NEW MOVIE REVIEWS:
“The Muppets” (A-)
“Arthur Christmas” (B+) [Film.com]
I don’t have a review of “Hugo.” Here’s why, as explained in this week’s In the Dark email:
Martin Scorsese directed this charming adaptation of the novel “The Invention of Hugo Cabret” — about a young orphan who lives in a Paris train station in the 1920s — and he made it kid-friendly and in 3D. In other words, it’s not much like any of Scorsese’s other movies, except that it’s full of visual style, colorful characters, and entertainment value. So why don’t I have a review of it? SHUT UP, I’M GETTING TO THAT! I was in the process of getting a cold the night I saw it, and I was at the point where I felt headachy and weak: not sick enough to stay home, but sick enough (apparently) to feel dazed and stuporous throughout the film. The 3D, which has been almost universally acclaimed as the best usage of the gimmick so far, only made my headache worse. I know that I like the movie, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable writing a real review un less I saw it again, under better conditions. I will say that while it’s suitable for all ages, kids under about 8 would probably find it too slow.
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MOVIE COLUMNS:
Eric’s Bad Movies: “The Net” (1995), starring Sandra Bullock as the hero and the Internet as the villain. [Film.com]
One Year Ago: Catching up with “Tangled,” “Burlesque,” and more. [Movies.com]
What’s the Big Deal? and Re-Views had the week off.
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MY OTHER STUFF:
Snide Remarks: My rejected “Breaking Dawn — Part 1” screenplay.
Movie B.S. with Bayer and Snider: We took the week off for Thanksgiving, and to facilitate the transfer from our former home at Cascadia.fm to our new home at MovieBS.com. We’ll have a new show next Friday. iTunes subscribers won’t notice any interruption in service, which is another good reason for you to subscribe to the podcast at iTunes. [MovieBS] or [iTunes]
In the Dark: Subscribe to this weekly e-mail and get all the latest movie reviews, DVD releases, and other pertinent info delivered to your electronic mailbox. [Eric D. Snider’s In the Dark]
Twitter: @EricDSnider
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MISCELLANEOUS MERRIMENT:
Here’s a nice little story about the lady who does the voice-over announcements for a bunch of airports. [YouTube]
This hilarious trailer for “Drive Thru” is only hilarious if you’ve seen “Drive.” So go see “Drive,” then watch this. [Spout]
From the New Yorker, an astute analysis of what’s wrong with the TV show “Whitney.” [New Yorker]
The “Lisa needs braces/Dental plan” remix you’ve been waiting for. [YouTube]
This essay, “The problem with film criticism,” is so full of quotable wisdom that I’m tempted to steal it and put my own name on it. [Dissent]
Statler and Waldorf review the 2011 holiday movies, according to Matt Patches. [Hollywood]
The governor of Kansas got his feelings hurt on Twitter by a teenage girl, so he demanded an apology. Really. [Kansas City Star]
