Another documentary in the growing genre that could be called environmental panic, “The 11th Hour” is a maddening mix of good intentions and wild hysteria. The film’s eagerness to embrace alarmist speculation undermines the basic truths it tells.
Trying to justify Hostel: Part II, another entry in the current torture-porn trend, writer-director Eli Roth has spent a lot of interview time undercutting those who have been uncool enough to question the value of watching people slowly being slit from head to toe, claiming that the picture’s critics “don’t get” the underlying intelligence and social commentary.
In its ongoing mission to convince moviegoers that critics are an unnecessary evil, the major Hollywood studios have been refusing to hold press screenings for more and more films.
Despite being loaded with negative cultural stereotypes - mostly involving blacks, but also of Asians - Eddie Murphy’s “Norbit” debuted in first place at the box office. Even critics who bemoaned the film - which was almost all of them - failed to call him on his blatant racism.
An expose of the ridiculous movie rating system run by the Motion Picture Association of America, “This Film is Not Yet Rated” is a much-needed muckraking documentary that rakes the wrong muck – at least if the filmmakers hope to inspire change.
There is a difference between blogging at and blogging with, a fact that caught the New Line Cinema executives behind Snakes on a Plane woefully offguard.
