01 Jan 2012

... And "Jack & Jill" Came Tumbling After: 150 Movies Not on 2011's 10-Favorites List

By Mike Schulz

The MuppetsEvery January, I share my numerical rankings of the 10 most enjoyable movies I saw during the previous year. I do not, however, share my numerical rankings of all the other titles I caught during those 12 months, as such a list would, I think, be hopelessly arbitrary, terribly self-indulgent, and something that only a person with too much time on his hands would attempt.

Let's get cracking, shall we?

27 Dec 2011

A Good Movie? Aye. A Great Movie? Neigh.: "War Horse," "We Bought a Zoo," "My Week with Marilyn," and "The Darkest Hour"

By Mike Schulz

Jeremy Irvine in War HorseWAR HORSE

A grandly scaled adventure about a boy who gets a horse, then loses the horse, then joins the British infantry to find the horse, War Horse is the sort of triumphant, lump-in-the-throat epic that director Steven Spielberg should be able to pull off in his sleep. Consequently, the highest compliment I can pay the movie is that its helmer, at all times, appears to be fully awake here. There's palpable filmmaking energy in nearly every shot, and several passages in this World War I family drama are so thrilling and painful and spectacularly well-choreographed that they rank among the finest in Spielberg's career.

22 Dec 2011

Men Who Hate Women and the Women Who Loathe Them: "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," "The Adventures of Tintin,"and "Alvin & the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked"

By Mike Schulz

Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig in The Girl with the Dragon TattooTHE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

Although I haven't read the book and now have no desire to, my guess is that those who love author Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo will likely love the new film version, which boasts exceptional style and (as I understand it) doesn't significantly veer from the novel's narrative. Similarly, those who genuflect at the altar of David Fincher - and I'm occasionally one of them - will find plenty to adore here, as the director's signature imprint is on every seedy, suggestive, sepia-toned image.

20 Dec 2011

What's Happenin' on New Year's Eve 2011

By Mike Schulz

Dr. Zhivegas @ Quad-Cities Waterfront Convention Center"Happy holidays, Jeff!"

"And happy holidays to you, Mike. You seem to be in a good mood."

"That I am! I just finished my last writing assignment of the year, and am about to take off to do the last of my Christmas shopping!"

"So the What's Happenin' pages are done, then?"

"That they are! As usual for this time of year, we're treating readers to our special centerspread What's Happenin' on New Year's Eve, which gives the lowdown on the area venues that are hosting live music, karaoke, or DJs prior to midnight on January 1. We include information on what time the music starts, whether there's a cover charge, and what New Year's treats - party favors, appetizers, champagne - folks can look forward to, along with venue phone numbers and street and Web addresses for added convenience. Plus, it goes without saying that all of the bands and venues are also listed on the Live Music pages in the back of the Reader."

18 Dec 2011

Choose to Accept It: "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," "Young Adult," and "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows"

By Mike Schulz

Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible - Ghost ProtocolMISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - GHOST PROTOCOL

A European nutjob wants to start nuclear apocalypse, and Ethan Hunt and his team want to stop him. That's my condensation of Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol's needlessly complex plot in fewer than 20 words. Here's a condensation of my feelings toward this third sequel in fewer than five: The movie kicks ass.

15 Dec 2011

All the Worlds of Stage: Mike Schulz and Thom White Discuss Area Theatre in 2011

By Mike Schulz

Tom Walljasper, Kristin Gilbert, and John Payonk in HairsprayThe Reader's chief theatre reviewer, Thom White, saw and wrote about 52 area stage productions in 2011. I saw 39 and reviewed 12. Obviously, during our second-annual breakfast chat on the Year in Theatre, there was a bit to talk about.

11 Dec 2011

War, Strife, and the House of Payne: "The Sitter," "Like Crazy," "Margin Call," "The Descendants," "New Year's Eve," and "Dog Jack"

By Mike Schulz

Landry Bender, Kevin Hernandez, Max Records, and Jonah Hill in The SitterIn a rather perverse bit of scheduling, at least for me, last weekend brought with it the area release of exactly zero debuting films, while this past weekend delivered six ... on the same weekend, I should add, that I had a lengthy road trip out of town and appeared in four performances of a local stage production. But I'm not one to complain. Onward!

06 Dec 2011

What's Happenin': Thursday, December 8, through Saturday, December 31

By Mike Schulz

Mike GarsonMusic

Mike Garson

First Presbyterian Church of Davenport

Saturday, December 10, 4 p.m.

 

Performing in a December 10 concert at Davenport's First Presbyterian Church, the latest guest in Quad City Arts' Visiting Artist Series is acclaimed pianist/composer Mike Garson, and according to his Web-site bio at MikeGarson.com, he's a musician "to whom the word 'no' is quickly transformed into the word 'now.'" Which is funny, because that's exactly what happens whenever I say 'no' around here ... although it's always my editor Jeff who transforms it into 'now.'

04 Dec 2011

Deer Hoofin' It: "Arthur Christmas"

By Mike Schulz

Arthur ChristmasARTHUR CHRISTMAS

Of the three (count 'em!) family films that opened the day before Thanksgiving, the animated Arthur Christmas initially seemed the most ideal option for younger children, given the nostalgic, in-joke appeal of The Muppets and the melancholia and gravitas of Hugo. Who could have guessed, however, that this frisky, buoyant entertainment might actually be the least appropriate for the grade-school-and-under set? Sure, the bright colors and fast pace will keep the ankle-biters amused, but is there any way they'll register just how freakin' hysterical this thing is?

02 Dec 2011

Mike Schulz with Dave & Darren on 104.9: 2009-2011

By Mike Schulz
ImageGoing to the cineplex or IMAX this weekend? Every Friday morning at 9 a.m. you can listen to Mike Schulz dish on recent movie releases & talk smack about Hollywood celebs on the Quad City Rocker 104.9FM, with the fabulous morning team of Dave and Darren. The morning crew previews upcoming releases, too.

Or you can check the Reader Web site and listen to their latest conversation by the warm glow of your computer.

Never miss a pithy comment from these three scintillating pundits again.

Friday, December 2, 2011: Discussion of "The Muppets," "Hugo," "Arthur Christmas," "Happy Feet Two," and "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1," and previews of... nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing new opens at Quad-Cities cineplexes this weekend. Which means that Mike has to spend his entire Friday stuck in the office. Poor bastard.

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