Movie Review: Tower Heist

Over the years Brett Ratner, Ben Stiller, and Eddie Murphy films have been something of a mixed bag. The former is a steady Hollywood hand and a favorite target of internet fanboys, but you generally know what you are going to get with him. Ratner delivers slick Hollywood fare that encourages concession sales and low brain function. I enjoy them well enough, just don't expect anything too great. Ben Stiller can be very funny, he can also be very annoying, and then there is Eddie Murphy, a man who seems to be stuck in family movie hell. Now, how does the idea of bringing these three together sound? Certainly intriguing, but hardly a sure thing in my book. So, color me surprised to hear somewhat positive buzz around Tower Heist.

Movie Review: Puss in Boots

Last year the fourth Shrek film was unleashed upon the world. It was not a good thing. Simply put, the character had lost any and all luster that it once had. Well, it did for me at least. I even recall stating that I was done with the character, I did not and do not care if I ever see the character again. Seriously, The first movie was quite clever, the second tricked me for awhile, but is still mediocre, then the third and fourth films rolled around were just horrendous, they just drove everything into the ground. So, when I saw that they were coming out with a spin off for Puss in Boots I was rather non-plussed. I cannot say I was all that interested in it, but then the trailers came out and there was some hope.

Movie Review: The Ward

Can you believe it has been a decade since the last John Carpenter movie? Me neither. At the same time, I get the impression that he is not terribly interested in directing anymore, or at least not as much. The attitude seems to shine through some of his latest outing, The Ward. It is a movie that sadly, but probably rightfully, skipped theatrical release (although I definitely would have gone) and made its premiere on VOD before hitting the likes of Blu-ray and Netflix.

Movie Review: Ra.One

It is rare that I get to see a Bollywood film on the big screen. It is even rarer that I actually watch Bollywood films. It is not that I have anything against them, far from it. It is just that they are not a style I am often exposed to, have the opportunity, or go out of my way for. That said, I have now seen two Bollywood films in theaters this year, not to mention a third Bollywood feature that was made in English for the international market. I like them, they are vastly different than pretty much my entire experience and just give a different perspective on how movies are used, for better or worse.

Reviews in Retrograde: Arlington Road

Critical Outcast isn't my first attempt at a website, I had a few stutter steps in the late 1990's and early 2000's. These attempts generated a whole bunch of poorly written, often very short and spoilerific reviews. I recently stumbled upon them in my archives and thought you may be interested in seeing some of these early attempts at writing. They are as they were then, I make no apologies for how bad or how short they are. Feel free to have at them with reckless abandon! I present to you: Reviews in Retrograde.

Horror-A-Day: The Torture Chamber of Dr. Sadism

It is hard to believe that the month is already over. I feel like I should have another ten or twenty movies to watch. However, I guess all good things must come to an end. Rest assured I will be doing this again, possibly some smaller two or three week runs of maybe ten or fifteen flicks. In any case, the end of the month came with a bang as I started Halloween evening off with what may be the greatest Halloween movie of all, Trick 'r Treat, I previously write about it, if you haven't seen it, do so! The second and final movie takes us back to the late sixties and should attract a certain type of horror fan.