FilmJabber Movie Blog

A Late ‘Safe House’ Movie Review

Erik Samdahl — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 17:00:58 +0000

Denzel Washington has trained hard to become an unstoppable force. His not-so-secret secret: team with a younger white dude. Training Day, costarring a perennially pale Ethan Hawke, won him an Oscar, and Unstoppable , which also starred Chris Pine, showed he can be more than just a mid-ranged box office force. Denzel’s latest venture Safe House also stars Ryan Reynolds, and the results are explosive in more ways than one: it’s an instant hit – one of Denzel’s biggest debuts of his career – and an entertaining, fast-paced action movie.

Read FilmJabber’s full Safe House movie review.

Pina: A Documentary You Should See in Theaters, in 3D

Erik Samdahl — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:00:42 +0000

First impressions can be deceiving. The very thought of watching a documentary about a dancer, or dancing, regardless of Oscar nominations or credentials, was agonizing. Forty minutes before the screening was to start – mind you, as a critic (who gave me the license to call myself a critic? Oh yeah, you. The reader) I get in for free – I was still debating whether to drive the ten minutes to the theater and sacrifice my evening to watch what was surely going to be a drab documentary about something I care nothing about. Shame on me.

Read FilmJabber’s full Pina movie review.

Win Star Wars T-Shirts from T-Shirts.com!

Erik Samdahl — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:30:19 +0000

Star Wars: Episode I: The Phantom Menace has returned to theaters, this time in 3D!

We’re about as excited as a wookie at a barbershop… But we have good news.

Even if you aren’t that excited about shelling out more money to Mr. Lucas to see the same movie you’ve already criticized a thousand times – after watching it a thousand times – T-Shirts.com has given us permission – bless their hearts – to give away three Star Wars T-shirts to three lucky winners. If you’re selected, you’ll get to choose from their wide variety of kick-ass Star Wars T-shirts. What’s not to love?

Enter to win today!

You Haven’t Seen White Irish Drinkers, But You Should

Erik Samdahl — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:12 +0000

Every year there are a few worthwhile movies that go wholly unnoticed by the general movie-going public. Sometimes the marketing is poor or the topic unappealing. Other times, the movie is picked up by a small distributor or receives a less-than-prominent release. Such is the case with White Irish Drinkers, a movie that few, unfortunately, have seen, let alone heard of.

Read FilmJabber’s full White Irish Drinkers movie review.

Win Martha Marcy May Marlene on DVD!

Erik Samdahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:49 +0000

The excellent drama Martha Marcy May Marlene debuts on DVD and Blu-Ray on February 21, 2012!

The movie is a powerful psychological thriller starring Elizabeth Olsen as Martha, a young woman rapidly unraveling amidst her attempt to reclaim a normal life after fleeing from a cult and its charismatic leader (John Hawkes). Seeking help from her estranged older sister Lucy (Sarah Paulson) and brother-in-law (Hugh Dancy), Martha is unable and unwilling to reveal the truth about her disappearance. When her memories trigger a chilling paranoia that her former cult could still be pursuing her, the line between Martha’s reality and delusion begins to blur.

We’re giving away three DVDs to our readers – enter to win today!

Higher Ground Movie Review

Erik Samdahl — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:00:08 +0000

Oscar-nominated actress Vera Farmiga makes her directorial debut with the drama Higher Ground, about a woman who becomes trapped by her circumstances – and by the fundamentalist sect to which she belongs. Also starring John Hawkes and Vera’s younger sister Taissa Farmiga, Higher Ground is an interesting little movie. Unfortunately, it’s not much more than that.

Read FilmJabber’s full Higher Ground movie review.

Juno Temple is a Dirty Girl: A Movie Review

Erik Samdahl — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:00:08 +0000

Juno Temple stars as the title character in the R-rated drama comedy Dirty Girl, about a rebellious, sex-loving teen who goes on a road trip with an awkward, overweight and homosexual friend, both seeking to change their less-than-ideal circumstances. Unfortunately, Dirty Girl lingers too long in that no man’s land between drama and comedy, and instead offers little of either.

Read FilmJabber’s full Dirty Girl movie review.

A Very Harold & Kumar Blu-ray Giveaway

Erik Samdahl — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:30:19 +0000

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas rolls onto DVD and Blu-ray combo pack today, and to celebrate the return of our lovable, caring heroes, we’re giving away a couple copies to our loyal readers.

The new Harold & Kumar comedy picks up six years after the duo’s last adventure. After years of growing apart, Harold Lee (John Cho) and Kumar Patel (Kal Penn) have replaced each other with new friends and are preparing for their respective Yuletide celebrations. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar’s door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold’s house ends with the “high grade” contents—and Harold’s father-in-law’s prize Christmas tree— going up in smoke.

Enter to win today!

50/50: A Funny Movie About Cancer

Erik Samdahl — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 17:00:12 +0000

Cancer is no laughing matter. Life, however, is. In 50/50, which can best be described as a “cancer comedy”, director Jonathan Levine and writer Will Reiser prove that disease can be just as humorous as it is frightening. 50/50 is one of the best movies of 2011.

Read FilmJabber’s full 50/50 movie review.

The Woman in Black Movie Review

Erik Samdahl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 18:00:16 +0000

Harry Potter returns to the land of the Muggles and finds that things are a lot scarier than He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named in The Woman in Black, Daniel Radcliffe’s first movie since the franchise that made him a household name came to a close. The Woman in Black is creepy from start to finish and should satisfy most horror fans, but it fails to capitalize on its eerie atmosphere with a few too many cliché scares and a terribly disappointing ending.

Read FilmJabber’s full The Woman in Black movie review.

Review: Chronicle Flies Sort of High This Weekend

Erik Samdahl — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:00:16 +0000

Three Seattle teenagers develop super powers and do wonderful things with them, like scaring little girls and playing practical jokes on unsuspecting strangers, in the entertaining but far from great sci-fi action film Chronicle. Oh, and one gets corrupted by his newfound powers and takes it out on the Emerald City and all those who stand in his way.

Read FilmJabber’s full Chronicle movie review.

Hell and Back Again: Does It Deserve an Oscar?

Erik Samdahl — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 17:00:15 +0000

The Oscar-nominated documentary Hell and Back Again is an intimate portrait of one American soldier’s attempt to transition back to regular life after a harrowing deployment in which he was horribly injured. Unfortunately, despite its strengths, Hell and Back Again does not stand out in any way or form.

Read FilmJabber’s full Hell and Back Again movie review.

First Official Still from James Bond: Skyfall

Erik Samdahl — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:00:14 +0000

The first official movie still from the upcoming James Bond movie Skyfall has debuted online, featuring Daniel Craig looking very 007-like.

In Skyfall, which stars Daniel Craig, Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Naomie Harris, Judi Dench and Rhys Ifans, Bond’s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

The movie, directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty), will be released on November 9, 2012.

Taylor Lautner Puts the ‘Ab’ in Abduction

Erik Samdahl — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:00:34 +0000

Taylor Lautner alert! The perfect six pack is back, now under the tutelage of Oscar-nominated director John Singleton in Abduction, a cheesy action film that pits the lackluster actor against the CIA and other unsavory folk who are trying to kill him. Intended to be a post-Twilight franchise for Lautner and a box office comeback for Singleton, Abduction misses the mark.

Read FilmJabber’s full Abduction movie review.

Texas Killing Fields Movie Review

Erik Samdahl — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:00:33 +0000

The Texas Killing Fields is about a serial killer. It’s been a while since a really good serial killer movie came along – well, one not directed by David Fincher (who did Seven, Zodiac and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) – and unfortunately the trend continues. Drab, uninteresting and featuring an unremarkable villain, there’s a reason why you’ve never heard of The Texas Killing Fields.

Read FilmJabber’s full Texas Killing Fields movie review.