Story Archive

'New Moon': Quiver. Swoon. Yawn.

The latest in the Twilight saga is more gooey tedium for fans only

Thursday, Nov. 19, 2009

If you haven't gotten your fill of pouts and sad eyes from the New Moon stars on tabloid covers, the new film serves up another helping in the next installment of the Twilight vampire saga.

The Blind Side

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

Short on sports, big on inspiration.

Them Crooked Vultures

Them Crooked Vultures

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

Put John Paul Jones, Josh Homme and Dave Grohl in a band together, and you’re bound to grab people’s attention.

Forget Leno and Letterman; the latest talk-show battle is on cable

Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009

A head-to-head competition is taking place as networks work to establish their own talk-show dynasties, with a bit more diversity in their choice of hosts.

Pirate Radio

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Set sail for an education in debauchery from some hedonistic DJs.

2012

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Also known as: The Day After Tomorrow.

Carrie Underwood

Play On

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

Underwood’s music is as poppy as country gets.

An existential failure: AMC’s new 'The Prisoner' lacks the original’s verve

Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2009

The 1960s British TV series The Prisoner is hugely influential in the world of sci-fi and secret-agent TV shows and movies. How does AMC's new version stack up?

So fun, too fast: Kelly Clarkson at The Joint

Singer stays just 80 great minutes

Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009

Does any pop star have more fun than Kelly Clarkson?

Slipknot

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

The final performance on Slipknot’s latest tour, Halloween night at the Pearl, was as intense as would be expected.

A Christmas Carol

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

Listen, Robert Zemeckis, I think we need to have a talk. Remember when you used to make those cool popcorn blockbusters full of real actors and cutting-edge special effects and lots of heart?

The Fourth Kind

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

In 2000, Dr. Abigail Tyler uncovered supposed evidence of widespread alien abductions in Nome, Alaska. In 2009, the movie about Tyler is just another lame thriller.

Creed

Full Circle

Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2009

After eight years, nothing has changed.

Intimate horror at the Blacklist Festival

Deserving short film fest is short on audience at the Griffin

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Short horror films, beer and creepy art. What's not to like?

Movies about the afterlife

Thursday, Oct. 29, 2009

No, Dead Man Walking is not on this list.

A makeshift memorial for MJ

This Is It is an inadequate epitaph for the King of Pop

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

"This Is It" is an inadequate epitaph for the King of Pop.

Trick 'r Treat

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Trick ’r Treat deserves points for avoiding cheap thrills and excessive gore, but its limited old-school charms are not nearly as impressive as its inflated reputation suggests.

The aliens have landed

ABC revives sci-fi classic V

Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009

Is V the new Lost?

Horror heaven

Tuesday, Oct. 27, 2009

In Vegas, Halloween often means slutty comments, but for those craving spooks, there's Fangoria.

U2 showcases classic past, passable present

Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Do we really need stadium concerts anymore? Probably not, but if we have to endure them, then U2 is certainly the band for the job.

In defense of chain pizza

Thursday, Oct. 22, 2009

Josh Bell isn't a foodie, but he's willing to defend Papa John's.

"A Serious Man" proves to be seriously impressive

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

The Coen brothers are in top form with newest flick, A Serious Man.

Lyle Lovett

Natural Forces

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Lyle Lovett is holding back.

Taking Dawn takes Vegas

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Taking Dawn's throwback hard-rock act is clearly going places.

Steel Panther

Feel the Steel

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

Steel Panther's Feel The Steel is so bad it isn't even funny.

Checking in on the fall’s new shows

Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2009

For the most part, shows have garnered more buzz than ratings, and pilots that seemed encouraging have developed into series not nearly as entertaining.

The Sounds bring big pop to a small venue

Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009

Justin Timberlake might have been playing just across the casino, but Swedish retro-poppers The Sounds didn’t seem to have any trouble drawing a crowd to the House of Blues last night.

Fountains of Wayne rocks the comps

Friday, Oct. 16, 2009

“Hello, guest list,” Fountains of Wayne frontman Chris Collingwood said by way of introduction as his band took the stage at Wasted Space last night.

Heavy metal, like clockwork

Thursday, Oct. 15, 2009

Thanks to the relative dearth of women in heavy music, Lacuna co-lead vocalist Cristina Scabbia has become the biggest sex symbol in metal, and the audience made its (perhaps slightly creepy) appreciation known.

The Boys are Back

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

Minor conflicts arise, but The Boys Are Back is so uneventful that it often seems like we’re watching Joe parent in real time.

A short take on short films

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

With CineVegas out of the picture, we need events like the Las Vegas Latino Short Film Festival more than ever.

Kiss

Sonic Boom

Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009

I know, it’s hard to believe, but Kiss’ latest collection of original material sticks successfully to the basics, essentially ignoring the last 25 years of musical history and just rocking out ’70s- and ’80s-style.

Couples Retreat

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

Couples Retreat has no redeeming qualities whatsoever.

Paranormal Activity

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

Paranormal Activity is at heart another haunted-house movie, albeit one that takes the time to think about the true nature of haunting.

The Burning Plain

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

The Burning Plain is a dour, heavy-handed drama.

ESPN’s 30 for 30 brings depth to unsung sports stories

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

30 for 30 proves that TV about sports can be artistic, thoughtful and moving.

The Clydesdale

Clementine

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

A little more of Overton, and a little less goofing off, would have made Clementine as rewarding an experience as The Clydesdale’s excellent live shows.

Alice in Chains

Black Gives Way to Blue

Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2009

Black Gives Way to Blue doesn’t sound much different from the two solo albums guitarist Jerry Cantrell released a few years back, continuing the Alice in Chains legacy of sludgy, sometimes catchy hard rock.

Kylie Minogue's pop spectacle worth the (22-year) wait

Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009

“Does anyone know roughly off the top of their head how long it’s taken me to get here?” Kylie Minogue asked the packed house at the Pearl Saturday night on the second stop of her first-ever North American tour. Yes, Kylie. Too long. Too damn long.

At the cinematic mercy of others

What happens when friends, co-workers and complete strangers can inflict movies on a critic

Thursday, Oct. 1, 2009

People often tell Weekly film critic Josh Bell that he's paying attention to the wrong movies, so he gave them a chance to pick what deserved coverage, whether that was an underrated favorite or a terrible movie selected for sheer torture value.

Whip It

Want to feel like one of Drew Barrymore's bestest buds? Watch this movie

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Drew Barrymore’s directorial debut Whip It plays like one pictures a sleepover at Barrymore’s house might unfold.

Zombieland

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Zombieland takes everything Shaun did cleverly—the meta-movie references, the love amidst the apocalypse, the forging of a makeshift family to combat unspeakable horrors—and amps it up with distracting, empty visuals and lazy, repetitive jokes.

Farewell, CineVegas

A look back at the dearly departed film festival

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Even with CineVegas in limbo, its legacy will remain.

Miranda Lambert

Revolution

Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009

Miranda Lambert is still exploring all the facets of her craft, and she’s got plenty of ground left to cover.

Journey to the center of sci-fi

Downtown’s Sci Fi Center has become home to an unlikely movie theater

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Add 50 movie theater seats to a comic book and memorabilia store and you have the city's unlikeliest movie theater. Who wants to catch a showing of Blade Runner?

Cold Souls

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Cold Souls owes a lot to Charlie Kaufman’s work, particularly Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but director Sophie Barthes’ film generally suffers by comparison.

The September Issue

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Legendary Vouge editor Anna Wintour inspired Meryl Streep's character in The Devil Wears Prada, but The September Issue shows she isn't quite as cruel as the devil.

Pearl Jam

Backspacer

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Pearl Jam has nothing left to prove, and that can be liberating. After you’ve sold millions of albums and essentially defined an entire movement, you can afford to do whatever you feel like doing, even if that's going into dad-rock territory.

New time, same old Leno

The Jay Leno Show is more of the uninspired same

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Anyone who loved Leno on Tonight will likely continue to love him here, but extending the host’s brand of middle-of-the-road, obvious comedy and fawning celebrity interviews is not something to be celebrated.

Thor at the Bus Stop

Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2009

Despite the mystical overtones, Thor isn’t a supernatural movie.