The Ugly Truth

Article: “Killers” and why you should always screen movies for critics.

Posted May 30th, 2010, 11:05 AM by Vadim Rizov

The press kits given to critics to accompany the movie they’re reviewing are, for obvious reasons, not given to hard truths. They tell us how much everyone enjoyed working with each other, how proud they are of the final film, and generally how well everything’s worked out — predictable, harmless stuff. But once in a…

Article: Hollywood’s Femme Fatality Rate

Posted January 21st, 2010, 4:01 AM by Charles Taylor

In the mid-’70s, when women (among them Claudia Weill, Joan Micklin Silver, Joan Darling) were getting the chance to direct mainstream movies, Pauline Kael cautioned against expecting great things right away. Filmmakers needed a chance to learn and develop, she said, and there was always a chance they might not, or might simply become proficient…

Article: The Tough Guy Romantic Comedy

Posted July 23rd, 2009, 12:07 PM by Matt Singer

There’s something a little strange about the poster for “The Ugly Truth,” and the sight of the stubbly, gruff face of Gerard Butler, affecting a sly grin and brandishing a heart at groin-level. This is the guy who carried “300″ on his back (and maybe his washboard stomach) and, through sheer badness of his assness,…

Article: Deadgirls and Grouchy Gurus

Posted July 20th, 2009, 9:07 AM by Neil Pedley

A small smattering of romantic fare amongst the new releases this week lines up alongside some caustic political satire, a couple of dark chillers, somber documentaries, and a string of grouchy gurus. Download this in audio form (MP3: 13:52 minutes, 19.1 MB) Subscribe to the In Theaters podcast: [XML] [iTunes] “The Answer Man” Having quietly…

Article: Six Summer Movie Alternatives

Posted July 06th, 2009, 9:07 AM by Alison Willmore

Let’s face it: we’ve over the interesting part of summer, blockbuster movie-wise. With that in mind, this week on the IFC News podcast we offer up alternatives to “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” “G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra” and four other films set to fill the multiplexes through the end of the season…