The Critical List – 10 Scenes That Made Me Love My Job in 2012

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Loey Lockerby

I’m not doing a Top Ten Movies list this year, because everyone does them and mine won’t be much different. Instead, I’d like to share the individual scenes that made being a critic worthwhile for me in 2012. This list doesn’t cover every great movie I saw – I loved Argo, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, several documentaries, even (gods help me, I can’t believe I’m saying this) Les Misérables, but I can’t name a specific scene from any of them that plugged into my brain the way the ones below did.

So here’s my very personal list, in alphabetical order. There are probably spoilers, but you should see these movies, anyway:

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DVD Reviews – “The Cabin in the Woods” & “Shifty”

Posted on October 10, 2012 by Loey Lockerby

http://kcactive.com/aande/videodvd/1012_dvd/index.html

The Critical List – 7 Musicals I’ll Watch Without a Gun to My Head

Posted on June 14, 2012 by Loey Lockerby

I’m still not sure if I’m going to see Rock of Ages. I was a teenager during the big-hair rock era, so I am a little nostalgic for the songs it contains, albeit ironically (I was/am more of a New Wave fan myself).

I have an almost physical aversion to musicals in general, which is what will likely keep me away. With very few exceptions, I find them cheesy, over-produced & too dependent on big production numbers to make up for bad scripts and non-actors. Even when there’s plenty of talent involved, they usually only work for me in segments. I love a great dance sequence or a memorable song, if they’re completely out of context. Usually, my highest praise is, “It was pretty good …. for a musical.”

There are exceptions to every rule, of course, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised a handful of times. So, in chronological order:

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“Marvel’s The Avengers” – Review

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Loey Lockerby

Director & Writer: Joss Whedon; based on a whole bunch of Marvel comic books
Cast: Robert Downey, Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts, Cobie Smulders as Agent Hill, Clark Gregg as Agent Coulson, Stellan Skarsgard as Dr. Selvig
Rated PG-13
Running time: 2 hours 22 minutes
IMDB page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/
Plot: Thor’s brother, Loki, steals an artifact that could power the world – and destroy it. In response, Nick Fury assembles a team of squabbling superheroes to prevent Armageddon.

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Yes, we’re supposed to call it Marvel’s The Avengers, presumably so no one expects Uma Thurman to show up in a catsuit. That job is for Scarlett Johansson and Cobie Smulders, who strut around in skintight outfits while the hunky men show off their muscles.

That’s not the only eye candy, either. The 3-D on this thing is stunning – clear and properly lit, with realistic depth. On a massive IMAX screen, it’s even more impressive. I don’t usually recommend paying extra for those perks, but it’s completely worth it with here.

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The Critical List – 6 Reasons “The Cabin in the Woods” is the Ultimate Joss Whedon Movie

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Loey Lockerby

If you’ve known me for more than, say, 5 minutes, you know I’m a devoted Joss Whedon fan. Since they won’t let us line up for The Avengers yet, I recently joined some friends to see The Cabin in the Woods, the long-delayed horror film Whedon co-wrote with director (and Buffyverse alum) Drew Goddard. Which brings me to my new – and hopefully ongoing – feature, The Critical List.

WARNING – CABIN IN THE WOODS SPOILERS AHEAD!! IF YOU HAVEN’T SEEN IT, YOU PROBABLY WON’T KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT! SO GO SEE IT!! THIS’LL BE HERE WHEN YOU GET BACK!

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