Directed by Frenchman Xavier Gens (Frontier(s), Hitman), The Divide follows a disparate group of tenants who find shelter in their New York City apartment building's basement during an unspecified nuclear disaster. As the motley group assembles underground the building superintendent, Mickey (Michael Biehn), becomes its de facto leader. This doesn't necessarily bode well; a 9/11-obsessed nut, Mickey seems like

Bob Anderson, Olympic fencer, stunt man and sword master, died […]

Though John Landis’s name may not be as instantly recognizable as those of George Lucas or Martin Scorsese, his contributions to quintessential American cinema are just as popular and venerable as those of his better-known (or perhaps just better-marketed) colleagues. The director of such classics—a very worn-out term that actually applies here—as “Animal House” (1978), “The Blues Brothers” (1980), and “An American Werewolf

Steve McQueen's second feature reprises his collaboration with Hunger star Michael Fassbender and the effect is no less spellbinding. This time, instead of starving for a cause, Fassbender plays a man at the mercy of his urges rather than in control of them: a sex addict. In the frenetic world of New York City it's easy for Fassbender's Brandon to keep his private life a secret. When a vat of pornography is discovered on his work computer

Judging from Martha Marcy May Marlene, one of the most talked-about feature films currently showing at the New York Film festival, relative newcomers writer/director Sean Durkin and actress Elizabeth Olsen (younger sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley) were born with the right gene. This new thriller is so tight and poised that it appears to be the work of long-collaborating veterans (it may prove difficult for them to live up to this standard through the rest of their careers but that's a good problem for them--and us--to have to face).

Roman Polanski's latest effort is an adaptation of French dramatic auteur—and, for a short while, Nicolas Sarkozy confidante--Yasmine Reza's play “God of Carnage.” After being favorably received onstage, both Broadway and the West End mounted productions to mostly positive acclaim. It seems natural, then, that a film version—a ninety-minute set piece in which the characters barely leave the room

The new short “No Direction,” written and directed by UCLA film grad Melissa Finell, follows a young college graduate named Jamie, who happens to be a lesbian, as she tries to figure out what on earth she's going to do with her brand-new philosophy degree. After some disappointing interviews and general aimlessness, Jamie falls in love with the soothing, Teutonic voice of her parents' G.P.S. and fantasizes about all the different paths

I've said it before and I'll say it again: there is nothing more disappointing than a film that throws away a perfectly good premise only to find itself subsequently wallowing in mediocrity. Take for evidence the last-gasp-of-summer thriller “Apollo 18,” which lurched into theaters recently. Its promotional clips and trailers all looked tantalizing; it billed itself as the unholy offspring of “Apollo 13” and “Alien"

Writer/director Leon Ford's feature debut “Griff The Invisible” is a cute, quirky film that, for all its good intentions, just doesn't quite come together the way it should. Starring Ryan Kwanten (“True Blood”) and Maeve Dermody (“Black Water”), this all-Aussie production takes its cues from beloved awkward-rom-coms like “Amelie” and “Benny & Joon.” Like Depp's character in that film, Kwanten's character, Griff, seems to suffer from some sort of vague mental

The bulk of the story centers on the epic battle for Hogwarts, in which all the characters we've grown to know and love fight to the death against Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) and his band of evil Death Eaters. But hardly any time is devoted to any of the characters except Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) and his two friends Hermione (Emma Watson) and Ron (Rupert Grint). Even when several prominent characters are killed in battle, we get a quick glance at them but nothing more; it feels like director David Yates and screenwriter Steve Kloves were given a strict time limit to adhere to, and had to cut out most of the emotional heart of the story in order to meet it (indeed, Deathly Hallows: Part 2 is the shortest of the films, at two hours and five minutes). Having everything move along so quickly made it difficult even for seasoned fans like myself to really connect with the story, and made it impossible for newcomers to appreciate the relevance of each magical creature or mysterious incantation whipping by on screen.