10.13.2009 | By Namreta Kumar |
With a film that has so many names attached to it there are so many places where it can succeed and just as many places where it can fail. New York, I Love You startles on this double-edged sword for so many reasons. Read More
10.5.2009 | By Pau Brunet |
Sony’s marketing machine marches on: “Zombieland” opened No. 1 at the weekend box office, giving the studio its sixth first-place debut of the year. The horror-comedy hybrid sold an estimated $25 million in tickets at North American theaters, according to tracking services. The entry to watch, however, was Disney’s experiment in using 3-D to repackage the Pixar classics “Toy Story” and “Toy Story 2.” The films, re-rendered in 3-D and released as a double feature, sold an estimated $12.5 million, placed third — behind a three-week-old animated entry from Sony, “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs.” (That movie sold another $16.7 million for a cumulative total of $82.4 million.)
So Disney did a successful job priming the market for “Toy Story 3,” set for release in June, but so far failed to prove any points about the goldmine potential of re-releasing old hits in 3-D. The Ricky Gervais comedy “The Invention of Lying” (Warner Brothers) was fourth with about $7.4 million, while “Surrogates” (Disney) limped into fifth place with $7.3 million ($26.4 million total). The only other wide release, “Whip It,” fared poorly in sixth place. The Fox Searchlight comedy, backed by a months-long marketing campaign and featuring the talents of Drew Barrymore and Ellen Page, sold about $4.9 million.
10.2.2009 | By Ted Faraone |
*Updated April 2026
The brothers Joel and Ethan Coen have brought an amazing variety of films to the screen over the last 25 years. From the over-the-top Blood Simple to the extraordinarily annoying Fargo and the superbly funny Burn After Reading, they have at last decided to make a serious picture. A Serious Man is a drama in disguise, performed by comedic actors. Read More
10.2.2009 | By Alex Florez |
With a jaunty title like Zombieland, you know you’re in for a senseless horror comedy. Now that’s just fine, but the surprise here is that it’s more of a buddy road movie with a teen romance sandwiched in between. Come to think of it, this film attempts to do the nearly impossible – get loyal zombie fans and mainstream folk to share the same theater. Read More
10.1.2009 | By SBC Staff |
Rated: R for some language.
Release Date: 2009-10-02
Starring: Michael Moore
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country: USA
Official Website: http://www.capitalismalovestory.com/
Go to our film page
‘Capitalism: A Love Story’ is like a Sylvester Stallone ‘Rocky’ film – it leaves you wanting to kick some ass, in this case, Corporate America’s ass. Documentarian and funny man Michael Moore is up to his old tricks as he combats the evil forces in the USA in an entertaining and factual manner, including revelations that might twitch your spine. Capitalism isn’t as good as ‘Sicko’, but it manages to deliver a punch right in the patriotic gut.
The premise has Mr. Moore exploring the price that America pays for its love of capitalism, but the principal appeal of the film is Moore’s quest to uncover the why’s and who’s of the economic collapse, and even though he does this with human affection and charm, he doesn’t necessarily tell us what to do with the information. Consequently, we’re left asking questions with no right or wrong answers. I almost wish he would’ve tread a little further and had someone arrested – caught on film! No such luck, but I can’t say he didn’t try. To most proletariats, Moore is their champion and so with each documentary, the expectations for him to do something about his findings become more demanding.
At the end, Moore is in the business of informing and entertaining us with his topical stories on our governments fallacies, but he wants us to do something about. He feels he started it, we should finish it. Will we? Stay tuned.
10.1.2009 | By Alex Florez |
For ‘Sportcenter’ junkies like myself, More Than a Game will feel like one of those pre-game packages leading up to the final game of a championship series. Read More
09.29.2009 | By Karen Posada |
“Whip It” has got to be one of the most enjoyable movies I’ve seen in a while. It was fun and very entertaining. It may make you want to go out and join a roller derby team or at least give yourself a cool and tough pseudo name. Read More
09.25.2009 | By Namreta Kumar |
“Coco Before Chanel” is a visual treat that captures the essence of its subject, Gabriel “Coco” Chanel, in a way that is both elegant and authentic. Anne Fontaine has crafted a period piece that mirrors the timeless nature of Chanel herself. Read More
09.22.2009 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: PG-13 for sexual content throughout, some language and a drug reference.
Release Date: 2009-05-01
Starring: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.ghostsofgirlfriendspastmovie.com/
‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Screenwriters Jon Lucas and Scott Moore somehow manage to salvage the film by developing two well written romantic moments into the overdone cornball premise. The film doesn’t work as a comedy, but it gets the job done in the romance department.
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is a free loving bachelor who is the ultimate ‘playa’. Unfortunately, his childhood friend Jenny (Jennifer Garner) is the one woman in his life who has always seemed immune to his considerable charm. It all comes to a climax when three ghosts, yes a la Dickens, take him on a revealing odyssey through a lifetime of failed relationships. The purpose of this exam is to get him to redeem himself in front of his one true love – Jenny.
There is no doubts about this film being targeted to female viewers, Unfortunately, they’ll have to deal with some negatives. Most of the damage of the film exists in its overused storyline – Charles Dickens’ ‘The Christmas Carol’. That on its own should scare most moviegoers away. Adding to the barrage of detriments is the myriad of lame and unamusing gags that never go over. I don’t really remember laughing once. But halfway through the film, when Michael Douglas appears as Uncle Wayne, is when we finally experience the first engaging moment. Douglas’s detailed in-depth tutorial on picking up women to a young Connor possesses a real candor absent from similar movies of the genre. I’m sure female viewers will find it amusing if not absurd. We once again are treated to another memorable moment at the film’s climax when McConaughey himself dishes out some love wisdom of his own. These scenes mixed in with a gooey score and sufficient teary close ups will debilitate even some of the most stoic of men.
Â
Apart from those likable sequences, the supporting cast is simply irrelevant and insipid. Their charms and levels of interest are nonexistent. Futhermore, McConaughey’s performance matches those of his previous uninspired works (Fools Gold, Failure to Launch, The Wedding Planner). Nevertheless, if you can get past the Dickens homage, ‘Ghosts of Girlfriends Past’ is better than most romantic fare out in theaters right now. Female viewers will enjoy a good insight into the male psyche and have a chance to see a man go from player to prince. Isn’t that what all women want?
09.19.2009 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, when animated movies often chase franchise size, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs still has the goofy advantage of turning one ridiculous idea into a full comic world.
 Go to our film page
