This is the way the world ends, or starts to end, in George Clooney’s “The Monuments Men”: with a bang. In the film’s opening scenes, Hubert and Jan van Eyck’s “Ghent Altarpiece” is loudly dismantled, panel by panel, and prepared—too late, though—for a secret hiding place. The clock is ticking for its fellow masterpieces. World War II is raging and Hitler, an unpromising art student before he ... more >
ARCHIVES
The Monuments Men
About that forgotten part of WWII history
George Clooney, Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett
Directed by George Clooney
Elysium | EXTENDED TRAILER RELEASED
Stars Matt Damon and Jodie Foster
Blomkamp's hotly-anticipated sophomoric project
To be released on August 9th
After the excellent "District 9," Neil Blomkamp is back with "Elysium." This time around, it's not about aliens raising hell in a shanty but part of mankind just trying to survive on a planet that's been devastated while a few 1 percenters live comfortably in a space station. In this new sci-fi feature film featuring piquant political subtext Matt Damon portrays the hero who accepts a mission ... more >
We Bought a Zoo
The right movie to cap an unremarkable year
Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson
Directed by Cameron Crowe
So, We Bought a Zoo is based on a true story about a single parent who brought his family back together again by buying a zoo--stop laughing. Did I mention it’s directed by Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire), stars Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson, and features an impressive musical score by Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi Birgisson? But then again, that storyline…hm, keep it up, you’ll need ... more >
The adjustment bureau
Why do we need men with hats?
Matt Damon, Emily Blunt and Florence Kastriner
Directed by George Nolfi
Few actresses know the torments of fate quite as much as Emily Blunt. Likely there is no actress more affected by the proverbial “shortage of great roles for young women” than this English not-quite-a-star. Each time someone writes a news story on this perpetual topic, it should include her photo. Five years since people took notice in The Devil Wears Prada, one of the best young actresses ... more >
True grit
The new Coen Bros is here
Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon and Hailee Steinfeld
Directed by Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
She arrived in Fort Smith with two long braids, her father dead in the street, bent on revenge and calling it justice. All of fourteen, she carried the aura of a professional. She would quote the law. She would spook old men. She would hire the marshall least likely to take the man alive. She would look like Judy Garland and act with the iron, or the “sand,” or the “True Grit” of Cate ... more >
Invictus
I am the master of my destiny, the captain of my soul
Morgan Freeman, Matt Damon and Tony Kgoroge
Directed by Clint Eastwood
There’s always a moment in a Clint Eastwood-directed film, or maybe two or three, where you become uneasy, not certain he’ll manage not to cross the line that separates earnest from corny. Think back at the hospital scenes in “Million-Dollar Baby,” at the grudging friendship developing between a bigoted old white man and his Asian neighbors in “Gran Torino” and so forth. “Invictus,” ... more >
The Informant!
Coming at you from the lunatic fringe
Today is Friday and I'm super excited about something. Things, in fact. One of the more interesting among these is the fact that tonight I will get to see Matt Damon in "The Informant." Some of you might be wondering why a film critic of international notoriety like myself (ha!) has to wait until theatrical release day to see a film and you might be right in asking this. Promotion, marketing and ... more >