Gospel.com Blog

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…)

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

Topping the blockbuster-wannabe list this week is the Sex and the City film, which has been variously described as Satanic or an attempt to promote loose morals. Reviewer Mike Brunk simply notes that whatever the HBO series was, the film simply amplifies… and draws out to nearly two and a half hours. (more…)

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

This time of year, the big summer blockbusters take over thousands of screens each week, pushing the struggling smaller films out the door… and who wants to compete with Iron Man or Prince Caspian? So the field is left almost entirely to the Big Boys.

So when you’re looking to see what’s new on the marquee, and you only find one title, you’re likely to think, “Well, this had better be good!” (more…)

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

Last week brought us the second entry in the summer blockbuster sweepstakes and a solid slate of releases. This week, the pace doesn’t slack off even though it’s not up to last week. And the checkered flag goes to…… Speed Racer!

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

When the worst movie released on a given week is merely an uninspired romantic comedy starring Patrick Dempsey, you’re not doing too bad.

Leading the pack, of course, is the much-anticipated Iron Man, a comic book superhero PG-13 adaptation starring Robert Downey, Jr. Michael Brunk was wholly won over. “If Iron Man is any indication of what we can expect this summer,” he says, “I think we’re in for a great time.”

(more…)