Review Roundup: Weekend of 2/2/2007

It's Super Bowl weekend, so if you're releasing a movie during this frame, it better be geared for a) women, b) older folks, or c) teenage girls -- because most of these people don't really care about football. (I guess that's the logic, but when the broadcasters say "this game is being viewed by a billion people," I gotta assume a good portion of that billion consists of potential moviegoers.) This explains why this weekend offers a) a mom-friendly chick flick, b) an arthouse piece about Andy Warhol's entourage, and c) a non-scary horror movie for the teeny-boppers.


Because I Said So -- 7 positive / 97 negative reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Pro: "Will work for those it targets and is a pleasant reminder that not all February movies are unbearable." -- James Berardinelli, ReelViews.net

Con: "The film is a hate crime, make no mistake." -- Walter Chaw, FilmFreakCentral

Pro: "It's a messy -- emphasis on mess -- comedy, but with lots of heart and plenty of laughs." -- Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Con: "Joyless and rote, it feels like the grim execution of orders, the foot-stomping compliance to arbitrary rules that make no sense." -- Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times

Bonus! "Destined to be forgotten in a matter of days after its release, made to fill three-in-the-morning timeslots on HBO and the dreary parts of trans-oceanic plane trips with glossy, pretty nothingness." -- James Rocchi, Cinematical

Factory Girl -- 4 positive / 21 negative reviews at RT.com

Pro: "At its strongest, it explores a timeless tension between style and substance, form and meaning." -- Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter

Con: "Disappoints as both biography and drama." -- Kevin Crust, Los Angeles Times

Pro: "Does an impressive job of opening a window to a seldom seen past." -- John Larsen, LightViews.com

Con: "George Hickenlooper's fascination with the beast of celebrity reaches a gossipmongering low with Factory Girl." -- Ed Gonzalez, Slant Magazine

Bonus! "But as turned-on by superficiality as Warhol was, this film, coming in the age of Paris Hilton, stumbles by settling for a pair of superficial portraits." -- Ryan Stewart, Cinematical
The Messengers -- 5 positive / 24 negative reviews at RT.com

Pro: "Good scares and edge-of-my-seat tension." -- Josh Green, FirstShowing.net

Con: "The Pangs are more into atmosphere and imagery than in plot logic, and that's fine; if only their bag of tricks weren't so shallow." -- Ty Burr, Boston Globe

Pro: "Compelling characters, top-notch acting from the entire cast, nice atmosphere and excellent cinematography augmented by a lush color palette." -- Staci Layne Wilson, Sci-Fi.com

Con: "Every Asian horror cliché is dutifully trotted out, but the movie is so flimsy and inept that its pointlessness is overwhelming." -- Eugene Novikov, Film Blather

Bonus! "Dry, dull and drab across the board, with only a few stray moments of unintentional levity." -- Scott Weinberg, Cinematical

Next week: Lecter's return in Hannibal Rising, the political thriller The Lives of Others, and multiple Eddie Murphies in Norbit!