Gerard Way reviews ‘The Pick Up Artist 2’
Normally, it’s a bad idea when celebrities blog. They typically have nothing to say, can’t seem to figure out the shift key, and use sentences that run on like a marathon athlete. There are,...
Author: Alexis Gentry
Starz Denver Film Festival: a cinematic paradise
The 31st Starz Denver Film Festival is in full swing and, this year, I’ve had a very inside look at all the behind-the-scenes action. With my new job at the Denver Film Society, I’ve been able to watch this year’s fest grow from a tiny seed into a gigantic tree of cinematic enjoyment.
Kevin Smith reaches comedy climax with ‘Zack and Miri’
Zack and Miri seems to follow the recipe for a great comedy. It takes one part View Askew cynical humor, one part Seth Rogen, a sprinkle of familiar faces from the Judd Apatow universe, and a little bit of romantic comedy sweetness, all garnished with a dash of full-frontal Jason Mewes, to make something that achieves what Clerks II only wished it could.
Celebrity Rehab proves strangely addictive
Rodney King and Gary Busey walk into a bar… Actually, they don’t walk into a bar because they’re both patients on VH1’s Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. With so many “celebreality” shows to fill up your DVR with these days, it’s hard to get enthusiastic about just one. Still, Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew has always be strangely addictive.
Is SNL fueling Palin mania in the media?
All spotlights seem to be focused squarely on Tina Fey every weekend as America fervently tunes in to see her portray Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. But is this good for the Obama/Biden campaign, or simply adding more fuel to the Palin media mania sweeping the nation?
Danny McBride brings home the bacon
Danny McBride is like the bacon on a cheeseburger. Without it, the burger is still good, but there’s just something even more delicious when you slap a couple pieces of bacon on top. Like...
The great VMA debacle
Watching the VMAs last night was, in a word, torture. The only saving grace was Russell Brand, who managed to actually be entertaining during the ignominious joke of a ceremony we were all watching. Read Pat Sue Gentry’s write-up about the 2008 MTV Video Music Awards here, or on the Trashwire Blog.
Brad Pitt steals the show in Burn After Reading
The tag line for the star-studded Coen Brothers film ‘Burn After Reading’ is “intelligence is relative”. Certainly that statement is very fitting for this smart film about stupid people. Like a warped version of ‘The Man Who Knew Too Little’ meets ‘The Big Lebowski’, the film retains all the unique characters and plot twists of the Coen’s more dramatic work, but also incorporates the stellar dialogue that made some of their best comedies so memorable. Review contains the red band trailer for the film.
Sexy Jesus leads the troupe in Hamlet 2
If you’ve heard anything about Hamlet 2, it’s probably that the film was co-written by South Park alum Pam Brady. While some of the Jesus jokes and musical numbers might be reminiscent of everyone’s favorite foul-mouthed fourth graders, the film actually has little in common with the iconic animated show.
‘Pineapple Express’ a killer bud comedy
The great “Movie Stoner Duo Hall of Fame” includes Cheech and Chong, Jay and Silent Bob, Harold and Kumar, and now Dale and Saul, the main characters in the ridiculously funny Pineapple Expresss. The...
Joe Rogan proves he’s a pro at Comedy Works in Denver
You may think Joe Rogan is a crass, misogynist, loud-mouth. You may think his act is all dick jokes or something along the lines of a revamped Andrew Dice Clay. After seeing Rogan perform at the Comedy Works in Denver last night, I can assure you that, if you do assume all those things, you’re wrong.
Bigger, Stronger, Faster: a documentary on steroids
You could say Chris Bell’s Bigger, Stronger, Faster is like a documentary on steroids. Not only is it full of information, but performance enhancements are the subject matter. The doc follows Bell and his two brothers Mike and Mark, who always looked up to guys like Hulk Hogan or Arnold Schwarzenegger and now strive to become the biggest, strongest, fastest guys in the world.
The Mother of Tears : blood, guts, and entertainment
Italian filmmaker Dario Argento is hailed by film geeks as a pioneer of bloody horror movies. In fact, he is even proclaimed a master in a great scene from Juno. While my fellow film nerds have given him a cult following, his newest film, The Mother of Tears, should appeal to all audiences who love gallons of fake blood and guts.
Manda Bala dazzles at DocNight
Last night marked my first trip down to the Starz FilmCenter for DocNight, a monthly documentary series presented by the Denver Film Society. This month’s film was Manda Bala, a truly outstanding documentary that weaves together several story lines to paint a gritty and rich portrait of corruption in Brazil. The film, directed by Jason Kohn (who also appeared in-person for Q&A at last night’s event) was the product of over five years of hard work and emphasized the concept of the documentary as a form of cinematic storytelling.
