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‘Prometheus’: The Reviews Are In!

‘The performances are excellent, especially from Michael Fassbender,’ writes the AP ‘s Christy Lemire. By Kevin P. Sullivan Michael Fassbender as David 8 in “Prometheus” Photo: Twentieth Century Fox After 30 years away from the genre, director Ridley Scott returns to science-fiction with “Prometheus,” a film with tenuous connections to the “Alien” universe. Reactions to “Prometheus” have been decidedly split, but parties on both sides can’t help but praise Scott’s stunning visuals and the ambition of the screenplay. Here is our roundup of critic reactions to “Prometheus.” The Story Since most reviews can’t seem to explain the story without giving away significant plot details, let this suffice: A group of scientists go into space. Bad things happen. The Look “Nearly all the bits and pieces in director Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ come from other movies — either one of Scott’s or someone else’s. More and more, though, I appreciate Scott’s fundamental squareness as a filmmaker. ‘Prometheus’ may be the ‘Gladiator’ director’s first picture shot digitally and in 3-D, but there’s an old-school assurance in the pacing and the design. ‘Elegant’ and ‘stately’ are two adjectives that won’t mean a thing to the potential teen audience for ‘Prometheus,’ but they’re the most apt.” — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune The “Alien” Connection “Ridley Scott’s ‘Prometheus’ is a magnificent science-fiction film, all the more intriguing because it raises questions about the origin of human life and doesn’t have the answers. It’s in the classic tradition of golden age sci-fi, echoing Scott’s ‘Alien’ (1979), but creating a world of its own. I’m a pushover for material like this; it’s a seamless blend of story, special effects and pitch-perfect casting, filmed in sane, effective 3-D that doesn’t distract.” — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times Michael Fassbender “The performances are excellent, especially from Michael Fassbender as a robot with the looks and impeccable manners of an adult but the innocence and troublemaking instincts of a child. His character, the genteel, fair-haired David, serves as an homage to Scott’s own work as he calls to mind Ian Holm’s android Ash from the original ‘Alien.’ His eerily calm, precise demeanor also is reminiscent of the HAL 9000 computer program in ‘2001: A Space Odyssey,’ and the pop-culture influences that shape David’s habits and speech are a clever celebration of the power of classic cinema in general. (‘Prometheus’ probably will not go on to be considered one of Scott’s classics in the same category as ‘Alien’ and ‘Blade Runner,’ but you’ve got to admire its ambition.)” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press The Final Word “You might also call [elements of the film] science-fiction clich

‘The Lucky One’: The Reviews Are In!

Critics find Zac Efron film to be typical Nicholas Sparks fare. By Fallon Prinzivalli Zac Efron in “The Lucky One” Photo: Warner Bros. In the film adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks novel “The Lucky One,” Zac Efron plays Logan, a Marine who returns from Iraq in search of the woman he believes was his good luck charm overseas. He finds her (Beth, played by Taylor Schilling ) and learns she runs a dog kennel with her son Ben and grandmother Ellie. Despite Beth’s reservations, Ellie hires Logan to help with the work around the kennel, and Ellie ends up warming to the soldier. Overall, critics are not impressed with the Scott Hicks-directed movie, but their reviews are mixed. Some claim that the acting is bland and the storyline is the typical “boy-meets-girl” Sparks experience, while others believe the romance is “well-constructed” given the source material. Either way, the film is sure to appeal to the author’s fans and should fare well with romance lovers at this weekend’s box office. The Story “The Sparks-styled romance has almost become its own movie genre — predictable, pure of heart, sentimental and never straying from the boy-meets-girl basics, or the surface, for that matter — and in that ‘The Lucky One’ delivers.” — Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times The Romance “The central love story is well-constructed for what it is; it offers the requisite amount of fantasy with just a miniscule dollop of realism.” — James Berardinelli, Reelviews “Their love scenes, like every other element of Hicks’ film, are lighted in a way that gives everything an impossibly warm, romantic glow. You can roll your eyes, or you can give in.” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press Zac Efron “Efron does fill out the hunky-guy uniform nicely. He’s no longer the scrawny teen from ‘High School Musical.’ But despite his promise in smaller movies like ‘Me and Orson Welles,’ here he’s all flat affect, taking bottled-up angst to an extreme where you never actually see it. He’s perfectly likable but never riveting, dropping the ball on the chance to portray the complicated psychology of a war veteran. Apart from one early scene in which he flinches at a video-game shooting, you never have the sense he’s dealing with combat repercussions.” — Sara Stewart, New York Post The Final Word “Part of the experience of a Nicholas Sparks movie is encountering revelations and reversals in the plot that challenge your sense of the preposterous. That’s how destiny works: unlikely incidents pile up [and] good intentions go awry … If realism is what you’re after, you’ll do better at ‘The Three Stooges.’ ‘The Lucky One’ is where you will find death, redemption and kisses in the rain.” — A. O. Scott,

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‘The Lucky One’: The Reviews Are In!

‘Cabin In The Woods’: The Reviews Are In!

Critics are mostly positive about Joss Whedon’s horror-movie send-up. By Kevin P. Sullivan Fran Kranz, Chris Hemsworth and Anna Hutchison in “Cabin in the Woods” Photo: Lionsgate The critics have (kinda) spoken about the latest from Joss Whedon and Drew Goddard, “The Cabin in the Woods.” The mysteries of “Cabin” have been some of the most closely guarded secrets at the movies in recent years. If you’re seeking out reviews of the buzzed-about horror flick, do so with caution. Not everyone is equally keen to keep their reviews spoiler-free. The critics are largely positive, overall. There is some concern that the film, a send-up of the horror genre, isn’t as scary as the movies it’s commenting on. Here is our spoiler-free roundup of reviews of “The Cabin in the Woods.” The Spoilers “Stop reading this review right now. Go see ‘The Cabin in the Woods,’ then come back and we can have a conversation about it. Just trust me on this. The less you know going into it, the better.” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press The Story “Five college friends pile into a camper for a frolicsome vacation. There’s the alpha male hunk (Chris Hemsworth), his va-voom girlfriend (Anna Hutchison), the stoner and Shaggy of the group (Fran Kranz), the shy but charismatic brain (Jesse Williams) and the sympathetic, smart and not incidentally pretty hot protagonist (Kristen Connolly). Early on, we’re shown that they’re being watched very closely, and perhaps controlled, by a massive control room. Their primary handlers are played by Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford.” — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune The Whedon-verse “Some dialogue will remind audiences of the sassy sarcasm tossed off in the face of monstrous creatures in Whedon’s cult TV series ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer,’ episodes of which Goddard also co-wrote.” — Claudia Puig, USA Today The Scares “With compulsive effort that is meant to feel like giddy abandon, they have tried to make a horror movie that is frightening, original and knowing, all at the same time. Two out of three is not bad, given the difficulty of the task. A wink can sometimes undermine a scare. Novelty and genre traditionalism often fight to a draw. Too much overt cleverness has a way of spoiling dumb, reliable thrills.” — A.O. Scott, New York Times The Final Word “If ‘Scream’ was a meta-hack-’em-up, ‘Cabin’ takes five giant steps back to reveal a wider canvas, gleefully jumbling together every kind of modern horror picture, paranoid-conspiracy thrillers, ‘Matrix’-style sci-fi, and a dollop of H. P. Lovecraft. Is it scary? Not especially. But there are enough gory surprises around every bend to keep you laughing/screaming/cringing.” — David Edelstein, New York Check out everything we’ve got on “The Cabin in the Woods.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos Talk Nerdy MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Cabin In The Woods’

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‘Cabin In The Woods’: The Reviews Are In!

‘Safe House’: The Reviews Are In!

Critics point out similarities to the ‘Bourne’ series and even Denzel Washington’s previous work. By Kevin P. Sullivan Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds in “Safe House” Photo: Universal Pictures Denzel Washington returns as a cynical old pro who must work with a novice in order to survive. This time it’s called “Safe House,” and Washington plays a rogue CIA operative under the protection of a rookie, played by Ryan Reynolds . “Safe House” has earned middling reviews, many of which take note of the film’s similarities to both the “Bourne” franchise and Washington’s previous work with director Tony Scott. Here is our roundup of reviews for “Safe House”: The Story “Washington plays the notorious Tobin Frost, a brilliant former CIA operative who’s turned traitor, selling secrets to any nation or enemy cell willing to buy them. After years on the run, he turns himself in at the American embassy in Cape Town, South Africa. He’s then taken to the local agency safe house where Reynolds, as the ambitious Matt Weston, is its bored, rookie minder. Matt longs to prove himself and see some real action in the field, and he gets it sooner than he expects when the house comes under a vicious, heavily armed attack and he and Tobin must go on the run together.” — Christy Lemire, The Associated Press The Stars “Mr. Washington, it almost goes without saying, is its anchor; when he’s on screen everything seems to matter more, so much so that a prequel seems inevitable. How Frost became the man that he did is one of the mysteries, as is how well Weston and the actor playing him will rise to the occasion. Mr. Reynolds, whose curiously unsettled career is its own puzzle, here rises to meet Mr. Washington’s challenge, investing Weston with a slow-building, believable vulnerability.” — Manohla Dargis, New York Times The Action “The movie, as if on an action time clock, punches in the standard set pieces: bloody fights, clattering shoot-outs, an escape through a packed soccer stadium. Some of this stuff is well-done, and some of it has been done a lot better. Yet ‘Safe House’, even when it’s pummeling you effectively, has very little up its sleeve. Basically, the movie is a fizzless ‘Bourne’ episode crossed with ‘Training Day,’ featuring Washington as a good-egg-gone-rotten who, you know, has his reasons. Mostly, he schools Matt, his guard-turned-pursuer, in what it means to lie.” — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly The Director “Director Espinosa shoots virtually everything in tight but wobbly close-up, and the human and vehicular combat often brakes right at the edge of visual incoherence. Just as often the brakes give out completely. Even at its most frantic and mechanical, the movie relies on Washington to provide a visual anchor, some sociopathic calm amid the storm.” — Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune The Final Word “Essentially a two-hour chase with a few brief breaks to catch its breath, ‘Safe House’ is an elemental cat-and-mouse game elaborated to the point of diminishing returns. Terse and understated, this is a spy vs. spy tale designed to minimize talk and maximize action, not at all a bad thing in movies but over-worked to near-exhaustion here.” — Todd McCarthy, The Hollywood Reporter Check out everything we’ve got on “Safe House.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: Safe House

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‘Safe House’: The Reviews Are In!

Jesse James to Wed Kat Von D REAL Soon

The engagement of Jesse James and Kat Von D surprised many. If reports that they are tying the knot within a month are true, that should do the same. “Jesse and Kat don’t see any reason why they should wait to trade vows,” a source said. “They are madly in love and want to make everything official.” According to the source, Jesse James and Kat Von D have already started planning their wedding , which will be small and happen outside of California. INKED : Jesse and Kat can’t wait to make it official . Don’t expect an over-the-top Hollywood wedding for the twosome, which should come as no surprise considering their unexpected whirlwind relationship. The two became a couple in September, shortly after his divorce from Sandra Bullock, who he informed prior to going public with his engagement to Kat. The divorce – James’ third – with Bullock happened after he was caught cheating on Sandra with many women, most notably Michelle “Bombshell” McGee . Hopefully the fourth time’s the charm.

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Jesse James to Wed Kat Von D REAL Soon

Roger Ebert: Before and After Plastic Sugery Pics

During his battle with thyroid cancer, Roger Ebert says he “studiously avoided looking in a mirror.” That’s because the movie critic lost the bottom half of jaw his jaw to the disease. But a two-year process has now resulted in a silicone prosthesis that Ebert debuted this week, one that he’ll wear during upcoming TV appearances. Below, right, the veteran reporter shows off his new look: “I will wear the prosthesis on the new television show – that’s not to fool anyone, because my appearance is widely known,” he says. “It will be a pleasant reminder of the person I was for 64 years.” Ebert Presents at the Movies debuts tonight on PBS. It will feature Christy Lemire and Ignatiy Vishnevetsky reviewing films and Roger discussing new films and classics.

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Roger Ebert: Before and After Plastic Sugery Pics

Roger Ebert Brings Back At the Movies

You just can’t keep a good franchise down. Less than a month after At the Movies shuffled off televisions, Roger Ebert is reviving the brand name he made famous. The new version of the show — entitled Roger Ebert Presents At the Movies — will be hosted by AP film critic Christy Lemire and NPR critic Elvis Mitchell, with contributions from Kim Morgan, Omar Moore and Ebert himself. At the Movies will air on WTTW in Chicago and other PBS stations around the country starting in January 2011. [ Roger Ebert ]

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Roger Ebert Brings Back At the Movies

‘Piranha 3D’ Sequel Already Planned

Film made $10 million in its opening weekend. By Kara Warner Jerry O’Connell in “Piranha 3D” Photo: Gene Page / Dimension Hot off the $10 million opening weekend for “Piranha 3D,” Dimension Films announced Monday (August 23) that a sequel is already in the works “We are thrilled that audiences are not just loving ‘Piranha 3D,’ but cheering for it,” producer Mark Canton said in a statement. “And it’s fantastic that so many critics are really getting the movie and recommending it. We can’t wait to get to work on the sequel.” We’ve been following the blood- and breast-filled production since its humble beginnings, back when we visited the Lake Havasu, Arizona, set where co-star Paul Scheer bragged to us that the film’s blood content would likely break records . “Over 600 gallons of blood were used in this movie so far, and we’re not even done,” co-star Paul Scheer told us when we visited the set. “This is gonna be the most boobs and blood in any motion picture of all time.” Despite the film’s seemingly campy nature — complete with the cast’s cheeky Funny or Die video, in which they ask the Academy to consider “Piranha 3D” for a Best Picture Oscar nomination — the 1978 original film and its 1981 sequel “Piranha II: The Spawning” launched the careers of respected filmmakers Joe Dante, John Sayles and James Cameron. And if those established pedigrees aren’t enough, director Alexandre Aja knows what it takes to get moviegoers into theaters. “There’s going to be 3-D double-D boobs!” he laughed when we talked to him earlier this summer. “I want to know exactly how many different girls’ boobs are in the movie. I think it’s a lot. I think blood-wise, I have to get the final number, but we are beyond anything you can even imagine.” With a current rating of 81 percent Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes , the film has struck a chord with critics as well. MTV’s own Kurt Loder called the film’s effects “top notch,” “fluid” and just plain fun. “The thrills here may be traditional, but they’re still actually thrilling,” he wrote. The Associated Press ‘ Christy Lemire gushed about the film: “Run, don’t walk: ‘Piranha 3-D’ is hilariously, cleverly gory. Mere words cannot describe how awesomely gnarly ‘Piranha 3D’ is, how hugely entertaining, and how urgently you must get yourself to the theatre to see it. Like, now.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Piranha 3D.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Piranha 3D’

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‘Piranha 3D’ Sequel Already Planned