Entertainment Reviews

"Somewhere" paints intimate portrait with charm
Reuters – Fri Sep 3, 5:53 pm ET

Reuters

VENICE (Hollywood Reporter) - After her foray into historical costumers with "Marie Antoinette," Sofia Coppola makes a happy return to "Lost in Translation" territory in the cut-back charmer "Somewhere," which illuminates the emptiness of a movie star's life in Los Angeles through close observation and gentle irony. Full Story »
Billboard CD reviews: Katy Perry, Trace Adkins
Reuters – Fri Sep 3, 5:51 pm ET

ARTIST: KATY PERRY
ALBUM: TEENAGE DREAM
NEW YORK (Billboard) - Don't be fooled by the first two singles and the candy-covered "California Gurls" video: Full Story »
"Black Sheep" a strong debut for Italian raconteur
Reuters – Fri Sep 3, 12:00 am ET

VENICE (Hollywood Reporter) - Most of Ascanio Celestini's theater productions consist of him sitting in a chair, captivating audiences with monologues that combine great wit, historical commentary and genuine despair over a range of social injustices. Full Story »
Schnabel ponders Palestinian conflict in "Miral"
Reuters – Thu Sep 2, 11:35 pm ET

Reuters

VENICE (Hollywood Reporter) - Sure to excite curiosity thanks to the reputation of director Julian Schnabel ("The Diving Bell and the Butterfly") and its controversial topicality, "Miral" dramatically but unevenly explores the lives of four Palestinian women during the years of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. Full Story »
9/11 musical "Clear Blue Tuesday" adds to tragedy
Reuters – Thu Sep 2, 11:35 pm ET

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - Want to experience the worst sort of theater without the bother or expense of heading to New York? Take in the new indie film "Clear Blue Tuesday," a 9/11-themed musical -- that's not a typo -- representing the sort of egregious fatuousness and self-indulgence that is all too endemic to off-Broadway stages. Full Story »
Capsule reviews: 'The American,' 'Machete'
AP – Thu Sep 2, 4:18 pm ET

Capsule reviews of films opening this week: Full Story »
Writer tries to grow up in comedy 'It Must Be Him'
AP – Thu Sep 2, 3:23 pm ET

AP

NEW YORK - The spectacle of a morose Hollywood writer who is down on his luck shouldn't really be funny. But Kenny Solms, himself a successful, longtime Hollywood writer, takes the concept and runs with it in his amusing new comedy, "It Must Be Him." Full Story »
Uneven teen drama "Norman" redeemed by sharp acting
Reuters – Wed Sep 1, 7:49 pm ET

MONTREAL (Hollywood Reporter) - "Norman" delivers a fresh twist on the old coming-of-age genre: The alienated adolescent of the title, a goodhearted smart aleck of a nerd, fakes having cancer and is left to reconcile his rising social stock with a guilty conscience. Full Story »
Review: Drew Barrymore's 'Going the Distance'
AP – Wed Sep 1, 7:35 pm ET

AP

In "Going the Distance," Drew Barrymore plays a quick-to-laugh, ambitious young hipster who loves cool indie bands, "Shawshank Redemption" and playing the old arcade games in bars. Jason Long, on the other hand, plays a quick-to-laugh, ambitious young hipster who loves cool indie bands, "Shawshank Redemption" and playing old arcade games in bars. Full Story »
Natalie Portman takes a dark turn in Venice film
Reuters – Wed Sep 1, 5:15 pm ET

Reuters

VENICE (Reuters) - The Venice film festival opened on Wednesday with "Black Swan," a dark psychological drama starring Natalie Portman as a ballerina who finally lands the lead role but loses her grip on reality as the pressure builds. Full Story »
Review: 'Machete' serves relentless, bloody action
AP – Wed Sep 1, 3:57 pm ET

AP

Certainly, "Machete" is the best feature-length extension of a fake movie trailer in Hollywood history. Full Story »
`Brazil on the Rise' says future has arrived
AP – Wed Sep 1, 1:40 pm ET

AP

"Brazil on the Rise" (Palgrave Macmillan, $27) by Larry Rohter: When Larry Rohter stepped down as The New York Times' Brazil bureau chief in 2008, he was easily the most reviled foreign correspondent in the country. Full Story »
Tony Blair: 'I cried for Iraq war victims'
AP – Wed Sep 1, 10:38 am ET

AP

LONDON - Tony Blair regrets banning fox hunting, but not invading Iraq. He was captivated by Princess Diana, intimidated by Queen Elizabeth II. He heaps praise on President George W. Bush but calls his close colleague Gordon Brown a man of "zero" emotional intelligence. He acknowledges that some find him delusional, and says he possibly drank a bit too much. Full Story »
Madness changes brothers in 'An Error of the Moon'
AP – Wed Sep 1, 10:30 am ET

AP

NEW YORK - What can you do when your younger brother shoots his way into the history books for all the wrong reasons? Full Story »
"Machete" an ultraviolent blast of hilarity
Reuters – Wed Sep 1, 3:36 am ET

NEW YORK (Hollywood Reporter) - It took three years, but "Machete," whose mock trailer was lovingly showcased in the B-picture homage "Grindhouse," finally hits theaters Friday. Full Story »
New `Metroid' game strong on plot, short on action
AP – Wed Sep 1, 8:43 am ET

AP

Followers of the "Metroid" game series from Nintendo are bound to covet the latest offering, "Metroid: Other M," while those new to the series will likely find it a bit stale. Full Story »
Review: George Clooney in the bleak `The American'
AP – Tue Aug 31, 7:44 pm ET

AP

Hidden from critics until just before its release, the dirty secret about "The American" turns out to be that it's an "art film." Heavens, no! Full Story »
Former African child soldier helps Americans get fit
Reuters – Wed Sep 1, 1:40 am ET

Reuters

NEW YORK (Reuters) - For most of his life, Tchicaya Missamou's warrior training made him into a killing machine. Now, he is using his skills to help Americans get fit. Full Story »