http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/movies.shtml Reviews of independent and wide-release films written by lead critic Joe Lozito and his merry band of crackerjack movie reviewers. Sat, 04 Jul 2009 20:14:49 PST en-us http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Food_Inc.shtml Reviews Our food is killing us and Director Robert Kenner is trying hard to get us to rise up and scream that we're not going to take it anymore, with mixed results. ]]> Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:14:00 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Food_Inc.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Public_Enemies.shtml Reviews Though it provides no insight into its subject, Michael Mann's John Dillinger biopic is still an engrossing period piece, thanks largely to the director's sure hand and signature style. ]]> Tue, 30 Jun 2009 16:51:17 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Public_Enemies.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/oscar_doubles_best_picture_nominees.shtml News The Academy have decided to double the number of Best Picture nominees in 2010. What were they thinking? ]]> Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:46:00 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/oscar_doubles_best_picture_nominees.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Transformers_Revenge_of_the_Fallen.shtml Reviews Even for a Michael Bay movie, this robot-on-robot sequel is a pointless, messy assault on the senses. The special effects, of course, are flawless. The rest is scrap metal. ]]> Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:03:19 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Transformers_Revenge_of_the_Fallen.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Year_One.shtml Reviews Talent is wasted on a Biblical scale in Harold Ramis' scattershot back-in-the-day skit. ]]> Sat, 20 Jun 2009 11:54:02 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Year_One.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Proposal.shtml Reviews Another forgettable, paint-by-numbers romantic comedy, marginally saved only by the comedic talents of the film's leads. ]]> Fri, 19 Jun 2009 17:38:40 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Proposal.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Dead_Snow.shtml Reviews Despite some inspired bits, much of this film is aimless shambling, as if in search of its own brain. Still, "Dead Snow" is sure to be the best Nazi zombie film of the year. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 23:59:56 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Dead_Snow.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Whatever_Works.shtml Reviews In this return to Manhattan - and to his old tricks - Woody Allen finds a perfect representative in Larry David. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:08:02 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Whatever_Works.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Housemaid_Hanyo.shtml Reviews Despite the somewhat jarring end, this South Korean film from 1960 is well-paced and acted, beautifully shot in black and white, and interesting thematically, aesthetically and in its appropriation of different genres. ]]> Thu, 18 Jun 2009 10:04:56 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Housemaid_Hanyo.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Moon.shtml Reviews Duncan Jones' homage to the cerebral science fiction movies of the 1970s, slips into theaters beneath the scanners, sans warp drive flashes and the crunch of terminating footsteps. ]]> Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:22:26 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Moon.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Taking_of_Pelham_1_2_3.shtml Reviews Joining the ever-increasing ranks of pointless remakes, this movie marks a low point for nearly everyone involved. ]]> Thu, 11 Jun 2009 12:51:36 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Taking_of_Pelham_1_2_3.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Away_We_Go.shtml Reviews It seems like yet another quirkfest straight out of Sundance, but it has a sneaky way of winning people over. You'll see. ]]> Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:00:00 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Away_We_Go.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Land_of_the_Lost.shtml Reviews Ferrell & Co. sully fond childhood memories with an uninspired, vulgar adaptation of the 70s Saturday morning classic. ]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:29:42 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Land_of_the_Lost.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Hangover.shtml Reviews As forgettable as a night of hard drinking, this frat-level comedy is good for a few laughs but never quite gels. ]]> Thu, 04 Jun 2009 11:47:47 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/The_Hangover.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Drag_Me_to_Hell.shtml Reviews Sam Raimi goes back to his horror roots with a wildly campy, jump-out-of-your-seat, gross-out, laugh-out-loud Grimm's fairy tale come to life. ]]> Fri, 29 May 2009 13:44:00 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Drag_Me_to_Hell.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Up.shtml Reviews It may be lesser Pixar, but it's still head and shoulders above other family films this year. ]]> Thu, 28 May 2009 18:03:15 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Up.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Dance_Flick.shtml Reviews Ironically, this Wayans brothers send-up of the dance-movie genre shows little comic rhythm. ]]> Fri, 22 May 2009 22:46:48 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Dance_Flick.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Milton_Glaser_To_Inform_and_Delight.shtml Reviews An exciting artist's work is reduced to a very low-key and slow moving exercise that fails to capture the man's spirit. ]]> Thu, 21 May 2009 23:56:30 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Milton_Glaser_To_Inform_and_Delight.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Night_at_the_Museum_Battle_of_the_Smithsonian.shtml Reviews Along with the addition of Amy Adams as a spunky Amelia Earhart, moving the action to the Smithsonian (and ignoring any concerns about believability) brings this goofy sequel to life like a wax sculpture of Teddy Roosevelt. ]]> Thu, 21 May 2009 00:09:03 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Night_at_the_Museum_Battle_of_the_Smithsonian.shtml http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Terminator_Salvation.shtml Reviews This ambitious redefinition of a franchise is also loud, clumsy and, in the end, doesn't make much sense. ]]> Wed, 20 May 2009 23:18:07 PST http://www.bigpicturebigsound.com/Terminator_Salvation.shtml