King Sheep Productions

I don’t know where Warrior Street is, but the super-spending businesses there should be reminded that we’re in a recession.  These days, a mail box on Wall Street is worth everything on Main Street (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).

“Main Street is an ensemble drama that functions as a display case for a range of regional drawls, from the authentic to absurd.” Alison Willmore Movieline

It’s not a good sign when the speaking is more interesting than what is said.

“This disappointingly suffers from some uninspired direction and a clutch of odd casting choices, which never work.” Andrew Moraitis  FILMINK (Australia)

“An unreleased movie is like a kind of commodity, one whose value goes up and down depending on the vagaries of circumstance.” Craig Mathieson sbs.com.au

The movie is offered as a commodity, but if it doesn’t equal its cost, all that’s left over is The Debt (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).

“There is an awkward, irresoluble tension between the movie’s urge to thrill and the weighty pull of the historical obligations that it seeks to assume. How much, to be blunt, should we be enjoying ourselves?” Anthony Lane New Yorker

Answer: Whatever amount justifies the ticket price.

“A taut, suspenseful ride through the doldrums of the late summer movie dead season.” Frank Wilkins Frank’s Reel Reviews

“Vogel’s introduction, ‘This is my hand, and this is the speculum,’ may at last have displaced the ‘Is it safe?’ of Christian Szell–another Mengele stand-in–as the most discomfiting sentence ever uttered by doctor to patient onscreen.” Christopher Orr The Atlantic

That may be the least utterable sentence to ever describe an unutterable sentence, until someone fumbles uttering this utterance.

“The Debt has the overall air of an Oscar contender that never got into the ring — well-made, but not spectacular. Still, it serves as a fine, full introduction to Chastain’s potential.” Tom Long Detroit News

It coulda been a contenda, instead it’s a pretenda.  Careful.  Talking like that might catch ona.  The effect could be treated as a Contagion (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).

“Steven Soderbergh’s grim and gripping medical thriller has arrived and it’s guaranteed to turn you into a hypochondriac.” Randy Myers Contra Costa Times

Thank you Soderbergh – your film is a guaranteed demo of OCD.  Next you’re going to promise me a headache and food poisoning from the concessions.

“The film is most riveting in its early scenes, when Soderbergh’s digital cameras locate germs everywhere – don’t touch those peanuts!” Rolling Stone Peter Travers

“Contagion’s restraint is marred by one element – Alan Krumwiede, the San Francisco-based activist blogger played by Jude Law, a conspiracy theorist who wields claims about uncovering the truth like a blunt instrument intended to menace.” Movieline Alison Willmore

Additional blunt weapons of Truthiness: The Plain-Talking Punch, The Sincere Sledge-Hammer of Honesty, and The Fun-Fact Folding Chair.

“He’s the anti-Michael Bay, the un-Roland Emmerich. No fake-documentary “realism” here; Soderbergh values the silence before the storm, or a hushed two-person encounter in which one or both parties are concealing something.” Chicago Tribune Michael Phillips

He may also be the super-Scorsese, the semi-Spielberg, and/or the anti-Lucas; perhaps even the Woo Warrior (Rotten Tomatoes – Metacritic).

“Warrior is a surprising gut punch, a modern-day “Rocky” saga with two mixed martial arts pugs trying to beat, choke and kick the system.” St. Petersburg Times Steve Persall

Rocky fought the Soviet system, but modern day fighters are less particular.  Then again, perhaps the system had it coming.

“One of the most heart-wrenching and deeply felt films of the year.” Movieline Jen Yamato

“Warrior aspires to myth. It’s Cain and Abel battling it out in the face of a decidedly ungodly father before humanity goes down for the count. Strong stuff.” Rolling Stone Peter Travers

This weekend has it out for the audience.   You’re promised heart pain, free hypochondria, and now, humanity is threatened with a KO.  If Hollywood didn’t run on money, I’d think it was trying to make you stay home.

“It hardly rewrites the rulebook, but Warrior is a powerful, moving and brilliant sports-pic-cum-family drama. Like “The Fighter,” but with kicking.” Empire Dan Jolin