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BRETT MICHEL

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Review: The Day the Earth Stood Still

We're doomed
The scene set in McDonald's makes sense, unlike the rest of the plot.

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 17, 2008

Review: Yes Man

The correct answer is "No"
Once the one-note joke's been established, everything else follows with plodding, mechanical predictability.

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 16, 2008

Wish-fulfillment for a burning world

The 2008 heroic holiday DVD and Blu-ray gift guide
From the shining big-screen debut of Iron Man to the large amounts of green produced by the Incredible Hulk, this was the year the public couldn't get enough of their favorite heroes.

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 11, 2008

Were the World Mine

A clumsy, queer take on the Bard
High School Musical 3 not quite the gay romp you were hoping for?

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 05, 2008

In the realm of Oshima

The HFA looks back at the bad boy of Japanese cinema
The HFA looks back at the bad boy of Japanese cinema

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 05, 2008

Four Christmases

Tests the audiences' tolerance of grim cheer
Rather than the typical snowstorm that strands characters in a Holiday-themed comedy, it's heavy cloud cover that keeps San Francisco couple Brad and Kate from catching their flight to Fiji.

By: BRETT MICHEL | December 05, 2008

Drowning in a sea of red

Seeing Saw
As a film critic, I'm obliged to approach every film with an open mind.

By: BRETT MICHEL | November 07, 2008

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

An uninspired sit-com packed with Hollywood stars
It’s a light entertainment that can cash in with election-weary audiences.

By: BRETT MICHEL | November 05, 2008

Pride and Glory

Overwrought, derivative police procedural
Here comes director Gavin O’Connor ( Miracle ) to demonstrate that threatening a baby — especially with a hot iron — will never be acceptable.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 31, 2008

Zack and Miri Make a Porno

Full of raunch and snappy dialogue
Kevin Smith’s ear for raunch is as piquant as ever, but he’s moved beyond his usual unconvincing leads to Judd Apatow regulars Rogen and Craig Robinson.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 28, 2008

Max Payne

Bloodless, PG-13-rated action noir
No longer the undercover DEA agent of the game, Max oversees NYPD “cold case” files. They don’t come much colder than this one.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 25, 2008

Body of Lies

Another forgettable thriller
For a film dealing with Intelligence, Body of Lies has little enough of its own.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 16, 2008

Eagle Eye

A credulity-be-damned plot
The trouble with Shia? He’s no Henry Fonda, Jimmy Stewart, or Cary Grant.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 02, 2008

Interview: Simon Pegg

Shaun of the Dead star on losing friends, alienating people, and wanking off to Gillian Anderson
Thirty-eight-year-old British actor Simon Pegg’s US star has been on the rise since his zombie-movie parody Shaun of the Dead shuffled into multiplexes back in 2004.

By: BRETT MICHEL | October 01, 2008