Every so often, movie-studio executives suddenly seem to wake up and realize that white people aren’t the only ones who go see movies, and that black audiences in particular are an underserved market. That results in periods like the current holiday season, which sees the release of a whopping three Christmas-themed releases targeted toward African-American […]
Adam Lubitow
Film critic for CITY Newspaper, writer, iced coffee addict, and dinosaur enthusiast.
Posted inMovies
“The Last Days on Mars”
Despite mostly skipping theaters and receiving a quiet release on Video On Demand, I had hopes that “The Last Days On Mars” might turn out to be an undiscovered gem. It has impressive production values, an audience-friendly, sci-fi thriller premise, a talented cast including Liev Schreiber, Olivia Williams, Elias Koteas, and Tom Cullen, and received […]
Posted inMovies
“Frozen”
Once upon a time in the kingdom of Arendelle, there lived two young princesses: Anna (voiced by Livvy Stubenrauch as a child, and Kristen Bell as an adult) and her older sister, Elsa (Eva Bella, and later, Idina Menzel, of “Wicked” fame). Elsa was born with the power to manipulate and create ice and snow, […]
Posted inMovies
“The Hunger Games: Catching Fire”
It’s a difficult task crafting a successful middle chapter of an established story. On one hand, the tedious work of establishing the world in which the tale is set has been done; but on the other, without the benefit of a proper conclusion, you run the risk of delivering a less-than-satisfying experience for the audience. […]
Posted inMovies
“Kill Your Darlings”
“Kill Your Darlings” marks the latest, and possibly most successful step yet, in Daniel Radcliffe’s continued efforts to move away from his most recognizable role and carve out a career for himself beyond the world of Harry Potter. Since its debut at Sundance, director John Krokidas’ film has gained notoriety as the film in which […]
Posted inMovies
“Dear Mr. Watterson”
Recently released on video-on-demand, “Dear Mr. Watterson” is director Joel Allen Schroeder’s love letter to “Calvin and Hobbes” cartoonist Bill Watterson’s comic strip about a mischievous 6-year-old boy and his best friend, a stuffed tiger named Hobbes. Far from juvenile, fans of the comic know how funny, moving, and wise Watterson’s work could be. Despite […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Theater Review: Pittsford Musicals’ “Les Miserables”
After sitting through a disappointing 2012 film adaptation and the lackluster 25th anniversary touring production that made a stop at the Auditorium Center back in May, I admit that, despite my fondness for the show, I wasn’t quite sure I was ready to subject myself to yet another staging of “Les Misérables.” Thankfully, I decided […]
Posted inMovies
“Thor: The Dark World”
The latest chapter in Marvel Studios’ ever-expanding big-screen universe, “Thor: The Dark World” picks up not long after the events of 2012’s “The Avengers” to check in on the continuing adventures of the heroic Norse god. Much like how “Iron Man 3” found Tony Stark in a darker place, suffering from PTSD after his near-death […]
Posted inMovies
2013 Polish Film Festival
The Rochester Polish Film Festival, sponsored by the University of Rochester’s Skalny Center For Polish and Central European Studies, celebrates its 16th incarnation this year. The festival will be screening eight feature-length films, along with two shorts, at the Little Theatre (though Opening Night selection “Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir” will screen at the Dryden […]
Posted inMovies
“Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa”
After a three-season-long TV series on MTV and three feature films, it’s a safe bet that by now you probably know whether or not you fall within the target demographic for a “Jackass” movie. The franchise’s latest, “Bad Grandpa,” finds the crew experimenting with the addition of an actual narrative to the formula of stupid […]
Posted inMovies
“After Tiller”
In 2009, Dr. George Tiller was murdered, gunned down while in church by an anti-abortion extremist angered by the fact that Tiller performed late-term abortions at his clinic. Four years later, Martha Shane and Lana Wilson’s empathetic and deeply humane documentary, “After Tiller,” examines the impact that his death has had on the debate over […]
Posted inMovies
“The Fifth Estate”
For nearly the entire year leading up to the release of “The Fifth Estate,” WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has actively campaigned against the film, which depicts the creation of his controversial online organization. He’s done everything he can to ensure the film’s failure; supposedly he even met with Benedict Cumberbatch early on to implore him […]
