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Milwaukee's Daily Magazine for Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Tue
Hi: 70
Lo: 51
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Thu
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Articles tagged with 'Movies'

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It's clear as black and white: "Frances Ha" is an absolute charmer

Published June 18, 2013

Noah Baumbach's 2005 breakthrough "The Squid and the Whale" is a great movie, but it should come with a warning. The dialogue and characters are so cutting and acidic, I was left looking for a Band-Aid when it was all done. Eight years and a couple more scathing features later, Baumbach delivers "Frances Ha," a sweet Woody Allen-esque comedy that his honest, funny, acute screenplays can come with a light, tender touch, as well.

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Five reasons why "World War Z" is guaranteed to flop

Published June 18, 2013

Even if the movie is good enough to bring an captivated tear to George A. Romero's eye, the odds are very much against "World War Z." Here are the five main reasons why this upcoming zombie spectacular is almost guaranteed to be a pain in the neck for Pitt and company by the end of the weekend.

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Forget birds or planes: Superman's return in "Man of Steel" doesn't soar

Published June 14, 2013

While director Zack Snyder (the Green Bay native behind "300") outdoes even himself in terms of epic visual spectacle, his attempt to churn out a moody, serious Superman story in the vein of Christopher Nolan - who serves as producer and provided the story alongside Batman collaborator David S. Goyer - lands with a thud.

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"This Is The End" a hilarious bro-pocalypse of biblical proportions

Published June 12, 2013

If "This Is The End" is any evidence, it seems we know how James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Craig Robinson, Jay Baruchel and Danny McBride would bid the planet adieu: They'd have a whole lot of drugged up, profane, wild fun. If this is what the end of the world as we know it looks like, to borrow a phrase from R.E.M., I feel fine.

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Glorified Google ad "The Internship" is a full-time failure

Published June 11, 2013

Dear readers, I have seen our savior, and its name is Google. Google is a shining, six-letter, multi-colored beacon of light and hope in these dark, difficult times, and its technological wizardry brings joy to the hearts of millions. All hail our wonderful search engine leader. All hail it indeed. At least, that was my main takeaway coming out of "The Internship," a woefully humor-devoid workplace comedy starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson.

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Adventure lovers should set sail for "Kon-Tiki"

Published June 10, 2013

As it turns out, Ang Lee's "Life of Pi" wasn't the only recent Oscar nominee with its eyes set on the high seas. In the Best Foreign Film category, there was Norway's "Kon-Tiki." And while there might not be any disgruntled tigers in sight, the real-life journey of legendary explorer Thor Heyerdahl and his motley crew is just as beautiful and wondrous to behold. I guess there's enough ocean in the world for two great waterlogged adventures.

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"Love Is All You Need" needs some new material

Published June 9, 2013

A movie called "Love Is All You Need" is clearly a movie that does not mess around. Most films may try to weave the message or theme into the story with some nuance, but not "Love Is All You Need." It's right there in the title: The characters in this movie will learn that love is, in fact, all you need. With a blunt title like that, what else could you possibly expect? Not much apparently.

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Capable cast battles indie excesses in "The Kings of Summer"

Published June 8, 2013

The phrase "Sundance darling" comes with a bit more skepticism for me nowadays. Sure, the label can sometimes be pinned to a really honest, hilarious and emotionally satisfying film. Other times, it's stuck onto a movie that's both overworked and over-quirked. "The Kings of Summer" swings to both sides of that pendulum, its clever jokes and earnest look at growing-up constantly fighting against the pull of its indie indulgences.

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Draper would be proud: Five blatant moments of movie product placement

Published June 4, 2013

"The Internship," a buddy comedy that reteams former wedding crashers Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, comes out this weekend, and in case you haven't seen an ad yet (you lucky soul), it's basically about Google. Google, Google, Google. It's rather shameless, but not quite as shameless as these past subtlety-free product placement movie moments.

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Visually impressive "Epic" tells a moderately sized story

Published June 1, 2013

Another month, another big, flashy celebrity-filled animated feature hoping to snag a slice of the oh-so-predictable children's movie box office pie. The most recent colorfully drawn entry is "Epic," which comes from director Chris Wedge, the brains behind the original "Ice Age." And, much like its title, "Epic" is oddly bold and bland at the same time.

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Silly magician heist thriller "Now You See Me" shouldn't be seen

Published June 1, 2013

The star-studded cast of "Now You See Me" almost manages to sell the film's absurdity, but director Louis Leterrier ("The Incredible Hulk," the "Clash of the Titans" remake) and his trio of writers are never willing to leave stupid enough alone. It's a dim bulb slight of hand that'll likely leave viewers feeling slighted.

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Shyamalan's "After Earth" shows no signs of life

Published May 31, 2013

It's gotten so rough that "After Earth," the Smith family sci-fi project that's too scared to come out as a M. Night Shyamalan movie, comes as a genuine sign of progress for the former Oscar nominee simply because it's not an unequivocal disaster. No, it's merely bad.

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Five movies that ruined M. Night Shyamalan's once promising career

Published May 29, 2013

"After Earth" is a new science fiction action thriller starring Will Smith, Jaden Smith and a whole mess of angry, post-apocalyptic animals. Or at least that's the film the advertisements are selling. A careful look at the poster for "After Earth" reveals its big secret: The director is none other than the disgraced former master of suspense M. Night Shyamalan.

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