Trashwire
Movie reviews, Whatcha Watchin podcast, and more
Author: Alexis Gentry
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Tangled carries on the tradition of Disney princess movies
I grew up during the golden age of the Disney princess. From Ariel to Belle to Jasmine, my childhood was filled with big-eyed, tiny-waisted damsels in distress who always fell in love with a boy outside of their sheltered world, or outside of their species in some cases. Let’s face it, nobody does animated fairy…
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Denver filmmaker celebrates first feature film, We Are the Sea
Making a film is hard, making an independent film is even harder, and making your first independent film can seem damn near impossible. For Colorado filmmaker Neil Truglio, the journey from concept to film festival took seven years and the blood, sweat and tears of a very generous cast and crew. When all was said…
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Mega stars master Megamind
Every animated film, no matter how well-written, can be made or broken by its cast. Back in the days of Disney animated classics like Beauty and the Beast, each part was played by a talented voice over actor who made a career out of over-the-top cartoon voices. These days, the fun of animated films is…
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Due Date fails to deliver
Take Todd Phillips, director of wildly successful The Hangover, throw in that film’s most memorable star, Zach Galifianakis, add in Iron Man himself, Robert Downey Jr., and you should have a stellar comedy. With all that working in its favor, it’s a shame that Due Date fails to impress.
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If The Expendables had good actors, it would be RED
If The Expendables starred actors who were actually known for their acting abilities instead of their muscles, it would feature Bruce Willis, Karl Urban, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, and Helen Mirren. It would still contain a lot of bullets and one-liners, but overall, would be like a high-quality version of The A-Team. The new film…
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My Chemical Romance emerges from the coffin as The Fabulous Killjoys
The music video for “Na Na Na”, the first single from the upcoming My Chemical Romance album Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys, marks a welcome departure from the gloom and doom of The Black Parade with bright colors, a fun low-budget attitude and a new narrative style.
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Zach Galifianakis hits dramedy tone in It’s Kind of a Funny Story
Films that deal with mental illness often take one of two paths: they go for light hearted comedy, joking about inappropriate outbursts or hallucinations, or they take the tragic route and focus on the ways mental illness can destroy families or shatter the lives of its victims. It’s Kind of a Funny Story combines these…
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The Social Network breaks from tradition of nerds in cinema
From Anthony Michael Hall in Sixteen Candles to McLovin, Hollywood loves nerds. Typically, nerds in movies are portrayed as people who have been wrongly rejected by their school society, but are really great human beings underneath their acne, glasses and knowledge of all things Star Trek. The Social Network is different in that billionaire nerd…
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Ben Affleck shows his talent in The Town
Ben Affleck is a lot like a mediocre basketball player who becomes a successful coach. He may not be able to dunk, but he can certainly create some winning plays. In The Town, he shows us that his skills as a writer and director can elevate the game of an often-ridiculed actor.
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Easy A scores a B
I’m sure that during the pitch meeting for Easy A, someone described it as Saved meets Mean Girls. It’s got the sexy-but-funny redheaded leading lady of Tina Fey’s witty high school flick and the self-righteous religious villains of the pre-Juno teen pregnancy comedy. It’s a recipe that can’t go wrong…most of the time.
