As today is the last day of 2010, it's fitting to look at the movies that made the most money over the course of the year. According to Box Office Mojo, the Top 10 moneymakers were: 1. "Toy Story 3" ($415 million) 2. "Alice in…
As a movie reviewer, I'm accustomed to taking unpopular positions -- witness the debate I'm having with my friend, the young critic Nathan Weinbender, about "Black Swan." Thing is, I always try to stick with the issue of art and what makes it work ...…
I've been watching Adam Richman, the host of the Travel Channel's show "Man Vs. Food," since it hit the airways. And while I enjoy watching Richman pig out in cities all over the United States -- right now I've watching his Alaska show -- I've…
It's funny how expectations can color your view of a movie. I expected to love "True Grit" and I only liked it. I expected to loathe "The King's Speech" and yet I loved it. That's not to say that my observations were dependent on my…
Regarding my review below of the Coen brothers' film "True Grit," one thing that I particularly liked about the adaptation is the brothers' inclusion of one of author Charles Portis' better, if painfully aware, lines. It's the last line of the film, apparently the next-to-last…
I've been watching Coen brothers films since 1984 when "Blood Simple" played first played on a Spokane movie screen -- probably the Magic Lantern's. I've loved several of their films, appreciated most of them and felt indifferent only to a few. Among those I've loved:…
I can't be the only one who finds Tom Ashbrook, the host of NPR's program "On Point," just a tad bit cloying in how he moderates the show. Not taking anything away from the guy's intelligence, or incredible breadth of knowledge. But sometimes his overexcited…
In my house, the tradition is to see a movie on Christmas day. This year was supposed to have been the Coen Brothers' adaptation of Charles Portis' novel "True Grit." But it looks as if we will join Pete Porter, his wife and newborn son…
During yesterday's taping of "Movies 101," the Inlander's Luke Baumgarten made a good point about "Black Swan" when he referred to it as a horror movie. There certainly is a horrorshow quality to it. Still, I only really began to appreciate Darren Aronoflsky's film after…
My first thought when I saw the trailer for "The Fighter" was ... how any times are they gonna make "Rocky"? Hell, Sylvester Stallone has written six versions of the film all by himself. But tonight I went to the actual film, David O. Russell's…
I love sandwich boards. You know, those advertising gimmicks that feature guys -- mostly guys, that is -- wearing or carrying signs that trumpet some business or event. I remember seeing one guy dressed like an oversize doughnut dancing outside a Seattle bagel shop. Damn,…
I'm gonna step into my friend Leslie Kelly's shoes for a moment and talk food. First up, Sharks Cove Grill, which can be found on the North Shore of Oahu: If you're like me, you take tourist-guide recommendations with not just a grain but a…
On a slow afternoon the other day, I drove across Honolulu to see a movie. Yeah, most people on vacation in Hawaii would be at the beach. Or at some museum. Or something. But not I. No, I wanted to go and see "127 Hours."…
Yeah, the surf is beckoning -- as it has all night through the open window of our Kona-situated bungalow -- but my mind is on movies. A few days ago, when we were still on Oahu, we had the occasion to see a little documentary…
Yeah, even in paradise there are movies. Maybe not the latest style of showing movies. At the Keauhou-Kona Regal Theatres 7, they show pre-movie company ads that date back to the 1990s. You know, the ones with the roller-coaster theme? But they still show the…
I'm typing this from the 12th floor of a hotel overlooking Waikiki Beach. Seriously. But don't feel too envious. My morning cup of Kona coffee was only lukewarm. On the flight over, I did something new. I actually rented one of those mini-digital-movie readers, for…
Graphic novels would seem to be perfect for the movies. Yet there have been few really good ones. "The Dark Knight." "V for Vendetta." The original "X-Men." "Sin City." "Spider-Man." And, of course, "300." You could put "Watchmen" on the list. But I don't think…
Took in the 5:45 p.m. screening of "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest.," and I was surprised at how many people were in the Magic Lantern's larger house. There may have been 60-65 people there, which is a lot better than usual. As for…
Most films fans know the name Guillermo del Toro. He's the Mexican-born filmmaker whose titles include "Mimic," the two "Hellboy" films and his masterpiece, 2006's "Pan's Labyrinth." But some of us remember a strange little film titled "Cronos," which introduced international audiences to some now-familiar…
I'm watching the Oregon/Oregon State football game -- "Rudy," there's the movie reference for this movie-themed blog -- and I am getting progressively miffed at the ABC producers who, whenever anything remotely smacks of post-play fighting, switch away to some stupid stands shot. Oh, please.…
My daughter, Rachel, is every bit as much the film fan that I am. And so it's no surprise that she would forward me a YouTube link dedicated to one of our favorite actors. I mean, of course, Nicolas Cage. Cage is a classic case…
Hey-heh, just joking with that headline. But as I just got out of "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I," I do have to say that this is the first adult offering from the blockbuster series. Or mature young adult, anyway. Little about the…
So ... the new "Harry Potter" is a big success. Wow, that's a shocker. Almost as if, uh, Hollywood has cast a spell on movie fans. Below: A clever take on the newest film's trailer.
If you've been waiting to go see the French gangster film "Mesrine: Killer Instinct," your procrastination is working in your favor. Seems the second half of the two-film series is opening Friday at the Magic Lantern. That means you can go and see a double-feature…