June Havens is typical in every way. A smoking-hot, blond car mechanic from Boston who’s returning home with a suitcase filled with car parts, she finds herself ” literally! ” bumping in the same guy over and over, in “Knight and Day.” There’s little time in the Wichita, Kan. airport for Havens (Cameron Diaz, “Shrek […]
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Posted inArts & Culture
Grown Ups
It’s reductive because nostalgia strips away past unpleasantness, keeping only the things that made you happy. A lot of people amplify those good things, remembering the past as a series of warm, floating, blissful encounters that were only possible when all was right with the world. It’s lazy because nothing could be easier, and it’s […]
Posted inMusic
Smart, witty and emotional, ‘Toy Story 3’ continues Pixar’s amazing winning streak
When it comes to movies, three is not typically a magic number. And so a bit of trepidation was natural when approaching “Toy Story 3.” The previous two entries in the franchise are in the rarified air of masterpieces. “Toy Story 3” has tough acts to follow. If anyone can prove the skeptics wrong, however, […]
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Despite its A-list cast and awesome comic potential, ‘Jonah Hex’ is vexingly bad
It’s difficult, if not impossible, to predict whether a movie will be good or bad. Sometimes you hear about a movie that just sounds stupid (“Avatar” comes to mind), and then it makes a billion dollars. And then sometimes a movie has an OK premise and reputable actors, but turns out to be the equivalent […]
Posted inMusic
Amateur musicians vie for a title in ‘They Came to Play,’ a documentary that explores competition
“They Came to Play” is a sly title. The movie isn’t about sports, as is implied. Rather, it’s about people with a competitive spirit that, while not duplicating that of the big-time athlete, suggests it. Alex Rotaru’s documentary follows the lives of several contestants in the Fifth International Piano Competition for Outstanding Amateurs, hosted by […]
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Cinema connoisseur and marijuana aficionado Doug Benson hits Oklahoma City with a stand-up set
Doug Benson with Graham Elwood, Leah Kayajanian and Cameron Buchholtz7:30 p.m. MondayCity Arts Center3000 General Pershing951-0000www.cityartscenter.org$20 advance, $25 door Comedian Doug Benson loves movies and marijuana. He combined the two on screen in 2008 for “Super High Me,” a documentary riff on Morgan Spurlock’s “Super Size Me,” wherein Benson tested the physical and mental effects […]
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A classic comic strip brought to life, ‘Marmaduke’ is one lame Great Dane that should be put down
So I’m sitting there, no child to guide me, watching “Marmaduke” and thinking that the picture will satisfy its demographic ” a group I won’t define, because you know who you are and I don’t want to upset you so much that you can’t color within the lines anymore. And then something happened, and my […]
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Pity the fool who doesn’t love the ‘A-Team’ remake, replete with explosions and dead extras
You don’t exactly have to hold a doctorate in advanced maturity to enjoy “The A-Team.” There’s a big difference in what entertains the kid and what entertains the kid still living in the adult, and this falls into the latter category. Of course, you know by now that the picture was inspired by the 1983-87 […]
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Displaying cultural obsession with bugs, ‘Beetle Queen Conquers Tokyo’ is more curious than creepy
Over the last 25 to 30 years, we in the United States have become increasingly aware and fascinated with Japanese pop culture. Anime, manga, Pokémon, Dragonballs, Airbenders and all manner of odd, what-the-hell-is-that-all-about imports from the land of hara-kiri and used-panty vending machines have been introduced to Americans, with varying success: Sometimes, they’re embraced and […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Splice
Now, that’s not to say the film is all somber contemplation of the themes on which it touches. Yes, the two lead scientists in the story violate ethics and the law, and end up creating a monster daughter, but the company they work for is Nucleic Exchange Research Development. Look again at those initials: N.E.R.D. […]