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Grown Ups - Review
Matt Mungle
 Grown Ups has many laugh out loud moments; most
of which come from the rapid fire delivery of the cast. You can't put that many
seasoned funny men together without a little comic magic happening. Granted the script is out of balance and most of
the time you are not sure if the movie is trying to be serious or just
mindless. It tries too hard to be both which doesn't help it at all as a solid
picture. Read on... |
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Knight and Day - Review
Matt Mungle
 If it
helps, you can go into this as a romantic comedy instead of an action comedy and
still not feel disappointed. Though the characters are not onboard for most of
the movie there is still a hint of romance, flirtation and spark that gives them
the chemistry they need. Certainly full of action and adventure this does not
forsake the romantic in the audience who wants to see two beautiful people avoid
bullets but be a little too slow in beating cupids arrow.
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I Am Love - Review
Matt Mungle
 This Italian film with English subtitles has many things that are superb and a few elements that leave you shaking your head in confusion. It follows the story of the Recchi family and in particular, Emma (Tilda
Swinton). She is a daughter in a well to do social class family in Milan. She is also married with two adult children. The plot, if you want to label it that, revolves around her relationship to her family and a passionate love relationship that threatens to destroy it all.
This film is beautifully shot and the director gets in no hurry when it comes to broad camera sweeps and stretches of frames with little or no dialogue. The Italian language is like another character in the way it wraps itself around the scenes. Most foreign language films have rushed speech and hectic delivery. Here you get a feeling they wanted to savor each word and allow the viewer to sample it like a tasty morsel.
The issue I had though is that as beautiful as it was to watch and hear the story line seemed to sputter aimlessly and then build to an ending that was neither clear or sensible. I had to go back and re-watch the ending to make sure I had not lost something in the translation. I still wonder if I did because I left confused and disjointed.
That said I highly recommend this movie to those who like to be transported by cinema to other cultures and landscapes. It is a film worth viewing with its capture of the Italian countryside. Plus the acting is top notch and I fault no one with the lack of finality. And most may get more out of it than I did. If so, please let me know what I missed.
I give I AM LOVE 3.75 out of 5.
Rated R for sexuality and nudity.
Magnolia Pictures will release I Am Love June 25
at the
Angelika Film Center in Dallas and Plano |
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MICMACS
First it
was a mine that exploded in the middle of the Moroccan desert. Years later, it
was a stray bullet that lodged in his brain... Bazil doesn't have much luck with
weapons. The first made him an orphan, the second holds him on the brink of
sudden, instant death.
Released
from the hospital after his accident, Bazil is homeless. Luckily, our inspired
and gentle-natured dreamer is quickly taken in by a motley crew of junkyard
dealers living in a veritable Ali Baba's cave. The group's talents and
aspirations are as surprising as they are diverse: Remington, Calculator,
Buster, Slammer, Elastic Girl, Tiny Pete and Mama Chow. Then one day, walking by
two huge buildings, Bazil recognizes the logos of the weapons manufacturers that
caused all of his misfortune. He sets out to take revenge, with the help of his
faithful gang of wacky friends. Underdogs battling heartless industrial giants,
our gang relive the battle of David and Goliath, with all the imagination and
fantasy of Buster Keaton...
RELEASE
DATE: June 25 @ LANDMARK MAGNOLIA
July 2 @ ANGELIKA PLANO
MPAA Rating: : Rated R for some
sexuality and brief violence
Run Time: 105 Minutes
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Restrepo - Screening and q/a
THE USA
FILM FESTIVAL
PRESENTS DALLAS
SCREENING OF RESTREPO
WITH CO-DIRECTOR TIM HETHERINGTON
AND MST SERGEANT LAMONTA CALDWELL IN ATTENDANCE
The USA Film Festival, one of the nation's foremost cultural organizations
dedicated to the recognition of excellence in the film and video arts, will
present a special screening of the new documentary Restrepo on Monday, June 28,
2010, 7:30pm, at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas,
Texas. The evening will include a screening of the film followed by an on-stage
Q&A session with co-director Tim Hetherington and Mst Sergeant LaMonta
Caldwell from El Paso, one of the soldiers featured in the film.
RESTREPO is a feature-length
documentary that chronicles the deployment of a platoon of U.S. soldiers in
Afghanistan's Korengal Valley. The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost,
"Restrepo," named after a platoon medic who was killed in action. It was
considered one of the most dangerous postings in the U.S. military. An entirely
experiential film, the cameras never leave the valley. There are no interviews
with generals or diplomats. The film's goal is to make viewers feel as if they
have just been through a 94-minute deployment. Co-Directors Sebastian Junger
and Tim Hetherington portray war, full stop. The conclusions are up to the
viewer.
Restrepo is rated R and opens July 16, 2010 exclusively at the Angelika
Film Center Dallas.
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CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION
 Three-time Academy Award® nominee James Ivory (THE REMAINS OF THE
DAY, A ROOM WITH A VIEW) directs Academy Award® winner Anthony Hopkins and Omar Metwall in THE
CITY OF YOUR FINAL DESTINATION. A young American academic (Metwall) is
determined to write the biography of a celebrated Uruguayan novelist - Jules
Gund - but is met with intense opposition when he travels to Uruguay to persuade
the family. Jules' brother Adam (Hopkins) is the only member in favor until
Jules' young mistress (Charlotte Gainsbourg) begins to fall for Omar.
(PG-13; 118
minutes)
In English and Spanish with
English subtitles.
The Angelika - Dallas will
open City of Your Final Destination on Friday,
June 25
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THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE WEIRD
Set in the 1930s
Manchurian desert, where lawlessness rules and ethnic groups clash, three Korean
men fatefully meet each other on a train. The Good, Do-won (JUNG Woo-sung) is a
bounty hunter who tracks down criminals with rewards on their heads. The Bad,
Chang-yi (LEE Byung-hun) is the leader of a group of bandits and can't stand to
be second best. The Weird, Tae-goo (SONG Kang-ho) is a train robber with nine
lives.
The three strangers
engage in a chase across Manchuria to take possession of a map Tae-goo discovers
while robbing the train. Also on the hunt for the mysterious map, are the
Japanese army and Asian bandits. In this unpredictable, escalating battle for
the map, who will stand in the end as the winner?
The Angelika - Dallas will
open THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE WEIRD on Friday,
June 25
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THE WHITE RIBBON on DVD
On the eve of World War I, strange accidents in a small
Protestant village in Northern Germany involve the children and teenagers of a choir run by the schoolteacher and their families. The abused and
suppressed children of the villagers seem to be at the heart of this mystery as these events gradually take on the character of a punishment ritual.
The White Ribbon hits DVD shelves today and I must tell you that this German language film with English subitles is mesmerizing and captivating. Shot is B/W with direction and cinemotography that creates an almost sinister film. As the story unfolds and events start to happen you get a strange feeling that what is bubbling underneath is volatile and horrifying.
Yet this is in no way a horror film. It is more an intense drama in which the viewer is allowed to visit this village and witness the events that took place those many years ago. The characters are riveting and chilling with their stark features. This film has won many awards and after viewing it I totally understand why. This is a must see for fans of foreign language and accurately done thrillers. - Matt Mungle
The winner of the 2010 Golden Globe® for Best Foreign Language Film and an Academy Award®-nominee for both Best Foreign Language Film and Best Achievement in Cinematography, The White Ribbon will be released on Blu-ray™ and DVD on June 29, 2010 from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
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It's a Bird... It's a Plane... It's Superman
A Lost Treasure, a Musical Marvel, Soars Again - Look! Up in the Sky! America's greatest superhero was also the star of one of Broadway's
lost musical treasures! Now this mid-'60s miracle, with great songs by
the legendary Charles Strouse (Annie) and Lee Adams (Bye Bye
Birdie) is part of the Wyly Theatre's historic first season.
In this
production the comic book-based musical has a hip updated script by the
ingenious young playwright and comic book writer Roberto
Aguirre-Sacasa. There will be nothing mild-mannered about this
high-voltage revival, when Superman flies in to help Clark Kent and Lois
Lane face off against a team of super villains. With singing, dancing,
colorful sets and costumes, and a tuneful Broadway score, Superman
will be an uplifting end to DTC's 51st season. The Man of Steel
promises to sweep Lois Lane - and our audiences - off their feet!
Suitable for children age ten and up.
I will be there tonight to witness the whole thing and you can too. Performances run through July 25th.
June 18 - July 25, 2010
Potter Rose Performance Hall, Dee and Charles Wyly Theatre
Click here for more info and ticket information
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DISNEY'S BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Beauty and the Beast
Winspear Opera House
July 13, 2010 - July 25, 2010
THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LOVE STORY EVER TOLD COMES TO
LIFE!
The lush, romantic Broadway musical for all generations
TALE AS OLD AS TIME, TRUE AS IT CAN BE. Disney's BEAUTY AND THE
BEAST, the smash hit Broadway musical, is coming to Dallas! Based on the
Academy Award-winning animated feature film, this eye-popping spectacle
has won the hearts of over 35 million people worldwide.
This classic musical love story is filled
with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling
production numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the beloved title song.
Experience the romance and enchantment of Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
at AT&T Performing Arts Center's Winspear Opera House.
Disney's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the classic story of Belle, a young
woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince
trapped in a spell placed by an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to
love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed to his
former self. But time is running out. If the Beast does not learn his
lesson soon, he and his household will be doomed for all eternity.
Click here for more info and ticket information
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VANS WARPED TOUR Matt Mungle
The Warped Tour is coming to Dallas on July 3rd at the Superpages.com Center! I will be there catching all the action and you should be too! For more info and ticket information click here! Also check out next weeks issue as I list my top 5 must see bands! There is no better way to kick off the 4th of July weekend. |
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Get your Derby on July 10th! Feature
 On July 10th at NYTEX Sports Centre we have got your holiday out from
the sun. I'm no Liar when I tell you that the seats won't be Pretty
Vacant as we have sold out the last 3 games! We've had people come from
all over to watch our bouts, even from New York! There won't be any
Problems if you come, you will have a great time as the Death Row
Rumblers take on the Slaughterers and the Suicide Shifters take on the
Wrecking Crew!
It's gonna be Anarchy in the UK at the NYTEX Centre as we continue
our Dollar Derby Drafts and selling tickets to win a Harley Davidson
Motorcycle at the bout. We don't care if you are Seventeen or Ninety
Nine, whether you scream all night or have No Feelings, just bring your
Bodies to the bout and have a great time!! Tickets are $15 at the door and $13 on-line. Please keep in mind that on-line ticket sales close at noon
the day of the bout. Click here for ticket info!
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Scorpions get their tails back on the road Matt Mungle
 I remember the first Scorpions album I purchased as a teenager. It was a double live album that transported me into guitar riff heaven. The legendary German hard rock band returns with its final release, the
masterpiece Sting Of The Tail, which will take them on a three
year worldwide tour. It is always interesting to see any of the 80's rock legends and watch how they have evolved over the years.One thing for sure, the Scorpions have never been satisfied with anything other than full chest cavity crunching rock and I have a feeling this show is going to be no different! - Matt Mungle The tour hits Dallas on July 21st at the Verizon Theater at Grand Prairie. Click here for details and ticket information! |
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Last weekend for WICKED at DSM!
Matt Mungle
Back by "Popular" Demand. The New York Times calls WICKED "Broadway's
biggest blockbuster," and when it last played in Dallas in 2007, it
broke box office records and sold out in record time. WICKED is the
winner of 35 major awards, including a Grammy® and three Tony® Awards.
One of my all time favorite musicals - Matt Mungle
Recommended age for children is 8 and up.
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Check out this latest trailer!
Staff
 In 1995, everyone had a VCR, music was sold in record stores, and the
world-wide-web was a new found discovery. Businessman Jack Harris (Luke
Wilson) had the perfect life - a beautiful family and a successful
career fixing problem companies. And then he met Wayne Beering
(Giovanni Ribisi) and Buck Dolby (Gabriel Macht), two genius but
troubled men, who had invented the way adult entertainment is sold over
the internet. |
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GREASE:
SING-A-LONG
Press
 Rydell
High's most famous graduating class is going back to school. A newly restored
print brings the highest-grossing musical of all time, GREASE (1978), to the big
screen as a sing-a-long. Join Danny and Sandy with your own crew of T-Birds and
Pink Ladies for a carnival ride back to those amazing summer nights Beginning on July 8th, GREASE: SING-A-LONG will be playing in the following
cities and theatres: · New
York (AMC Loews Village) ·
Los
Angeles (AMC Century City) · Austin (Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar) ·
Boston(AMC Loews Boston
Common) · Chicago (AMC River East) ·
Dallas
(AMC
Northpark) · Miami / Ft. Lauderdale (Sunrise
Cinemas Gateway) · San
Diego (AMC Fashion Valley) · San
Francisco(AMC Loews
Metreon) · Seattle
(AMC Pacific
Place) Is GREASE: SING-A-LONG not playing where you live?
Then Demand It! come to
your town at http://www.Eventful.com/Grease and
help spread the word by tweeting #Grease on Twitter.
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Featured Article
"TWILIGHT
NIGHT"
In
celebration of the lunar eclipse on the evening
of June 26th, Summit
Entertainment is inviting everyone across the nation to "TWILIGHT
Night," a
12-city event including outdoor screenings of TWILIGHT and THE TWIILGHT
SAGA:
NEW MOON. The family and community-oriented
events are the perfect chance for those new to the film franchise as
well as
moviegoers in general to immerse themselves in THE TWILIGHT SAGA
phenomenon
just in time for the highly anticipated theatrical release of THE
TWILIGHT
SAGA: ECLIPSE, the third installment of Summit Entertainment's TWILIGHT
SAGA film
franchise, on June 30th. For more information about the
nationwide
screenings and to see if one is in your hometown, visit http://eclipsethemovie.com.
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