Film reviews: Catch up edition - 9, Extract and World's Greatest Dad

9, Image courtesy of Focus Features

OK, so I've been busy or lazy, maybe both ... for this I apologize. Without any further excuses, here are my latest reviews of:

9

Extract

and World's Greatest Dad.

All posted on Suite101.com, all for written for your enjoyment (or mine, whatever).

Film Review - Big Fan

Image courtesy of First Independent Pictures

As a lifelong Philadelphia Eagles fan, I have to admit, it's hard to objectively look at a story on a New York Giants die-hard. But Robert Siegel's Big Fan is great no matter who you root for -- and actually, I think it's the Eagles fans that'll have the most fun with this.

Regardless, here's my review from Suite101.com. Enjoy!

The Black Crowes Let The Fans Rule

Photo courtesy of Matthew Mendenhall

It seems I go through stages with this blog, but as my writing pace picks up this month, I plan to start posting more regularly. Here's a recent interview I did with The Black Crowes' drummer, Steve Gorman. The Crowes have been through some ups and downs over the years, but always seem to put out solid music. With the addition of Luther Dickinson a few years back, they've got to be a formidable live act, though I've never personally seen them.

The band has a new record (actually, two of them) coming out on Sept. 1, and the first single, "I Ain't Hiding," (download it here) isn't what you'd expect from the typically Southern-rockers. It's sort of disco, which is actually a good thing. Wait for the applause at the end of the song — the band recorded the entire record, Before the Frost, in front of a live audience at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, NY. It creates a looser vibe, yet the song shows no signs of sloppyness.

Film Preview - Avatar

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Avatar preview day was, if nothing else, pretty damn interesting. Check out my full report over at Suite101.com.

Film Review - Inglourious Basterds

Image courtesy of The Weinstein Co./Band Apart

Gotta say, I'm sort of shocked that I'm in the minority of opinion among critics (so far) in that I really didn't enjoy Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Sure, it's got some train wreck appeal and may be the most interesting disaster I've seen on the big screen in ... well, maybe ever.

Not that it's completely without redeeming qualities, but - ah, hell, just read my full Inglourious Basterds review over at Suite101.com.

Film Review - Cold Souls

Image courtesy of The Samuel Goldwyn Co.

Yeah, yeah, yeah - there are quite a few similarities between Sophia Barthes's Cold Souls (her feature debut) and the works of Charlie Kaufman. And she doesn't quite have the emotional kick to match her intellectualism, but as far as clever exercises go, Cold Souls is pretty damn enjoyable.

For my full review of Cold Souls over at Suite101.com, please click here.

Enjoy and look out for a review of Inglourious Basterds.

DVD Review - Julia

Image courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

Julia is exactly the sort of indie film that is destined to get lost in the theatrical shuffle -- small, character-based, impeccably crafted. I don't even recall seeing this in theaters around Philadelphia/South Jersey, though it may have had a short run that I missed while blinking.

What a shame.

I was extremely pleased to be able to catch the film on DVD, so, without any further ado, here is the link for my Julia DVD review over at Suite101.com. Enjoy!