Author: Jason Zingale

Clint Eastwood’s speedy directing style has been well documented over the years, but after recent misfires like “Changeling,” “Invictus,” and his latest movie, the supernatural drama “Hereafter,” he might want to take a step back and reevaluate his methods before beginning his next project, because he’s starting to get a little sloppy. “Hereafter” is probably the guiltiest of the bunch, because for a movie that asks its audience to cast away any skepticism about its subject matter, it doesn’t do a very good job of giving us any concrete answers, even though its foot is firmly planted on one side…

A title can say a lot about a movie, but never has one been so literal than “It’s Kind of a Funny Story,” which is quite fittingly, well, kind of funny. Those expecting a full-fledged comedy will be slightly disappointed, however, as the film is much more dramatic than comedic. That shouldn’t come as much of a surprise considering it’s made by Ryan Fleck and Anna Bowden, the duo behind the ultra-serious indie dramas “Half Nelson” and “Sugar,” but even they don’t seem to know what kind of movie they’re making. One minute a quirky comedy, and the next a bleak…

It seems like an eternity since Criterion’s last “Burnout” game, when in reality, it’s only been about two years. While we all wait for the next installment in the hugely popular arcade racer franchise, Black Rock has dutifully stepped in to quench our need for speed with some fast-paced, action-packed racing. “Split/Second” may not have the built-in audience of “Burnout,” but it doesn’t feel like the first chapter of a new series, either. The game is positively beaming with confidence, as well as it should, because although “Split/Second” doesn’t exactly reinvent the wheel, it’s such a blast to play that…

There has been an influx of post-9/11 movies over the last five years or so, but none have been as timely as Doug Liman’s “Fair Game.” With President Obama midway through his first term and on the receiving end of some heavy criticism from his biggest detractors, the film serves as a nice reminder of just how screwed up the Bush administration really was. Whether or not you buy into the fictionalized true-life events will vary, but no matter what your political affiliation, “Fair Game” makes a compelling case thanks to a pair of solid performances from its two leads.…

For a movie about one of the biggest pop culture phenomena of the last decade, David Fincher’s “The Social Network” is surprisingly modest, relying mainly on great dialogue and strong performances from its young cast to propel a story so riveting that it transcends the film’s ugly reputation as The Facebook Movie. Of course, Facebook is merely the vessel for the story. You could replace the social networking site with any other corporate empire built on ruined friendships, broken promises and massive egos, and it would still be just as interesting. What makes Facebook a particularly fascinating subject, however, is…

After 2003’s “Seabiscuit,” the last thing anyone needed was another movie about horseracing. Then again, Disney has cranked out enough inspirational sports dramas over the years to last a lifetime, so we should probably count ourselves lucky that it’s taken this long for them to make a film about every gambler’s favorite equestrian sport. But while “Seabiscuit” focused more on the far-reaching effects of a down-and-out racehorse who became a national hero, “Secretariat” is a more contained story about how one woman’s belief in a horse created a legacy that is as strong today as it was 40 years ago.…

You have to give the guys over at Activision a little credit. After taking over the “Guitar Hero” franchise in 2007, and then draining the life out of it by releasing 13 different iterations of the title over the next three years, they’re still coming up with ways to keep the series as fresh as possible. Unfortunately, while this year’s edition strives to do just that by streamlining the “Guitar Hero” experience into a story mode, it’s never felt staler. You can blame it on overexposure or just a really weak set list, but “Warriors of Rock” feels more like…

There’s no denying that EA Sports has solved the riddle of what makes a great soccer game, but after last year’s near-perfect “FIFA Soccer 10,” expectations were always going to be set higher. EA’s own “Madden” football series has struggled with that same problem for the last few years, because although each installment has managed to be just as good as the last, there’s not always enough differentiating the two to warrant a similar rating. “FIFA Soccer 11” doesn’t suffer from being too similar to its predecessor, however, but rather a little too different. While all of the core elements…

The only thing that Kristen Bell should be asking for this Christmas is a new agent, because the one she currently has working for her is clearly out to ruin her career. That’s the only explanation for her appearance in such dreck as “You Again,” the actress’ second comedy to be released under the Touchstone banner this year, and one that might even be more disastrous than “When in Rome.” Although she’s proven herself numerous times with memorable roles in TV shows like “Veronica Mars,” “Heroes” and “Party Down,” the pint-sized actress has yet to find any success in the…

The making of a cult horror film doesn’t exactly happen overnight. It takes years of festival showings, armies of loyal fans, and even a little backing from some industry friends. In the case of Sam Raimi’s directorial debut, “The Evil Dead,” it didn’t attain its cult status until well after its theatrical premiere in 1981. Of course, it helps when Stephen King gives you a glowing review and Wes Craven features your movie poster in one of the biggest horror films ever made, but it’s not like these guys just picked any random horror flick to slap their seals of…