SONNY BUNCH
Articles by SONNY BUNCH
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Year One’
There are two kinds of Harold Ramis movies: thoughtful, introspective comedies with deeper societal implications and gross-out, poop-joke comedies. "Year One" falls squarely into that second category. Published June 19, 2009
SILVER NOTES: For political junkies
The centerpiece screening at the Silverdocs 2009 festival was Wednesday's world premiere of "Convention," a collaborative effort from eight documentarians covering last year's Democratic National Convention. Published June 19, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Food, Inc.’
There are some indisputable facts about our nation's food supply. Less positive but no less true are the facts about the nation's health. "Food, Inc." takes a look at the intersection of these trends and tries to determine the source. Published June 19, 2009
Notes from Silverdocs
The right subject Published June 18, 2009
‘Game’ scores big at AFI
Opening-night MVP Published June 17, 2009
Michael Moore panhandles for CEOs at the theater
At screenings of "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3" in cities across the country, moviegoers were stunned to see not the faces of the film's stars Denzel Washington and John Travolta on the big screen, but that of Michael Moore. Published June 13, 2009
EDGE: Muhammad Ali, a myth and a legend …
The gladiatorial nature of boxing has always served as potent fodder for the screen. Of all the boxers, real and imagined, however, one stands above the rest in the public's mind: Muhammad Ali. Published June 12, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘The Taking of Pelham 123’
This weekend sees the third film adaptation of John Godey's book "The Taking of Pelham One Two Three" hitting the big screen. First came the 1974 version with Walter Matthau; then there was 1998's television remake with Edward James Olmos; and now Denzel Washington slides into the lead. Published June 12, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Imagine That’
It's a sad reflection on Eddie Murphy's career that the best thing you can say about "Imagine That" is that there aren't any fat suits. Published June 12, 2009
EDGE: Imax risks diluting brand at multiplexes
Imax Corp., the theater company whose name is synonymous with 60 by 80 foot screens and panoramic cinema, boasts on its Web site that it "has developed a digital projection system which provides consumers with the premium Imax experience they have come to know, value and expect." Published June 5, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘The Hangover’
Leave the kids at home, round up a group of guys and head out to the theater for a good time. Published June 5, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Land of the Lost’
Will Ferrell's and Danny McBride's natural charisma isn't sufficient to save "Land of the Lost," the big-budget remake of the cheesy 1970s Saturday morning show. The two are, however, funny enough to garner a few laughs from otherwise awful material. Published June 5, 2009
BOOKS: ‘Sunnyside: A Novel’
Glen David Gold's debut novel, "Carter Beats the Devil," was a fictional narrative from several larger-than-life figures of the early 20th century. For his second act, Mr. Gold has skipped ahead a few years to America during World War I. Published May 31, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Drag Me to Hell’
Before Sam Raimi became best known as the director behind the "Spider-Man" franchise, he was the auteur of the "Evil Dead" series, a unique indie franchise that combined horror, gross-out gags and slapstick comedy to become one of the great underground horror franchises of the 1980s. Published May 29, 2009
BEYOND: Pixar busts out
When a director or producer talks about 3-D, he or she typically hypes the incredible nature of the new 3-D systems while simultaneously saying that the effect is secondary to the story. It's hard to gauge the level of sincerity from these filmmakers because every major studio at this point seems to have fully embraced the 3-D model, often attaching it to less-than-stellar products such as "My Bloody Valentine 3-D." Published May 29, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘Up’
It's often said that Pixar makes children's movies that adults can appreciate, but that's selling the animation studio short. In reality, it makes movies for adults that children will tolerate — sometimes only just. Published May 29, 2009
Secrets of giving: Masonic Philanthropies over the years
With "Angels and Demons," Dan Brown's novel about secret societies and ancient rites, on the big screen, talk has turned to which shadowy organization the best-selling author will train his sights on next. Rumors have placed him in the District, scoping out sites related to the Freemasons. Published May 27, 2009
Smithsonian hopes film role attracts visitors
With the economy in turmoil and charitable giving down all over the country, "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" will serve as a two-pronged boon for Washington's flagship museums. In addition to swelling the museum's coffers, the new movie is almost certain to boost attendance. Published May 22, 2009
MOVIE REVIEW: ‘The Girlfriend Experience’
Steven Soderbergh is well-known for alternating between commercial studio fare like the "Ocean's" series and the indie world, with movies with limited box-office appeal that don't cost much to make, such as "Bubble" and this weekend's "The Girlfriend Experience." Published May 22, 2009
EDGE: Can stars make a film great?
Thinking of Liam Neeson as an aggrieved father out for revenge in "Taken," the New Yorker's Anthony Lane asked whether "stars degrade themselves when they take a role in trash, or does their very presence redeem the folly..." Published May 22, 2009