Movie review by Greg Carlson Keira Knightley fans anxious to see the talented performer in another sumptuous period melodrama will not be as disappointed as 18th century history buffs by “The Duchess,” a beautiful but largely inert costume ball helmed by Saul Dibb.  Recounting the remarkable life of Georgiana Spencer Cavendish, who became the wife […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A derivative, vertigo-inducing horror cheapie based on the 2007 Spanish movie “REC,” “Quarantine” starts with promise but soon unravels into a haphazard hodgepodge of gimmicks.  Exclusively employing handheld, shaky photography meant to appear as if shot from the point of view of a character in the movie, “Quarantine” belongs to […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A familiar, by-the-numbers political thriller content to play by the rules of its own slightly skewed logic, “Body of Lies” comes packaged with several players from Hollywood’s elite but does not add up to much. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe, the movie trumpets its […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Adapted from the popular novel of the same title by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan, “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” is much better than the typical teen movie, floating above some of the genre’s usual limitations while falling prey to just a few of the others. Sadly, the characters bear […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A largely frustrating, mostly disappointing adaptation of James McBride’s novel, “Miracle at St. Anna” bears the hallmarks, and then some, of many a Spike Lee joint.  Despite the seasoned filmmaker’s audacious personal stamp, the movie plays like an overwrought made-for-television miniseries, piling numerous subplots on top of one another with […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A tasty dessert prepared with just the right combination of sweet and tart, Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” is one of the year’s most enjoyable movie experiences. Buoyed by delightful performances from an ensemble of gorgeous creatures made all the more beautiful by the alluring Spanish surroundings, “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson Joel Coen and Ethan Coen have for years been accused of showing contempt for their audiences, and “Burn After Reading” is likely to add new voices to the din.  For many, however, the allure of the brothers has always been their idiosyncratic and intimate storytelling; they make movies for their […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson An absolutely terrible assassin thriller remade from the 1999 original by brothers Danny and Oxide Pang, “Bangkok Dangerous” is dreadfully dull, poorly paced, and ridiculously acted by star Nicolas Cage, who may have been attracted to the movie’s brooding, neon-lit setting. Alas, even moviegoers who normally enjoy Cage’s oddball line […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A worthwhile historical document, “The Singing Revolution” provides an impassioned clinic on civil disobedience and national unity as it chronicles the modern history of Estonia. Despite the promises of the movie’s trailer, “The Singing Revolution” does not focus the bulk of its attention on music, but spends much of its […]

Movie review by Greg Carlson A trashy update (in name only) of 1975’s Paul Bartel/Roger Corman “Death Race 2000,” “Death Race” continues to blur the line between motion picture entertainment and video game. So it will come as no surprise that the movie’s director is Paul W.S. Anderson, the helmer behind “Mortal Kombat” and “Resident […]