Reviews Archive:
© Copyright 2008, DFW Live All Rights Reserved
Contact Us:
Movie Reviews Bride Wars - Rated PG -13 Grade ( C ) Bride Wars starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway is now in theaters. However you wont be do yourself any favors going to see it. Sure the previews looked funny, but it seemed as if they packed all the genuinely funny parts into the previews. The concept of the movie isn’t the what makes it bad. It’s the fact that the girls are supposed to have been best friends since they were little. So it’s hard to believe they would pull such petty childish behavior in order to sabotage each-others weddings, all because they booked them on the same date.. Save yourself 8 bucks and just rent it when it comes out. -Rachel Parker He’s Just Not That Into You - Rated PG -13 Grade ( B+ ) “He’s Just Not Into You” the latest of the book inspired movies just hit theaters. The plot is based on the premise of not being able to read the signs the opposite sex is giving off. While this movie had an all star cast, some of the story lines were better than others. Making you wonder why they brought in the talent just to waste it on some of the lesser roles. It’s actually quite comforting to see the dysfunctional relationships we’ve all dealt with portrayed on screen, and hopeful to see the one’s that work out. It’s not a movie that will ever have any oscar buzz, but it’s cute, and mostly feel good.. well unless you’re a guy. You’re gonna want to go see this one with the girls though. Don’t drag your boyfriend to this unless it’s some form of punishment. - Rachel Parker I Love You, Man - Rated R Grade ( A+ ) The brand new comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in theaters March 20th is a MUST see. I Love You, Man is a definite contender for funniest movie of the year.. and were only 3 months in. It’s so close to non stop laughter I was afraid my sides were going to start hurting. Who knew the perils of finding a best friend and going on man dates could be so hilarious. This comic duo are on a roll with the help of director and comic genius John Hamburg , but we really shouldn’t forget the all-star cast either. Especially Jaime Pressly’s few but hilarious moments in the movie. It’s a film that guys and girls will both enjoy. But I do want to warn it is rated R for a reason. So parents due to some of the sexual references and colorful language I suggest you leave the younger kids at home for this one. -Rachel Parker Fast and Furious - Rated R Grade ( B+ ) The latest in the Fast and the Furious series is now in theaters. It’s the first movie since the original to have both Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in it, and I have to admit they seem to be the winning combination. The film doesn’t vary greatly from its predecessors, fast cars, hot girls, crime, you know that sort of thing. However having descent leading men makes a big difference in the delivery of the film. While it doesn’t stand up to the first movie, it is better than the two sequels. If you like the series of movies you’ll enjoy it (and if you’re like myself and just prefer the first of the series its still worth a watch.) -Rachel Parker Hannah Montana - Rated G Grade ( A- ) Hannah Montana has hit the big screen (Cue the shrill screams of teens and pre teens..) and in it Miley’s headed home to Tennessee for some down time, whether she likes it or not. The movie compliments the tv show well, sticking to the winning formula. If you or your child like the show, the movie will not disappoint. It’s obviously geared towards that viewing audience and is friendly for the whole family. It’s a fun movie for everyone.. oh but to warn you before hand, there is one really.. major annoyance called the hoedown throw down.. you’ve been warned.. -Rachel Parker X-Men Origins: Wolverine - Rated PG-13 Grade ( B+ ) The latest in the Marvel world to hit the big screens is Xmen Origins: Wolverine. Giving the star of the other X-men movies a bit of a history. While the film succeeds in giving you a look into Wolverine’s past before the Xmen, like those previous films it didn’t exactly maintain to the comics. I think you’ll find actual comic fans disappointed with that. However if you could care less about the continuity of the comics, you’ll probably think its a good comic book based movie, with some good action scenes. It has it’s good moments, and is worth going to see at least once. However it wont exactly leave you satisfied.. maybe they’re planning on doing a sequel? Maybe a Gambit film or a Deadpool one? Both characters I would have like to see more of. -Rachel Parker Star Trek - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A+ ) The new Star Trek movie hitting theaters this weekend is nothing short of Epic. It would make Sheldon a fictional character (and big Leonard Nemoy fan) from the television show “The Big Bang Theory” pee his pants, its that good. Director JJ Abrams absolutely succeeded in making a film that everyone, including folks who know nothing about the series, can completely enjoy. The entire cast deserves praise for their fantastic delivery of the characters as well. Star Trek has it all, intense action, amusing dialog, even an engaging plot that makes you care about the characters on screen. To top it off, this film makes the recent Star Wars flicks look completely amateur. If you have reservations about going to see a sci fi Trekkie film, you need to toss them out the window and get your butt to a theater now. It’s the movie folks are going to be raving about for weeks to come. I know, because I cant stop praising it. -Rachel Parker Night at the Museum - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A- ) Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian has now hit theaters, and it's everything you'd expect. With the smorgasbord of comedic stars, of course its funny. It's worth going to see, however anyone who saw the first movie will more than likely be aware that there is a major plot hole concerning the tablet. In the movie he's trying to stop a force of evil at the Smithsonian from taking over the earth. Now the force of evil is just one of the displays, so why on earth couldn't he just turn the part of the tablet that puts everything back normal, like the old night guards did in the first movie. Too easy and you wouldn't have a movie I guess. However this tiny little detail bothered me through out the entire thing. But despite that tiny little major detail.. I found it enjoyable and worth my time to watch. -Rachel Parker Up - Rated G Grade ( A ) Up the latest from Pixar is another winner. These guys just have a knack for making films. Sure the premise of flying your house with balloons is a little wacky, but I think we can all say as kids we wanted to tie balloons on ourselves and fly off. The movie has its funny moments and its touching moments of course. It’s a disney film so you know its friendly for the whole family, I think adults will enjoy it just as much as the kids though. The only real decision you have to make is.. 3D or not 3D. -Rachel Parker The Proposal - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A- ) The Proposal starring Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock is of course your regular romantic comedy.. predictable in the end, but none of that takes away from the fact it was hilarious. Bullock who shines and is hard to not like, is only accentuated by Ryan Reynolds and his sarcastic humor. However the real star of this film is golden girl Betty White. She steals every scene she’s in. Her hilarious performance alone is reason enough to go see this movie. If you’re looking for a good weekend laugh The Proposal is your winner. -Rachel Parker Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A- ) The highly anticipated sequel to the first transformers film, also directed by Michael Bay, hits theaters today. The movie pretty much picks up on where the last one left off. Sam is headed to college, which leaves room for some pretty amusing situations that you’re sure to enjoy. However college gets put on hold by the Decepticons who have other plans for Sam. This film was fast paced, fun, and full of cool new bots. Shia LaBeouf does a great job carrying the movie and only seems to improve with each new project he does. The only complaint I have about the film is that the final action sequence seemed to drag on, but I thought that about the final battle in the first film as well. My advice, just don’t drink a lot of liquid before you go to see it. You wont want to miss a minute of this movie that is even better than the first. -Rachel Parker The Hurt Locker - Rated R Grade ( A+ ) The Hurt Locker, a film about the EOD squad of the Army, effortlessly takes the cake as one of the Summers best movies. This film gives viewers a bit of insight into a branch of the armed forces that is rarely touched on in the world of motion pictures. Throwing us onto the streets of Iraq, on the edge of our seats, and biting our nails in suspense. As if the unnerving thought of disarming explosives wasn’t enough to draw you into the movie. Jeremy Renner’s charismatic portrayal of the maverick style adrenaline junkie, Staff Sergeant James, deserves its own praise. He easily makes reckless likable. At first glance I’m sure Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” appears to be your typical war movie, but appearances can be deceiving. Under the surface this flick is action and emotionally packed and has the potential to be the sleeper hit of the summer. It’s now showing at the Angelika Film Center at Mocking Bird Station, and trust us, it’s worth the trip to Downtown Dallas. -Rachel Parker Harry Potter: The Half Blood Prince - Rated PG Grade ( A ) Lets be realistic, no matter what I say about the latest Harry Potter film, good or bad, you’d still go see it. The Potter series is just one of those franchises who’s following could only be compared to that of the Star Wars films. Fans will be happy to know that director David Yates has settled into this film more comfortably than the last. Half Blood Prince, while being advertised as darker, seemed as if it was a quite a bit lighter than Order of the Phoenix. Sure evil things are stirring and moving forward, but you don’t have the ministry hovering over the entire time antagonizing the characters. Instead the main characters are struggling with your relatable adolescent issues, and your not so relatable evil wizards trying to kill you issues. Leaving lots of room for character development and a chance for Radcliff, Watson, Grint and Felton to show the audience that they too have matured quite well as actors through the years. Half Blood Prince brings back some of the magic Phoenix was missing, making it a contender in my book for top 3 from the franchise. -Rachel Parker G.I. Joe - Rated PG-13 Grade ( B+ ) If you like non-stop action, awesome military weapons, and creepy biological scientist, you will love G.I. Joe. Now I’m the first to admit that I’m pretty clueless when it comes to G.I. Joe stuff because I was too busy playing with Barbie and her androgynous playmate Ken in the 80’s, but what I do know is that this movie was entertaining, had some good looking actors, and was visually sufficient for a Hollywood action adventure blockbuster. That being said I really wish it had spent more time in the editing room. I felt like there were just too many scenes that detracted from the storyline. So basically it goes like this… there’s a power hungry Scottish guy that bankrolls a delusional scientist who develops an evil weapon that they sell to NATO. Then the bad guys attempt to steal the weapon back, but G.I. Joe swoops in and the fun begins. A lot of fighting happens, of course, and the Eiffel tower is destroyed because the bad guys have something against objects made of metal or something. Anyways, I enjoyed the movie and look forward to the sequel that is sure to come. -Lynell McLaughlin Band Slam - Rated PG Grade ( B ) If you’ve got youngsters Band Slam is going to be your definite pick for the weekend. Two out of Three of the stars are famous for Disney movies and shows, so no doubt your kids will be asking to go see it. However I do wonder how much of it the younger ones be able to understand. Dear David Bowie the main character writes... will any kids actually know who David Bowie is? Other than that guy from the labyrinth that dresses weird.. If there’s one thing I can hope for this movie, is that it will influence the older kids/teens watching it to check out some of the “influencing” bands, like Patti Smith, The Clash, Cheap Trick. But all musical complexities aside, the characters were relatable to the “wonderful..” high school experience. The songs in the film are alright, and we cant forget to mention fort worth band “The Burning Hotels” makes an appearance. So if you’re looking for a family film for the weekend to keep the kids and yourself entertained this one should do the trick. -Rachel Parker The Goods - Rated R Grade ( A- ) And for the film you should keep the youngsters far far away from. The Goods, Live Hard, Sell Hard, starring Jeremy Piven hits theaters today. This comedy directed by Neal Brennan is everything you would expect from a writer of the Chapelle Show. It’s packed full of outrageous humor, where you never see the next punch line coming. A few highlights making the film a must see were, the racist war veteran, the boy band.. aka big ups... and Will Farrell dressed up like Abraham Lincoln. This film has taken all the lines and pretty much scribbled them out, and it’s hilarious. The end of the film kind of takes a nose dive, but the rest of the movie keeps good pace and it makes up for it. There’s quite a bit of crude language and I seriously suggest not taking your kids, unless you’re wanting to recreate a scene out of south park the movie with children singing profanity as they stroll out of the theater. -Rachel Parker Whip It - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A ) Drew Barrymores directorial debut is a good one. Telling the story of a teen leading the beauty pageant life her mother wants her to lead in small town Bodine. However Bliss (Ellen Page’s Character) has grander aspirations that include getting away from the small town life. Secretly Bliss checks out a Roller Derby game and ends up joining a team, not only falling in love with the sport, but using it to build up her self confidence. The story runs a bit deeper than that, and there’s plenty of laughs, possibly a few tears. The biggest compliment to this film is the amazing cast, which includes Barrymore, Ellen Page, Juliette Lewis, Kristen Bell, Jimmy Falon, Eve, and Andrew Wilson who steals about every scene he’s in. This film is not one to be missed, especially if you’re a fan of Ellen Page and the work she creates. This is another great one to be added to her impressive resume. -Rachel Parker Where the Wild Things Are - Rated PG Grade ( A+ ) Most twenty somethings and younger remember the book “ Where the Wild Things Are” as being a staple of their childhood, I myself included. Meaning one simple thing this movie is no doubt, one of the most anticipated films of all time. Spike Jonez takes the book and expands it into a heartfelt and fun film. Young kids.. and big ones.. will enjoy it, however the message is a little deeper than some of the youngsters may be able to understand. The film itself is visually stunning, and will have you wishing there was really such a place we could all visit. Jonez hits a home run with the Wild Things.. making every single one of the creatures relatable in some way, wether you’re just someone who wants to be loved or you’re someone who wishes people would listen to you. It’s a must see for everyone of all shapes, sizes, and ages. It’ll make you smile, and laugh, but I’m warning you it’s also a tear jerker. Bring a few tissues cause you’ll need them. -Rachel Parker The Blind Side - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A ) The Blind Side, starring Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw and relative new come Quinton Aaron, is a film based on the true story of NFL player Michael Oher. The Blind Side tugs at your heart strings through out the entire film. Sure sure you may think that would qualify it as a chick flick, however I’d say its anything but. It’s an amazing tale of Michael’s struggle and his amazing adopted family that opened their hearts and home to him. Sandra Bullock’s performance is both hilarious and heartfelt, and the movie isn’t over saturated with Football. This is one you can take the whole family to and everyone will enjoy. -Rachel Parker
New Moon - Rated PG-13 Grade ( B+ ) The record breaking, highly anticipated film is in theaters now. Click HERE for our feature review. -Rachel Parkertwilight_newmoon.htmlshapeimage_25_link_0
Brothers - Rated R Grade ( B ) Brothers is now in theaters starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Toby Maguire, and Natalie Portman. The film circles around a family who's husband/father/brother/son is headed off to Afghanistan. Sure it's another film about the war and terrorist , but it touches on sensitive subject matter that families of soldiers have to deal with back home. It's an unsettling story, but it has its moments of light, mostly brought to the screen by Gyllenhaal, who lucked out with some of the best dialog in the film. On the opposite end of the spectrum I found this to be one of the darker roles I've seen Maguire in. He plays the part well, but I still have a hard time fully believing him in these types of roles. The saving grace is the great job Gyllenhaal and Portman do with their parts. Brothers is a great choice for a Drama film if that's what you're looking for, plus you'll get some insight into a soldiers world. -Rachel Parker
Avatar - Rated PG-13 Grade ( A- ) The record breaking, highly anticipated film is in theaters now. Click HERE for our feature review. -Rachel Parkeravatar_review.htmlshapeimage_27_link_0
Sherlock Holmes - Rated PG-13 Grade ( B- ) Sherlock Holmes hit theaters this weekend, I'm sure you've heard of Sherlock Holmes before, so the premise shouldn't be a big surprise here. He's a detective.. his assistant and friend is Watson. The biggest compliment I can give this movie is the casting Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, and Rachel McAdams are all brilliant. Especially Downey's ability to play Holmes as crazy as he is supposed to be. The unfortunate downfall of the film is the plot, parts of it were interesting, but parts were indulgent and excessive. I'd like to think the movie would appeal to the folks who like to watch CSI type shows. But Holmes fans rejoice because the core plot holds true to the Sherlock Holmes persona. Is it worth seeing? Yes it is, Downey is fantastic. Would I go multiple times? Probably not. -Rachel Parker Alvin and The Chipmunks 2- Rated PG Grade ( C+ ) Our favorite animated Chipmunks have returned with their “Squeakuel.” Getting into more shenanigans and gaining some help from the Chipettes. While it’s entertaining, the film didn’t live up to its predecessor. Coming off a bit over the top and cheesy at times. None the less an enjoyable film that your kids are sure to love. With of course catchy hit tunes, and when you find yourself singing “Single Ladies” all week long wondering why it’s stuck in your head. Blame the chipmunks. -Rachel Parker
CD REviewscd_reviews.htmlshapeimage_30_link_0
MovIe Reviewsmovie_reviews.htmlshapeimage_31_link_0
Entertainment Newshttp://eonline.comshapeimage_32_link_0
Upcoming Concertsupcoming_concerts.htmlshapeimage_33_link_0
Concert Reviews & photosconcert_reviews.htmlshapeimage_35_link_0
Issue Archive Follow Us on
Interviewsinterviews_2010.htmlinterviews_2010.htmlshapeimage_38_link_0
*Special Events*event_coverage2010.htmlevent_coverage.htmlshapeimage_39_link_0
2008 2011 2009 2010