The big difference in French and American romantic comedies can be easily seen in Heartbreakers (L’Arnacoeur). This lively Gallic romcom, starring Vanessa Paradis and Romain Duris, revolves around Duris being hired to make Paradis fall out of love with her fiancée. Most of the time, whether it’s American or French or whatever, the typical romcom has totally unbelievable elements. A movie like The Proposal offers two attractive stars (Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds) yet strains credulity otherwise. Likewise the plot in Heartbreakers concerns a company that Duris works for that makes Mission Impossible look like a bunch of amateurs playing ... Read More »

In the history of film there are moments where really good actors have turned to directing, and subsequently only directed one film. In many cases it has shown remarkable staying power. Take the case of Charles Laughton and The Night of the Hunter or Marlon Brando and One-Eyed Jacks. Although in some cases the results aren’t as memorable. Take the Matthew Broderick directed Infinity (1996), or the fact that the  inimitable Anthony Hopkins has helmed three movies of which nobody has ever heard. Philip Seymour Hoffman (that name has always sounded like a cat name to me) could be one ... Read More »

Although it was a little under the radar, the Yellow Echo show at Walter’s tonight was a blast. Three piece indie outfit Yellow Echo played a bill with soulful r&b act The Foster Band (starring the beautiful Remira), smokin’ hip-hop duo Hero & Rad, and of course, my good friend Mic Skills. Everyone of these acts killed it on stage but some of the most stimulating stuff of the night happened when Mic, Hero, and Rad collaborated; there was even a little freestyle thrown in. Along with the live music there were some local artists in the back painting and ... Read More »

The Tillman Story is the kind of documentary that just burst forth from the screen and stays etched in your mind. Most people will have heard of Pat Tillman, the guy who turned down a multi-million dollar payday playing professional football (Arizona Cardinals #40, previously playing for the Arizona State Sun Devils #42) to volunteer for combat service. At first his death in combat was played by the press as the demise of a hero during an enemy ambush but subsequently the myth revealed its true colors by acknowledging that Tillman was killed by friendly fire. The Tillman Story unfolds ... Read More »

A friend mentioned to me recently that she’d taken her three-year old daughter to see her first movie, Toy Story 3. The first preview was for the then upcoming Warner Bros. film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole. At the first sight of the dark night and the owls gleaming eyes the little lass ran out of the theater screaming in fright. True story. The quality that propels Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole wouldn’t be apparent to children anyway, but perhaps not oddly the film seems definitely aimed at mature if not adult audiences. No ... Read More »

It’s that time of year again. Get ready for the deluge of generic Austin City Limits coverage from every local news source in Texas. Well, maybe it’s a bit early but I’ve decided to strike a little before the iron gets hot to spread the word about a few bands on the bill that you may have overlooked. I won’t conceal the fact that I do indeed have tickets to the first two days of the festival and have talked incessantly about it to everyone I know since January so this may just come off as the mad ramblings of ... Read More »

When the mocking laughter has faded, when the tears of forced emotion have dried you have Catfish. In this documentary about people deceiving other people, mainly through Facebook, the explanation of the title comes in an explanatory manner by one of the supporting players. It seems that the codfish, when being shipped a great distance would get mushy and tasteless. But if you put a catfish in with the cod they keep movement alive and therefore have some flavor. So metaphorically the catfish is a catalyst of change. The truth is neither catfish nor cod is a great tasting fish, ... Read More »

Zhang Yimou has always been a good fit for Sony Pictures Classics. For over 20 years films like Raise the Red Lantern or Red Sorghum were anxiously awaited as art house events. The leading movie director of his era Yimou cannot be easily classified. His latest A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop (San qiang pai an jing qi) is as different from his films of a generation ago as it is from his recent martial arts films like Hero. In fact, A Woman, A Gun and A Noodle Shop is a remake of the Coen Brothers debut film ... Read More »

One of Houston’s very own indie-rock bands, Young Girls was recently asked to open up for popular Brooklyn act The Drums up in Dallas. Not even a year old, Young Girls have already played countless shows in Houston, gone on a multi-state tour including cities like Chicago and Tulsa, and are planning release their official debut presumably sometime in the near future. They are a phenomenon. They are some of Houston’s most movingest and shakingest musicians. If you haven’t heard them give their stuff a listen on myspace, and don’t forget to  go see The Drums play at the grand ... Read More »

One thing is certain after watching The Town – Ben Affleck has great action chops for a director. His ability as a triple threat (actor, writer, director) seems hampered though by a lack of attention to realism between the characters. Nonetheless The Town contains at least three riveting robbery sequences, the middle of which concludes with a well-edited and shot car chase that involves small streets and wicked reaction shots. The Town, like Affleck’s previous and superior directorial effort Gone, Baby Gone, takes place in Boston. Affleck obviously stays in a comfort zone regarding projects; in fact his Oscar (for ... Read More »