Site Presented By
Friday, Jul 25, 2008
The Movie Page
For independent films covered in Beyond the Multiplex, visit the Beyond the Multiplex directory page.
S.W.A.T.- Noisy cartoon fascism for the couch potato who can't get enough of "Cops."
- Sabotage" and "Secret Agent
- Was 1936 Hitchcock's very best year? Two thrillers, including the director's weirdest movie ever, make the case.
Sade- Daniel Auteuil is terrific as the mad Marquis in a mellow mood, but Benoît Jacquot's respectful flick is short on kink.
Sarah Silverman: Jesus Is Magic- Silverman is as funny as ever, but do we really need to see her strolling around, decked out like "That Girl" and singing about racism?
Satin Rouge- Middle-aged mom turns belly dancer in this Tunisian delight, a sweet and sexy celebration of real women's real bodies.
Save the Last Dance- Not good -- not even -- but Julia Stiles radiates and this urban teen movie takes a gutsy stand on black boys who date white girls.
Saved!- Judgment bad! Acceptance good! This movie about religious hypocrisy not only thumps us over the head with its kumbaya message, but also gives us Macaulay Culkin as a sex symbol. And that's just wrong.
Saving Face- This love story about two Asian-American lesbians is a true romantic comedy. But don't worry, it's not "My Big Fat Chinese Wedding."
Saving Silverman- Three dudes wielding beer bongs, one hottie psychobitch and Neil "Coming to America" Diamond whip up a sublimely idiotic farce.
Say It Isn't So- Not even the beaver jokes are funny in this rangy, uneven Farrelly brothers rip-off.
- Scarface
- When the profanity-laced cocaine epic finally made it to TV, editors scrambled to find 160 words that rhymed with "suck."
Scary Movie 2- What good is a scary movie that puts you to sleep?
- Scary Movie
- Sex and guns and new handicap gags, but no word on how the directors found the right fart sound for Carmen Electra.
School of Rock- When an aging wannabe guitar god somehow becomes the fifth-grade teacher at a ritzy private school, he rocks their world -- and, improbably, ours.
Scooby-Doo- No serious film fan could stomach the cheap gags and farting contests in this goofball tribute. I laughed myself stupid anyway.
Scoop- Woody Allen teams up with Scarlett Johansson in this kooky comic murder-mystery -- and makes us love him again.
Scotland, PA- This adolescent comic-noir trounces Shakespeare's "Macbeth," but Maura Tierney sizzles as a vengeful Lady Frycook.
Seabiscuit- Director Gary Ross yearns to make this saga of the racehorse who transfixed Depression America into a Hollywood classic. But unlike the awkward real-life Seabiscuit, his version is pretty -- and lacks a soul.
Secret Window- John Turturro is cleverly creepy and Johnny Depp appropriately tangle-haired and crotchety, but the real star of this Stephen King adaptation is the couch.
Secretary- Whip me, spank me, correct my spelling mistakes. James Spader stars in a weird tale about the mysteries of desire.
See Spot Run- David Arquette, a kid and a cute dog promise some old-fashioned "Three Stooges" comedy. Nyuk, nyuk, not even.
Serendipity- Airy and enchanting, this romantic comedy works overtime to sprinkle moonlight and stardust over itself.
Serenity- Joss Whedon's unfairly canceled TV series "Firefly" comes to the big screen -- and marvelously. But for all its wit, it's just not the same.
Series 7: The Contenders- This reality TV spoof is even harder to watch than the sadistic, unwatchable crap it parodies.
Serving Sara- Not even Elizabeth Hurley in glitter and a tartan miniskirt can save this dopey comedy.
- Seven Samurai
- A Japanese film scholar gives new life to Kurosawa's sword-fighting epic.
Sexist jerks in beads and bell-bottoms- "Auto Focus" director Paul Schrader on the banality of sexual obsession, Crane's kinky male pal and why he had to cut out a sex scene that would have flown on "The Sopranos."
Sexy Beast- An underwater dream world, cackling criminals and a smart twist on the crime-movie genre add up to one of the best British films since "Trainspotting."
Shadow of the Vampire- The tender neck of a delectable leading lady, and those of the audience, are offered up for the biting in this confused horror tale.
- Shaft
- Why remake this American classic? Samuel L. Jackson explains. Plus: Isaac Hayes on how he laid down his sexy score.
Shall We Dance?- Richard Gere waltzes his way through a midlife crisis and past Jennifer Lopez and Susan Sarandon.
Shallow Hal- The very naughty brothers Farrelly take on the weighty subject of inner beauty and come up with their sweetest -- and best -- movie yet.
Shanghai Knights- Jackie Chan, Owen Wilson, Sherlock Holmes and Jack the Ripper ride the Magic Bus in this daffy, delightful voyage to swinging London, circa 1890.
- Shanghai Noon
- In his best American movie, Jackie Chan finally meets his match.
She Hate Me- Despite its predatory lesbians and randy studs, Spike Lee's latest effort isn't homophobic. But that doesn't mean it's good.
Shooter- Mark Wahlberg swaggers through this lefty fantasy meets right-wing gunfest.
Shopgirl- Is there anything more torturous than watching a waxwork Steve Martin woo Claire Danes?
Shortbus- What's shocking about John Cameron Mitchell's new film is not the real sex -- gay and straight; solo, duo and beyond -- but its Midwestern friendliness.
Showtime- Who's more bored by this quasi-reality-TV cop caper: Robert De Niro, Eddie Murphy or the audience?
Shrek 2- Yes, it's for the kids, but this animated sequel may be one of the most mature movies about adult relationships ever made.
Shrek the Third- Pop-culture references? Check. Poop jokes? Check. Has a certain lovable green monster worn out his welcome?
Shrek- Computer animation is a technological miracle. So why does it leave us cold?
Sicko- Michael Moore's scathing, important look at the U.S. healthcare system has plenty to rile the far right -- and a lot more to enrage the larger American public.
Sicko- In his most persuasive film yet, Michael Moore gives the U.S. healthcare system a full exam -- and offers up a grim prognosis.
Sidewalks of New York- Why is the Big Apple such a great town? Because sensitive, frat-boy-handsome movie directors like Ed Burns live there.
Sideways- Virginia Madsen and Sandra Oh shine in this wannabe adult comedy, but director Alexander Payne ("About Schmidt") proves again that he's a pretentious wiseass.
Simone- Never mind the digital babe-ology or Al Pacino in full huzzah, this Hollywood satire is way too clever for its own good.
Sin City- Bruce Willis, Clive Owen and Mickey Rourke star in this brash, sick-as-hell comic-book noir.
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow- This nostalgically futuristic fantasy has Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie and extremely impressive digitally rendered scenery, but, alas, no heart.
Slacker": 15 years later- Richard Linklater, the pap-smear girl, the JFK guy and others remember the little indie creation that could, and all that came after.
Slackers- The doobie-smokin' masturbators in this witless college comedy really aren't assholes. Really and truly. And they have the chicks to prove it.
Snakes on a Plane- The most anticipated movie of the summer is finally here. Does it live up to its name?
Snatch- Keep your eyes wide open in this speedy, jumbled thug movie -- otherwise you'll miss Brad Pitt, Benicio Del Toro and a whole lot of nothing.
Snow Cake- Sigourney Weaver plays a woman with autism in this sad little film. Let the awards roll in.
So Close- Luscious superstar Shu Qi and action expert Corey Yuen prove that Hong Kong movies can still deliver the goods Hollywood can't.
Solaris- Sure, it might not have a plot, but Steven Soderbergh's sci-fi reverie floats through space on a cloud of pure cinema.
Someone Like You- Another insulting women's comedy reminds us that men are jerks, life is hard and it's OK to cry.
Someone should just obliterate my country- The director of "Afghan Stories" talks about life in the final days of Taliban rule.
Something New- This delightfully good-natured interracial romance is the perfect date movie.
Something's Gotta Give- Why must every character in American films who revels in sexual pleasure realize he's been leading an empty life? Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton do their best, but can't redeem this irritatingly moralistic romantic comedy.
Son of the Bride- This crisp, witty best foreign film nominee captures a beleaguered restaurateur's midlife crisis (and Argentina's).
Songcatcher- Them mountain people sure are quaint! A citified scholar condescends to rural folk in Maggie Greenwald's patronizing drama.
Sorority Boys- Frat hijinks. Men in women's clothing. Where did they go wrong?
Spanglish- Want to know why Bush won? Watch James L. Brooks' smug message drama, which tries to skewer clueless liberal do-gooders but only succeeds in impaling itself.
Spartan- Val Kilmer delivers his lines like they're beat poetry in this thoroughly Mametized -- but not very thrilling -- search-and-rescue thriller.
Spellbound- Jeff Blitz's delightful documentary on the National Spelling Bee and its grammar-school competitors will win your heart. Whether or not you can spell "opsimath."
Spider-Man 2- Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are back, but this sorta square Spidey movie doesn't swing.
Spider-Man 3- Spidey comes back swingin'! The third installment in the beloved blockbuster series may be the biggest, splashiest and best one yet.
Spider-Man" didn't save anything- I liked "Adaptation" and "The Two Towers," but the blustery year of big directors paid mostly diminishing returns.
Spirited Away- Japanimation godhead Hayao Miyazaki takes a deranged and delightful voyage to the other world, where parents become pigs and the Radish Spirit rides the elevator.
- Splendor in the Grass
- Elia Kazan's romantic classic panders to teenage angst; that doesn't mean it won't break you up.
Spun- Hot clothes, hot music, hot stars (John Leguizamo, Mena Suvari, Brittany Murphy) -- but this tale of Southern California speed freaks works too hard for its high.
Spy Game- This brisk thriller overcomes its slick style with exciting espionage -- even if Brad Pitt and Robert Redford are all wrong.
Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams- Cooler gadgets! Mini-mutants! A mad scientist on a mysterious island! Robert Rodriguez follows up his 2001 smash with another comic fantasy that'll please adults as much as kids.
Spy Kids- This surprisingly entertaining movie turns the adults into kids and the kids into adults -- and everyone laughs at the talking toilet.
Stage Beauty- Billy Crudup explores his feminine side and Claire Danes proves she's all grown up in this charming, billowy entertainment.
Standing in the Shadows of Motown- A generous documentary spotlights the anonymous hitmakers behind Marvin Gaye and the Supremes but fails to brighten Berry Gordy's dark corners.
Stardust- This luminous, magical movie, based on the Neil Gaiman novel, will dazzle even the fantasy-film phobic.
Starsky & Hutch- The puffy hairstyles, bad nylon shirts and leather-thong necklaces are there, but the big laughs, alas, are not.
Startup.com- An engrossing documentary follows two friends as they soar and crash with the dot-com wave.
State and Main- Hollywood scheming: In David Mamet's delicious new ensemble comedy, the bastards win.
Stay- More puzzling than the plot of this post-"Sixth Sense" supernatural thriller is what's wrong with Ewan McGregor's pants.
- Stigmata
- An enjoyable, superstylish supernatural thriller that doesn't make much sense -- except in the director's mind.
Stolen Summer- This sweet, guileless tale of a '70s suburban family -- whose director was plucked from obscurity by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon -- just slides off the screen and disappears.
Stoned- Is the Stones' Brian Jones, a temperamental rocker who met a tawdry end, the perfect subject for a biopic? Or is he a rotten one?
Storytelling- Todd Solondz's newest debacle drips with contempt for his audience, his characters and his critics.
Stranger Than Fiction- Will Ferrell stars in this sometimes sweet, sometimes irritating fable that ponders the big questions a bit too ponderously.
Stuart Little 2- The beautifully shaped and delicately calibrated kids' movie will wow adults with vivid colors and a sweet story.
Stuck on You- Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear play conjoined twins with a burger franchise and a dream, in this surprisingly gentle, low-key holiday confection from the Farrelly brothers.
Sunshine- Danny Boyle's unapologetically cerebral space-exploration sci-fi film rockets off to oblivion.
Super Size Me- Morgan Spurlock's much-heralded Big Mac attack is way more fun than it is preachy. In other words, he's no Michael Moore.
Superbad- Sure, living through your teenage humiliations was bad, but laughing at them now feels so good.
Superman Returns- This sturdy, poetic fantasy proves that, of all comic-book heroes, the Man of Steel belongs to everyone.
Suspect Zero- Ben Kingsley plays a mad killer in this cheap thriller for the expensively educated.
Sweet Home Alabama- Reese Witherspoon deserves more than this spark-free romantic comedy.
Sweet November- Their love, like this mawkish weepie, was doomed. But don't blame Keanu Reeves and Charlize Theron.
Swept Away- Guy Ritchie and his missus -- aka Madonna -- remake Lina Wertmüller's 1974 Commie-art bitch-slap-fest. But why, dear God, why?
Swimfan- Smell the chlorine! "Fatal Attraction" goes poolside as swim champ is tormented by devil gal.
Swimming Pool- Sunshine, murder and Charlotte Rampling join forces in Francois Ozon's French-country-house thriller. But the real attraction is the topless Ludivine Sagnier.
Swordfish- A supposedly sophisticated shocker turns out like every other action thriller we've seen in the past three years -- only more annoying.
Sylvia- Gwyneth Paltrow and director Christine Jeffs create a complex portrait of the legendary poet/suicide/heroine -- but this Lifetime-esque movie is too pretty and plays too safe.
Syndromes and a Century- A Thai filmmaker paints a rapturous, flowing picture of his parents' pre-love story.
Syriana- A beefy George Clooney is marvelous as a CIA agent caught up in a Middle Eastern oil intrigue, but this political thriller is too complicated for its own good.
DVD Releases
- Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo (7/29)
- Shine a Light (7/29)
- The Band's Visit (7/29)
- The Counterfeiters (8/5)
- My Brother Is an Only Child (8/5)
- Rent DVDs with Netflix
-
"The X-Files: I Want to Believe"
By Stephanie Zacharek -
"Step Brothers"
By Stephanie Zacharek -
"Brideshead Revisited"
By Louis Bayard -
Scully have I loved
By Rebecca Traister -
Four clueless actors, a dream and a paper bag
By Andrew O'Hehir
Powered by 
Get Salon in your mailbox!