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MARK BAZER

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Review: Extract

Mike Judge goes back to work
I'm hard-pressed to say, though, whether Extract is a significant leap forward for Judge in terms of story or just not as funny as his earlier work.

By: MARK BAZER | September 02, 2009

Plot and crass jokes aside, it's a feel-good film
Mac especially is a joy to watch, and a counterpoint to the humor elsewhere, as he breaks out Temptations-style moves with just the right mix of sly fun and respect for the music.

By: MARK BAZER | November 05, 2008

Filth and Wisdom

An annoying mish-mash
As the lead character narrates his “filthy” story, and those of his London flatmates/neighbors, we hit upon boredom long before wisdom can arrive.

By: MARK BAZER | October 27, 2008

City of Ember

Outdated, passable entertainment
Kids who see the truth when adults cannot is a central idea in children’s stories, but today’s kids would hardly recognize the grown-ups in Ember’s totalitarian society.

By: MARK BAZER | October 15, 2008

Igor

Hard to gauge which children this film is for — if any
Nothing like walking out of a theater with your kid asking, “Daddy, what is suicide?”

By: MARK BAZER | September 16, 2008

College

A vulgar, witless depiction of college
College , which was “directed” by Deb Hagen, is so full of nastiness and cruelty that it’s hard to believe anyone would find joy in it.

By: MARK BAZER | September 03, 2008

Traitor

Never as exciting as an episode of 24
This Islamic-terrorist thriller takes us halfway around the world before landing on our shores to introduce us to the terrorists in our midst.

By: MARK BAZER | August 27, 2008

The Longshots

The script may have taken an hour to write
A based-on-a-true-story inspirational tale of the first girl quarterback to take a team to the Pop Warner Super Bowl, The Longshots is directed by Fred Durst.

By: MARK BAZER | August 20, 2008

Frozen River

A cold film with a warm ending
This Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner takes us to a remote stretch of the New York–Quebec border where, come winter, there’s not much to do but wish you were elsewhere.

By: MARK BAZER | August 20, 2008

Deal

A watch watcher
If you’re going to make a movie about a subject as non-cinematic as professional poker, you might as well go all in.

By: MARK BAZER | April 23, 2008

Smart People

As expected, smart supporting characters
Stories about addled, self-absorbed middle-aged male professors whose lives are falling apart and — worse yet — who can’t get published don’t mean much to the rest of us.

By: MARK BAZER | April 09, 2008

Never Back Down

A Karate Kid ripoff
You’ll root for Jake. You will!

By: MARK BAZER | March 12, 2008

The Bank Job

Faking it
He's both smart enough to sense he’s being played by people far more powerful than he is and dumb enough not to walk away. Kind of like us moviegoers.

By: MARK BAZER | March 05, 2008

Untraceable

Delivering the goods, especially if you like to watch a man submerged in acid
The least-satisfying detective stories tend to be about serial killers.

By: MARK BAZER | January 23, 2008

27 Dresses

An urban fairy tale
Well, I always cry at movies about weddings.

By: MARK BAZER | January 16, 2008

Mad Money

Ain't nothin' but a paycheck
It does have stars: Diane Keaton (daffy!), Queen Latifah (sassy!), and Katie Holmes, who despite avoiding stereotype is cast as the most annoying of the three.

By: MARK BAZER | January 16, 2008

First Sunday

Repent
You’ve got to be a serious screw-up or devastated by desperation to rob a church.

By: MARK BAZER | January 16, 2008

Cassandra's Dream

Unbearably grim
Well, as we used to say about the Sox and can still say about Woody Allen movies, there’s always next year.

By: MARK BAZER | January 16, 2008

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

Meet Super Creep
This one’s a lot to sit through.

By: MARK BAZER | November 14, 2007

Sleuth

Michael Caine remaking Michael Caine
Think Carlton Fisk and Thurman Munson.

By: MARK BAZER | October 17, 2007

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