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- TUESDAY June 18, 2013 F
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Review: The laden 'Man of Steel' doesn't soar
It has been a black eye to Hollywood that throughout this, the unending and increasingly repetitive age of the superhero blockbuster, the comics' most iconic son has eluded its grasp like a bird or, if you will, a plane.
New hopes of box-office riches and franchise serials rests on Zac Snyder's 3-D "Man of Steel," the latest attempt to put Supermanback into flight. But Snyder's joyless film, laden as if composed of the stuff of its hero's metallic nickname, has nothing soaring about it.
Fly...Published June 13, 2013 or Published 5 days ago - By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
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Best Bets for the Weekend!
* Symphony Rags will perform at noon, Friday at the Paramount Center for the Arts in Bristol as part of the David Caldwell Tunes @ Noon summer concert series. Admission is a suggested donation of $5. For more information, call (423) 274-8920.
* Warriors' Path State Park will host its annual Dragonfly Day on Saturday. Participants will learn to photograph and identify the insects. The event is free, but pre-registration is required by calling (423) 239-8531 or (423) 239-6786.
* The Seventh A...Published June 12, 2013 or Published 6 days ago - By Staff Reports
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Review: 'This is the End': Armageddon, Rogen style
Corral some of your acting buddies. Cast them as caricatures of themselves. Whip up a screenplay about Armageddon, focusing it on the antics of said goofballs. Then explore what happens when these self-involved Stooges get Left Behind -- and, oh, how they deserve it -- in the City of Angels.
Sounds like a recipe for another major comic disaster, right?
Surprise, surprise. The cameo-laden, extremely profane "This is the End" is one of the brassiest crackpot comedies in years. Seriously, I ha...Published June 11, 2013 or Published 1 week ago - By Randy Meyers, Associated Press
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Review: 'Internship' better than some would expect
There are really three movie stars headlining this movie: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson, and Google.
Actually, it's a surprise Google doesn't get top billing over the humans, so adoringly is the company displayed. But if you can get past this Mother of All Product Placements, you'll likely find yourself chuckling a lot during Shawn Levy's silly but warmhearted film, with a script by Vaughn and Jared Stern.
Sure, it could be shorter, less predictable, more believable. But this is Vaughn and Wi...Published June 6, 2013 or Published 2 weeks ago - By Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press
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Review: Gimmicky 'Purge' void of distinction
Characters are frequently urged to "release the beast" in "The Purge," a high-concept home-invasion shocker set in a future where one night a year, all crime is legal. But what should be a clammy exercise in claustrophobic, queasy tension becomes, in the hands of writer/director James DeMonaco, an underpowered compendium of over-familiar scare tactics and sledgehammer-subtle social satire. The intriguingly nightmarish premise may well rustle up a decent opening weekend for a picture that come...
Published June 6, 2013 or Published 2 weeks ago - By Neil Young, Associated Press
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Review: Now You See Me. Maybe.
Hollywood movies and magic shows have something in common: You pay your money, and you want to believe. And going into "Now You See Me," a magic-themed heist movie with a terrific cast, you really want to believe.
The idea is fresh, the introductory scenes enticing. But then the dialogue turns formulaic, the plot gets increasingly illogical, and character development grinds to a halt. It's too bad, because the film has a great premise. Four professional illusionists are called together by a ...Published May 31, 2013 or Published 3 weeks ago - By Jocelyn Noveck, Associated Press
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Review: After Earth a disappointing sci-fi tale
Humanity's home planet hardly merits the name-check in "After Earth," M. Night Shyamalan's sci-fi survival tale whose shipwreck action could (with the exception of a scene where our hero scrawls a crude map over Lascaux-like cave paintings) take place on any old life-supporting globe in the cosmos. The disappointingly generic film, which strands a father and son (Will and Jaden Smith) on Earth a thousand years after a planet-wide evacuation, will leave genre audiences pining for the more Terr...
Published May 31, 2013 or Published 3 weeks ago - By John DeFore, Associated Press
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Review: 'The Hangover Part III' dares to end comic trilogy on a darker note
"Daring" isn't a word you would use very much to describe 2011's "The Hangover Part II," the disappointingly lazy, beat-for-beat rehash of the wild and wildly successful original "Hangover" from 2009.
And yet, here we are with "The Hangover Part III," which runs a different sort of risk by going to darker and more dangerous places than its predecessors, both artistically and emotionally. It dares to alienate the very audience that made "The Hangover" the highest-grossing R-rated comedy of al...Published May 22, 2013 or Published 4 weeks ago - By Christy Lemire, Associated Press
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Review: 'Iron Man 3' puts Shane Black in director's chair
In the galaxy of big-screen superheros — a rather glum lot — Robert Downey Jr.'s Iron Man is the snappy one.
He's the sarcastic, motor-mouthed, preening, self-referential do-gooder, as opposed to all those self-serious crusaders. No matter how much of a scrap heap of metal-twisting mayhem the franchise piles on (and it's a lot), Downey's sheer charm — his unsentimental, offhand yammering — is the only real super power in Marvel's "Iron Man" trilogy.
"Iron Man 3" foll...Published May 2, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
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Appy Express ready to 'Celebrate'
When Harry Arnold was growing up in the 1950s, every Sunday night, the whole family would gather in front of the television and Arnold's father would switch the channel to CBS as they all watched with bated breath to see who would be appearing on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
"I would pray to myself, please don't be opera singers or ballet dancers and please don't be those four guys wearing striped vests, white shirts with black arm bands and silly straw hats calling themselves a barbershop quarte...Published April 30, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By Jessica Fischer
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Review: Bay's new flick is all pain, no gain
There's a siege mentality about Michael Bay's movies, as though viewers are the enemy holed up in a bunker and he's the guy ordering heavy-metal music around-the-clock to wear down our morale and force us to surrender.
Bay's true-crime caper "Pain & Gain" lacks the visual-effects mayhem and sci-fi cacophony of his "Transformers" blockbusters, yet the movie uses all the shock and awe and noise and bluster the director has in his utterly unsubtle arsenal.
Unlike Bay's usual action nonsens...Published April 25, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By David Germain, Associated Press
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MECCA celebrates silver anniversary
The choirs of the Mountain Empire Children's Choral Academy will continue the celebration of their 25th anniversary season with two upcoming concerts for area audiences.
MECCA's 25th Anniversary Spring Concert will be held at 3 p.m., May 4 at First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City. Selections to be performed include music by Morten Lauridsen, Dan Forrest and local composers Evelyn Pursley-Kopitzke and Daniel Gawthrop; American, Scottish, African and Costa Rican folk songs; spirituals; an ...Published April 24, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By Staff Reports
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Review: Elegant if familiar, the stylized imagery of 'Oblivion' mostly mesmerizes
Early in the sleek sci-fi thriller "Oblivion," Tom Cruise, as a flyboy repairman living a removed, Jetsons-like existence above an invaded and deserted Earth, intones his home sickness.
"I can't shake the feeling that despite all that's happened, Earth is still my home," he narrates.
One can't help but chortle and wonder if Cruise is speaking for himself. The chiseled blockbuster star carries so much baggage nowadays that an audience's relationship to him often feels downright alien.
But C...Published April 17, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
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Movie review: '42' is classy but tame Robinson tale
Jackie Robinson was the ideal class act to break the barrier and become the first black player in Major League Baseball.
Writer-director Brian Helgeland's Robinson biopic "42" is a class act itself, though not always an engaging act. It's such a familiar story that any faithful film biography almost inevitably will turn out predictable, even a bit routine.
With an earnest performance by Chadwick Boseman as Robinson and an enjoyably self-effacing turn by Harrison Ford as Brooklyn Dodgers bos...Published April 11, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By David Germain, Associated Press
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Review: 'Evil Dead' should please original fans
"Blood-drenched" barely begins to describe Fede Alvarez's remake of "Evil Dead," a gore-for-broke affair that strips the flesh off Sam Raimi's cult-beloved comic-horror franchise and exposes the demons at its core. The presence of Raimi, original collaborator Rob Tapert, and star Bruce Campbell as producers should give the faithful permission to attend what would otherwise smell like a shameless exploitation of the 1981 film, but the high production values and nonstop action offered here shou...
Published April 4, 2013 or Published 2 months ago - By John DeFore, Associated Press
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Capsule Reviews: 'The Croods' and 'Admission'
"Admission" – What should be a hilarious, long-overdue pairing of two hugely likable, superstar comedians ends up being a major disappointment.
As much film and television work as they do individually, Tina Fey and Paul Rudd surprisingly never have worked together. In theory, her smart, zingy persona should mesh beautifully with his easygoing goofiness – or their shared dynamic should bounce, or snap, or have some sort of life to it. Instead, Paul Weitz's direction of Karen Crone...Published March 21, 2013 or Published 3 months ago - By Staff Reports
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Hunts showcase fiery fiddle, footwork
Just in time for St. Patrick's Day, local audiences will have two chances to catch the fiddling Hunt family in concert.
The Hunts, an indie-folk band from Chesapeake, Va., that combines champion fiddling with world-ranked Irish step dancing, will perform at 3 p.m., March 17 at Niswonger Performing Arts Center in Greeneville, then head across the state line to Abingdon, Va., for a show at 7:30 p.m., March 18 at Barter Theatre.
The traveling family of nine -- including seven brothers and sist...Published March 15, 2013 or Published 3 months ago - By Staff Reports
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Review: Little Magic in 'Burt Wonderstone'
The only incredible thing about "The Incredible Burt Wonderstone" is that way it makes Steve Carell so thoroughly and irreparably unlikable. In a film about magic tricks, this is the most difficult feat of all.
Even when Carell is playing characters who are nerdy ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin") or needy ("Crazy, Stupid, Love") or clueless (TV's "The Office") or just plain odd ("Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy"), there's usually an inherent decency that shines through and makes him seem rela...Published March 14, 2013 or Published 3 months ago - By Christy Lemire, Associated Press
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Review: 'The Call' Dials up a Shallow Thriller
In countless films about emergencies, crimes and police work, the 911 dispatcher is but a bit player, an anonymous, robotic voice briefly heard on the other end of a breathless call made by our movie's main players.
But in "The Call," the 911 operator gets a starring role. It would seem to be long overdue, since Halle Berry is apparently among their ranks.
She's a highly professional emergency operator in Los Angeles, where the trauma of a first kidnapping case has forced her to hang up the...Published March 14, 2013 or Published 3 months ago - By Jake Coyle, Associated Press
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Review: 'Oz' not that great or powerful
This prequel aims for nostalgia in older viewers who grew up on "The Wizard of Oz" and still hold the classic dear while simultaneously enchanting a newer, younger audience. It never really accomplishes either successfully.
An origin story to the groundbreaking 1939 picture, "Oz" can be very pretty but also overlong and repetitive, with a plot that's more plodding than dazzling. Director Sam Raimi also is trying to find his own balance here between creating a big-budget, 3-D blockbuster an...Published March 7, 2013 or Published 3 months ago - By Staff Reports
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Review: `Jack the Giant Slayer' a brisk, detailed version of the classic fairy tale
A big-budget, effects-laden, 3-D retelling of the Jack and the Beanstalk legend may seem like the unlikeliest pairing yet of director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie, but "Jack the Giant Slayer" ends up being smart, thrilling and a whole lot of fun.
Singer and McQuarrie's collaborations include, most famously, the twisty crime mystery "The Usual Suspects" (which earned McQuarrie an original-screenplay Oscar) and the Hitler assassination drama "Valkyrie," featuring an eye patch-...Published February 28, 2013 or Published 4 months ago - By Christy Lemire, Associated Press
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Reviews: 'Snitch' better than bad, Dwayne Johnson does well
A sampling of reviews for 'Snitch', the new movie opening this weekend from Dwayne Johnson:
"Half crime thriller, half family drama, with a bit of legal and behind-prison-walls suspense... like watching an elephant on ice: inelegant, but you admire the effort." - Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News
"...shrewd in its balancing of our sympathies.... it keeps you guessing about the next turn, and keeps Johnson's character compellingly at the mercy of others." - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune...Published February 21, 2013 or Published 4 months ago - By Staff Reports
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Review: `Beautiful Creatures' concocts a familiar brand of supernatural teen angst
Writer-director Richard LaGravenese's film, based on the first novel in the young adult series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl, oozes Southern Gothic eccentricity and some amusing if inconsistent touches of camp. (A droll, drawling Jeremy Irons sitting at the piano playing Chopin? Margo Martindale in a feathery hairclip, carrying a live peacock? Yes and yes, please.)
But a strong cast of likable and, yes, beautiful actors can only do so much with the formula in which they're forced ...Published February 13, 2013 or Published 4 months ago - By Christy LeMire, Associated Press
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Review: The latest 'Die Hard' movie simply won't
It's supposed to be a parody of itself, right?
That's the only way to explain the ridiculously over-the-top, repetitively numbing fifth film in the "Die Hard" franchise, the clunkily titled "A Good Day to Die Hard."
John McClane used to be a cowboy. Now, he's a cartoon character — specifically, Wile E. Coyote, given how many times he should be seriously injured and/or killed in this movie. He's shot at, involved in several serious car accidents, crashes through glass windows and ...Published February 13, 2013 or Published 4 months ago - By Christy LeMire, Associated Press
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Steam excursions showcase spring countryside
Two spring steam train excursions next month will allow passengers to celebrate the glory of the season in Northeast Tennessee.
The excursions are offered by Norfolk Southern Corp. in partnership with the Watauga Valley Railroad Historical Society & Museum and the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum.
On March 9, the Bristol-to-Radford Special will roll through the Southwest Virginia hills while celebrating the grand return of 21st Century Steam with historic steam locomotive Southern Railw...Published February 12, 2013 or Published 4 months ago - By Staff Reports
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