Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 11,2011

The intriguing and ponderous Tree of Life

Brilliant yet maddening, skillful yet pretentious, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life is a polemic work if ever there was one. At once an examination of a Texas family during the 1950s, the film

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 11,2011

A worthy addition to Planet of the Apes

By Chuck Koplinski

Putting the Tim Burton reboot debacle firmly behind them, 20th Century-Fox has produced a worthy prequel to their Planet of the Apes franchise with Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Spending virtually n

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 4,2011

Erratic tone a clue to Crazy, Stupid, Love

By Chuck Koplinski

Perhaps one of the most difficult things to describe is the tone of any work of art. Merriam-Webster defines “tone” as the “style or manner of expression in writing or speaking,&rdqu

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, August 4,2011

Cowboys outduel aliens in clever mash-up

By Chuck Koplinski

When Hollywood execs bandy about ideas like throwing malevolent aliens into a traditional western, it’s referred to as a “high concept.” Obviously, this proves that those in charge o

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 28,2011

Friends benefits from strong finish

By Chuck Koplinski

Will Gluck’s Friends with Benefits is two – count ’em – two movies in one. The first is a lighthearted, “hip” urban comedy that tries hard to please but falls flat

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 28,2011

Perseverance and optimism separate Buck from the herd

By Chuck Koplinski

At first meeting, some might dismiss Buck Brannaman as a cowboy who specializes in corn-porn philosophy. Phrases like “I help horses with people problems,” trip over his lips as others mig

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 21,2011

Zookeeper is simplistic entertainment

By Chuck Koplinski

I equate Kevin James’ movies with the old Abbott and Costello features I used to watch on TV when I was a kid. Even at a young age, I knew they weren’t great movies but they made me laugh

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 21,2011

Bosses not horrible, but far from satisfactory

By Chuck Koplinski

Seth Gordon’s Horrible Bosses appeals to a common sentiment many of us has had once or twice as the film deals with three working stiffs who simply want to clock in, do their job, clock out and

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 14,2011

Harry Potter’s magical finale

By Chuck Koplinski

A great deal of skill, a little bit of luck and many wise decisions all played a part in making the Harry Potter franchise the most successful in film history. It’s only during the final moments

Film - Chuck Koplinski | Thursday, July 7,2011

Third Transformers surprisingly coherent, entertaining

By Chuck Koplinski

I’ve come to expect manic action, ear-splitting sound effects and character development treated as collateral damage in Michael Bay’s movies. Imagine my surprise that his latest, Transform