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Review: Greenberg (2010) ****

Noah Baumbach’s GREENBERG starring Ben Stiller and Greta Gerwig is an amusing look at an aging misanthrope. It’s a leap forward for Baumbach, a career high for Stiller and proof that Gerwig is ready for the big time.

Review: Green Zone (2010) ** 1/2

Paul Greengrass’ GREEN ZONE fails both politically and as action entertainment. It wastes Chandrasekaran’s book as window dressing for a trite Hollywood thriller.

Review: Tales from the Script (2010) *** 1/2

Taxi Driver’s Paul Schrader – one of dozens of screenwriters who tell their Tales from the Script
“A writer friend of mine once described screenwriters as ‘egomaniacs with low self-esteem.’ ”
-Dennis Palumbo, Screenwriter (My Favorite Year)
Filmed in conjunction with the Peter Hanson’s book of the same name, Tales from the Script is a must-see for anyone [...]

Review: Mother (2010) **** 1/2

How far will an overprotective mother go to prove the innocence of her son? That’s the simple conceit of the latest from Bong Joon-ho (The Host) who plumbs the dark depths of motherhood in this terrific psychological mystery thriller.

Review: Alice in Wonderland (2010) **

The biggest sin of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland is not that it’s an impotent pretender to the original literary icon, but that it’s a faded looking glass reflection of what we used to love about Burton himself.

Review: The Art of the Steal (2010) ****

Terrific documentary about the battle between the estate of self-made millionaire Albert C. Barnes and the city of Philadelphia over the important collection of impressionist and post-impressionist paintings Dr. Barnes amassed during the first half of the 20th century. As in most things, it’s all about the money.

Review: Easier with Practice (2010) *** 1/2

The Hurt Locker’s Brian Geraghty stars as a lonely man who gets involved in an intense phone sex relationship with a stranger. Rather than played it for easy laughs, this is actually an at times poignant exploration of loneliness in the modern world.

Review: Shutter Island (2010) *** 1/2

An entertaining and refreshingly adult thriller that mostly overcomes the weaknesses of its source material with plenty of style and intelligence and a raft of excellent performances.

Review: North Face (2010) ***

This true German mountain climbing story features some harrowing climbing sequences, but the dramatic subtext tends to weigh it down.

Review: Bitch Slap (2010) **

The folks behind this exploitation flick would like you to believe they’re smarter than the material, but they’re not. Neither clever enough to be homage or funny enough to be parody, BITCH SLAP is a dud.