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Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

Hollywood must know what its doing. We have a long holiday weekend coming up, which would sure seem like a good bet for boffo boxoffice; but ticket sales are as low right now as they’ve been all summer. So maybe it makes sense that the studios haven’t given us anything to get excited about this weekend.

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Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

The gloves appear to be off as the studios dump the last of their summer fare on us at the tail end of August.

The lone bright spot in wide release is, somewhat surprisingly, an adult-oriented Hitchcockian thriller starring Woody Harrelson. Jeff Walls calls Transsiberian “a terrific thriller. Anderson and co-screenwriter Will Conroy kept me on my toes and I was never quite sure where the film was taking me next. The snow-covered, barren landscape is photographed beautifully, reminding me a bit of Fargo“—as does the rating. Even the best film this week is rated R. (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, says Mike Smith, is the rare beast: a sequel that improves on the original. The secret? More mature actors, he says… and a director that really gets the material. “Call me sexist,” Smith writes, “but Sanaa Hamni gets the chicks. Sorry, Mr. Kwapis—you’re a guy (like me), which pretty much prevents us from really ‘getting’ the psyche of the target audience convincingly. The original enjoyed some success, but I expect the sequel will outdo the first—it is simply the better film.”

Meanwhile, three of this week’s releases begin with the letter B. (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

One of the funnest films of the summer, says Greg Wright, is a gentle political satire… starring Kevin Costner, of all things. Swing Vote, going into release today is “a skewering of lax parenting, national politics of all stripes, political correctness, blue-collar stereotypes, and network news,” says Wright. “If you’re at all apathetic about voting, or if you’re at all fed up with the state of politics in America—and you don’t mind a little hayseed stuck between your teeth or up your shorts—get out and see Swing Vote. I’m very glad I did.” (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

Let’s just get it out of the way. The one real clinker in wide release today is the new Will Ferrell comedy Step Brothers. Ferrell’s private parts… Need we say more? Jeff Walls doesn’t… much. “It’s just plain disturbing,” he says.

Greg Wright gives The X-Files: I Want To Believe a fairly cool review… but it’s not bad, he says. (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

The big story about The Dark Knight, says Greg Wright, is not Heath Ledger’s performance as The Joker: it’s that the film may well prove a bellwether for the outcome of the Presidential election this fall. “At the core of The Dark Knight,” he says “is Harvey Dent’s observation that you ‘either die a hero or you live long enough to become a villain.’” (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

What do you do between Hancock and The Dark Knight? Check out the raft of smaller films that are making their way to the multiplexes this week… and it’s really a pretty decent batch.

Leading the pack in a family way is Journey to the Center of the Earth, the first in a pair of Brendan Fraser summer vehicles this year. This one is decidedly more kid-friendly than the Mummy series, though. Says Jennie Spohr, “the movie is fairly wholesome, with a positive family-friendly message that people are more important than things… a fun adventure story that parents will be able to take their pre-tweens to without worrying about too much violence, sex, or other such blockbuster fodder.” (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

Well, there’s no mistaking it: the big news of the movie-going summer appears to be WALL-E, the latest from Pixar… and arriving just in time for some great buzz over the 4th of July holiday. (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

Two high-profile PG-13 comedies make their bow this week… and neither is likely to demonstrate legs at the boxoffice, in spite of the star power attached. (more…)

Each week, Past the Popcorn offers a thorough look at the latest round of films opening on big screens.

The latest iteration of The Hulk—this time courtesy of the beast’s own publisher, Marvel—may not be getting the kind of reviews that Iron Man has, but reviewer Jeff Walls likes it quite a bit. He finds it “anchored by terrific performances from Edward Norton and Liv Tyler,” and that it features “strategic and well-timed humor.” Aided by “terrific special effects, this film manages to make the Hulk more realistic-looking than the somewhat cartoony earlier version.” (more…)