NYC Film Critic

If you grew up reading Tintin as I did, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised with how well Steven Spielberg has translated Herge’s globetrotting adventurer/journalist to the motion capture realm.  Mo-cap gets a lot of flack, some of it deserved, but this film represents a major step forward for the medium, not just for its exceptional large-scale set-pieces but also in its impressive character work.  It’s certainly a more lively, fun film than this week’s other big release, David Fincher’s beautifully crafted, but (for me at least) dramatically inert thriller, The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.  Links to all those reviews — and more — are below.

The Adventures of Tintin: Raiders of the Lost Unicorn
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: Rhymes with Schmoring
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close: After The Fall
War Horse and We Bought a Zoo Reviews
Q&A with Tintin Animator, Jamie Beard
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo Press Conference
I Want My DVD
TV on DVD
American Horror Story Finale Recap
2012 Winter Preview Galleries

I’m not as high on Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol as other critics seem to be, but overall it’s a solid blockbuster that looks even better when compared to the dire Sherlock Holmes sequel, which is also opening in theaters this weekend.  My review of both films are below, along with the rest of the week’s TWoP content.

Battle of the Blockbusters: MI4 and Sherlock Holmes
Indie Snapshot: Carnage
Golden Globes Reactions
I Want My DVD
NYFCO Awards Summary
American Horror Story Recap
TV on DVD
Year in Review 2012: The Best Movies You May Have Missed
Year in Review 2012: Best & Worst Performances
Year in Review 2012: Our Least Favorite Movies
Year in Review 2012: Our Favorite Movies

As I mention in my review, I didn’t think Jason Reitman or Diablo Cody had this kind of resolutely dark comedy in them.  But Young Adult is bracingly mean and honest in a very compelling way about its central character, an author of young adult fiction stuck in a bad case of arrested development herself.  I review the film and more in this week’s round-up of TWoP content.

Young Adult: Not Just Another Mean Girl
The Sitter: We’ll Stick with Adventures in Babysitting
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
I Want My DVD
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy Interviews
Jason Reitman and Charlize Theron Discuss Young Adult
I Want My VOD
Community Recap
American Horror Story Recap
Pan Am Recap
Worst Movie Character Babysitters

I thought British director Steve McQueen’s first film, Hunger, was quite good, but I was unprepared for how great his sophomore effort, Shame, turned out to be.  A gripping character study with a stellar cast, this film had me in its grip from the opening minutes and never let go.  Read my full review and the rest of this week’s TWoP content via the links below.

Shame and Coriolanus Reviews
Most Unerotic Erotic Movies
I Want My DVD
TV on DVD
American Horror Story Recap
Community Recap

I liked The Muppets, but I loved Martin Scorsese’s Hugo, a lavish, lovely period piece infused with the love of early silent cinema.  If you’re not too turkey-stuffed this weekend, make seeing this film one of your top priorities.  Read my review and the rest of this week’s TWoP content below.

Hugo and The Muppets Review
Indie Snapshot
The Muppets: Bret McKenzie Interview
The Muppets: Nicholas Stoller Interview
My Week with Marilyn: Simon Curtis Interview
The Artist: Michel Hazanavicius Interview
Hugo Press Conference
I Want My DVD
American Horror Story Recap
Saturday Night Live Recap
TV on DVD
End of the Year Preview
Worst Post-Jim Henson Muppet Projects

Clint Eastwood’s second non-starter in a row (after last year’s dismal Hereafter) is the biopic J. Edgar, which has a strong central performance in search of a better movie.  Full list of this week’s content below.

J. Edgar: This Movie is History
The Descendants: Blue Hawaii
I Want My DVD
American Horror Story Review
Community Review
Holiday Gift Guide: Blu-rays and Box Sets

I’ll say this for Immortals: it may be the noisiest film I’ve seen this year.  It’s also one of the prettiest, although that doesn’t excuse the terrible screenplay and convoluted narrative that bears only a passing resemblance to the actual Greek myths its based on.  My full review of the movie, along with the rest of the week’s content, is below.

Immortals Review
Clint Eastwood’s 5 Worst Directorial Efforts
I Want My VOD
I Want My DVD
Community Recap
American Horror Story Recap
TV on DVD
Pan Am Recap
Best Movie Deities
Actors That Get Embarrassed by Adam Sandler

Woah, what’s going on here?  First I enjoyed Paranormal Activity 3 and now here comes A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, another strong third installment in an ongoing franchise.  I explain why Harold and Kumar’s Christmas adventure is the best mainstream 3D film since Avatar in my review over at TWoP.  Follow the links below for this week’s content.

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas
Tower Heist
I Want My DVD
Community Recap
American Horror Story Recap
American Horror Story Q&A
TV on DVD
Pan Am Recap
The Weirdest Christmas Movies Ever Made
Eddie Murphy’s Cinematic Crimes

Roland Emmerich’s Anonymous makes the case that William Shakespeare wasn’t the author of his plays.  Fortunately (or unfortunately if you subscribe to the Oxfordian school of thought) it doesn’t make that case at all well.  Read my full review at TWoP by following the link below.

Anonymous: Full of Sound and Fury Signifying Nothing
Indie Snapshot: The Rum Diary, The Double, The Other F Word
Major Director Change-Ups
I Want My DVD
Attack the Block Exclusive Scene
TV on DVD
Pan Am Recap
American Horror Story Recap
Community Recap
Halloween Movies
’90s Animated Series That Deserve a Comeback
Stars That Should Have Stayed Forever Young

Hey, you know what movie is a lot of fun?  Paranormal Activity 3.  I’m not kidding.  The third installment in the hit horror franchise is the best of the series so far.  I explain why in my review over on TWoP, where I also rave about this week’s indie psychological thriller Martha Marcy May Marlene.  Follow the links below.

Paranormal Activity 3: Third Time’s the Charm
Indie Snapshot: Martha Marcy May Marlene, Margin Call, The Swell Season
Long Delayed Sequels
I Want My DVD
TV on DVD
American Horror Story Recap
Pan Am Recap
Best Movie Sword Fights
Documentary Directors Crossing Over to Fiction