on becoming Steve’s significant other. Read more
DVD of the Week – Sin Nombre (2009)
by NIR SHALEV
This week’s DVD pick is the critically acclaimed Sin Nombre. It’s a visually gorgeous movie about two people who travel north through Mexico on a freight train. Sayra (Paulina Gaitan) reunites with her father in Honduras and together they head north to start a new life in the U.S. Willy, also known as El Casper (Edgar Flores), is a gang member who murdered his gang leader in revenge for the killing of his girlfriend. Sayra meets Willy as they’re both sitting atop the train and befriends him, eventually finding out the secret that is haunting him. He constantly reminds her that she should not be his friend because death awaits him wherever he goes, but she seems attached to him regardless. Read more
Movie Review – Gamer (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
Gamer is a better movie than the recent Death Race, but not so much better that the comparison does not come readily to mind. And that’s not a good thing. Read more
Movie Review – Funny People (2009)
by RISHI AGRAWAL
George Simmons (Adam Sandler) is dying and realizes that he’s never let anyone become close to him. Yes, this film is a comedy. You see, George Simmons is a legendary comedian who makes dumb films. In fact, his career trajectory is eerily similar to Sandler’s, which is why Sandler works so well in the role. Faced with his imminent death, George hires Ira Wright (Seth Rogen), a young comedian, to become his assistant and confidant. Rogen plays Ira differently than the characters that we’re used to. Ira is less confidant and arrogant than most of Rogen’s characters. For once, he actually gets to play the nice guy. Read more
Thinking Outside the Multiplex
by MIKE MACCOLLUM
Two very well-reviewed films are sharing a screen at the Keystone Arts this Friday, and… after weeks (months?) of suspense Tetro is opening there as well. The Georgetown 14 and manoranjaninc continue to bring new Indian films to Indianapolis, while a number of critically praised films are playing at theaters around the state. For more on those films – and a complete listing of limited release titles opening around the country – read on below…. Read more
Hollywood Releases Preview – September, 2009
by HELEN GEIB
There’s good variety in the lineup for September, mostly of the genre variety, but also including a few comedies. And yet another Madea movie. The full list of films opening in wide release after the break. Read more
DVD of the Week – Review of State of Play (2009)
by HELEN GEIB
State of Play concludes with a “go to press” sequence that doubles as the main credits. A literal “go to press” sequence: the camera traces the course of a newspaper through the machinery of the printing room of the film’s fictitious D.C. daily. It’s the perfect endnote to a proud throwback to the (idealized) print era, when journalistic standards mattered, people turned to newspapers for news instead of to blogs for speculation and gossip, and Hollywood regularly cast crusading reporters as the heroes of the story. Read more
