| Critic |
Review |
Quote |
Analysis |
This Week's Verdict |
Stephen Holden,
The New York Times |
Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film |
"If the case [the film] makes for [Warhol's] importance is persuasive, what his triumph tells us about ourselves — as a society in which every aspect of life is commodified — is not reassuring. For better or worse, Warhol was a prophet of the rot eroding the empire from the inside out. Before Madonna and Paris Hilton, there was Warhol." |
Hmm. We can already envision the PBS event of 2026 — the 4-part, 6-hour epic Paris Hilton: A Documentary Film directed by Ric Burns and narrated by noted historian Justin Timberlake. |
|
Armond White,
New York Press |
Invincible |
"This bio-pic about '70s Philadelphia Eagles running back Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg) takes such a steady, concentrated look at white ethnic working class habits that it brings to mind British filmmaker Mike Leigh making field goals in Hollywood. Unfortunately, clichés start to click into place... Invincible fumbles its Mike Leigh approach and becomes another episode of "American Idol." No wonder I immediately went to re-see Oliver Stone's World Trade Center afterwards; I was instinctively longing for the social insight and psychological rigor that Stone brought to Any Given Sunday." |
For once, Armond actually reviews the movie, which is nice. Too bad he also makes the mistake of putting the words "Oliver Stone" and "rigor" into the same sentence. |
|
J. Hoberman,
Village Voice |
Mutual Appreciation |
"Youth-film protagonists typically act as if they're living in a movie. Bujalski's appear to be trapped between parentheses...There's a philosophical paradox at the heart of the filmmaker's enterprise. As wistful Ellie tells embarrassed Alan, 'Reality would be nice to talk about.' Isn't that the truth." |
Wow. Living in a youth movie. We don't know what we'd think of that. (It'd be nice to live in Sixteen Candles, we suppose. Or American Pie. It'd suck to live in Hostel, though. Or that one where they try to steal the answers to the SATs.) |
|
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune |
Crossover |
"Off the court the movie's main characters Tech and Cruise confront the big questions. Take the college scholarship, or jump at a streetball career, with hopes—'every black boy's dream,' says the ex-sports agent played by Wayne Brady--of going NBA-pro? Trust your golddigger girlfriend, or not? Deliver hoked-up dialogue with sincerity, or storm off the set? A sample: So-and-so 'might not be able to play ball with a bad lung. But he sure as hell can be a doctor.'" |
Actually, if he has a bad lung, he shouldn't technically be able to deliver the hoked-up dialogue or satisfy the gold-digger girlfriend, either. But really, aren't we being a bit too picky about a movie whose lead characters are called "Tech" and "Cruise"? |
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Ella Taylor,
LA Weekly
|
This Film Is Not Yet Rated |
"For the most part, Dick — an entrancing moniker for one who crowds the screen with as many hyperactive peckers as can be lawfully captured in 97 minutes — avoids finger wagging, skillfully allowing others to stake out the political territory for him." |
OK. 1.) Kirby Dick is probably a bit annoyed by now at all the people making fun of his name in reviews of this film; and: 2.) Y'know, if this were a porno flick, you wouldn't be writing about the director's "entrancing moniker". And according to the MPAA, this is a porno flick. |
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