PAST MOVIE REVIEWS
OBSERVE AND REPORT: WHAT ELSE WOULD YOU EXPECT FROM SETH ROGEN?
By Chris Galford
MSU got a special look at "Observe and Report" in an advance screening at Wells Hall.
THE INTERNATIONAL: MEDIOCRITY HIDDEN BY CONFUSION
By Carter Moulton
See “Sin City,” “Children of Men,” or even “Shoot ‘Em Up” if you want to see a more satisfying movie starring Owen as the rugged hero.
HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU: SUPRISINGLY EASY TO GET INTO
By Brandon Kirby
Writer-director Henry Selick's “Coraline” is a macabre wonderment, a childhood fantasy that transforms into a nightmare. To say that this is a movie strictly for children would be to say that those must be some genuinely brave children.
CORALINE: THE FIRST GREAT MOVIEGOING EXPERIENCE OF 2009
By Brandon Kirby
Writer-director Henry Selick's “Coraline” is a macabre wonderment, a childhood fantasy that transforms into a nightmare. To say that this is a movie strictly for children would be to say that those must be some genuinely brave children.
THE READER: WHAT WAS THE ACADEMY THINKING?
By Carter Moulton
Don’t get me wrong, Fiennes makes a great Voldemort, but it makes me sick, watching the Academy Awards gobble up these pretentious, distant films that take advantage of historical events.
TOP 10 HATE-TO-LOVE ROMANCE MOVIES
By Courtney Bowerman
Ever notice that many popular movie couples initially hate each other before falling in love?
TOP 10 MOVIES OF 2008
By Brandon Kirby
It is finally time to sort out the best movies of the year.
 MY BLOODY VALENTINE IN 3D
By Brandon Kirby
This is a by-the-numbers horror flick in every respect. The movie goes for shock value and tries to be as gratuitous as possible, and it's actually this aspect of the movie that makes it as bearable as it is. So, thank goodness for 3-D.
 REVOLUTIONARY ROAD
By Carter Moulton
Leonardo DiCaprio’s performance hasn’t been widely acclaimed. Kate Winslet’s performance got snubbed (she did, however, get nominated for her role in The Reader), and Roger Deakins’ cinematography, some of the richest of the year, didn’t even get a second look. Don’t be fooled: Revolutionary Road is a devastatingly effective film.
 GRAN TORINO
By Brandon Kirby
Clint Eastwood is the man. It's another good year for him because now after “Changeling,” at age 78, he's even directing himself. In Gran Torino, Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, a disgruntled and retired auto worker from a Ford plant who lives in a rundown neighborhood in Detroit.
 SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE
By Brandon Kirby
Jamal Malik is sitting one question away from winning 20 million rupees on India's version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" The question is how he got there.
 TWILIGHT: Yeah, we know Edward's hot, but how's the actual movie?
By Jaret Bozigian
After everyone rushed into the theaters and found their seats, almost every seat was filled. It was time for the movie to start. Applause broke out when it started…and then again when Edward first came on….and then again…
 NICK AND NORA'S INFINITE PLAYLIST: Only mediocre
By Lily Noga
The flurry of attention and advertising made “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” seem like a must-see. But reporter Lily Noga finds the characters only vaguely relatable.
 EAGLE EYE: Fast action, confusing plot
By James Andersen
Starring in a recent string of successful films like “Transformers” and a co-starring role in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the CrystalSkull,” Shia La Beouf seems to be making a name for himself among young actors in Hollywood. His latest adventure, “Eagle Eye,” though not an overly impressive film, adds to his credentials as an up and coming star.
 BURN AFTER READING: Please burn some, but not all, after watching
By Derek Siegel
The Coen Brothers strike again with the new flick, “Burn After Reading,” a storyline with thickheaded characters portrayed by an all-star cast of Brad Pitt, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton. “Burn After Reading” does suffice, but with the complexity of the plot and the comedy mixed with the dark moments, we as the audience should…just burn some of the film.
 FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL: Advanced screening preview
By Sean Hilgeman
As romantic comedies go, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” is a decent romp through the twists and turns of love and how it affects people. You won’t go wrong giving this picture a chance to make you laugh and feel good afterwards.
 THE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM: Advanced screening preview
By Sean Hilgeman
I want to start out by saying that this movie did have a promising premise. Chinese mythology has a wealth of stories untapped in the West, including characters like the Monkey King, and I went in with an open mind full of hope. Unfortunately it was not to be the case; serves me right for being an optimist.
 INVISIBLE CHILDREN: Documentary event raises awareness of crisis in Uganda
By Alisha Green
Music education sophomore Emily Fox has a big task on her hands. The Invisible Children National Tour is coming to MSU April 10 through April 11 to raise awareness about the plight of the children in war-torn Uganda, and Fox is coordinating the event.
 THE 11TH HOUR: Too much talking, not enough information
By Amanda Peterka
The world is being quickly destroyed, and if we don’t act NOW, we’re not only dooming our own species, but all the species on the planet. At least that’s the message I got from watching The 11th Hour, Leonardo DiCaprio’s personal vendetta against any and all who harm the environment.
 CLOVERFIELD: Leaves more questions than answers
By Chris Vannini
Last summer I was put on the edge of my seat after seeing a preview for a movie that excited me and perplexed me. All I was able to gather from the preview was that the movie was called “Cloverfield,” something attacked New York City and the movie followed a group of people in their 20s. Six months later and still I didn’t know much more about what was going to happen in the movie.
MORE:
Jumper by Chris Vannini
Pump Up the Volume by Nick Meador
The Kingdom by Sean Hilgeman
Dan in Real Life by Sean Hilgeman
Rocky Horror Picture Show by Amanda Peterka
TELEVISION:
Why get LOST? by Nick Robinson
Moment of Truth by Chris Vannini
BOOKS:
The Lucky One by Brittney Moody
The Time Traveler's Wife by Brittney Moody
Snap, Crackle, Pop Culture: Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs review by Lane Blackmer
What's up with this "Twilight" thing, anyway? by Jaret Bozigian
The Kindness of Strangers: A look at the heartbreak of child molestation by Brittney Moody
Brisingr: The latest in the Eragon series by Courtney Bowerman |
