Movie review by Greg Carlson A consistently charming glimpse into the world of crossword puzzles, their creators, and the folks – both regular and famous – who solve them, “Wordplay” is a delightful documentary in the same vein as “Spellbound.” Even though its brainy subject matter might at first glance seem like a solitary activity […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson The appealing “Invincible” notches another accomplishment in the Disney sports movie playbook. Another pure formula re-write of the underdog-to-hero myth, the movie is a sure-fire crowd pleaser, its release ideally timed for launch just ahead of the upcoming NFL season. For the pro sports league and the Mouse House, the […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson In “Sketches of Frank Gehry,” director Sidney Pollack (making his first documentary feature, which will be shown as an episode of the PBS series “American Masters”) explains his connection to the monumental architect: both men work in fields driven explicitly by the commercial demands of the marketplace, but both men […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A thoroughly predictable and utterly generic teen dance movie, “Step Up” trots out a familiar and unremarkable set of moves. Creakily mounting the “unlikely partners” scenario that has fueled previous titles like “Dirty Dancing” and “The Cutting Edge,” “Step Up” doesn’t manage to improve on “Save the Last Dance,” with […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson As a follow-up to the Adam McKay/Will Ferrell collaboration “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” ‘’Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby” is business as usual – and business is good for the comic team. The world of NASCAR replaces nightly news as the backdrop, and with its red-state appeal […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Only the most devoted Woody Allen fans are likely to find any joy in “Scoop,” the latest movie from the prolific filmmaker. Like his previous release, “Match Point,” “Scoop” utilizes many of the same crew members, leading lady Scarlet Johansson, and a London setting – not to mention a preoccupation […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Even for many Kevin Smith fans, “Clerks II” will taste like canned goods as caviar. As uneven and frustrating as the career of its talented creator, “Clerks II” struggles to keep up with the legacy of its predecessor (not to mention the multiple interlocked incarnations of its primary characters). While […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Reactions to writer-director David Jacobson’s “Down in the Valley” will be all over the map, given the movie’s ambitious intentions and its often frustrating disappointments. A weird love letter to the romance of the Old West, the film buries its allusions to classic Westerns like “Red River” in a plot […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson The snazzy sequel to “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” glides into port bigger, louder, and (slightly) longer than the original, which will please as many viewers as it annoys. Loosely based on the beloved Disneyland theme park attraction, the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise has […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson The Last Son of Krypton enjoys a mostly triumphant homecoming in Bryan Singer’s version of one of the most durable of superhero mythologies. “Superman Returns” is earnest, heartfelt, and stately, which are not necessarily bad things in the context of a storyline that has traditionally embraced fairness, civility, and helping […]