The Other Man Wastes Neeson

Liam Neeson stars in survival thriller

(NEWSER) - The Grey, a survival-in-the-wilderness thriller starring Liam Neeson, is earning a wealth of literary comparisons. The film tells the story of a group of men stranded in the snow after a plane crash, and critics are mostly impressed.

• In the New York Times , AO Scott applauds the "fine, tough little movie, technically assured and brutally efficient, with a simple story that ventures into some profound existential territory without making a big fuss about it." The film is "as blunt and effective—and also, at times, as lyrical—as a tale by Jack London or Ernest Hemingway."

Linney reflects on love and loss in NYT profile

(NEWSER) - Laura Linney is nice—so nice that Frank Bruni tries to force her to be mean, by bringing up onetime costar Alicia Silverstone. (Linney studied at Juilliard; Silverstone starred in Aerosmith videos.) But no such luck: “Oh, I love her,” Linney says, with not a trace of sarcasm. “She’s a really great actress who’s not been respected.” Bruni fears his New York Times magazine profile on Linney will be “the fluffiest of the puffiest of articles”—instead, it provides insight into the celebrated actress who has managed to keep her feet on the ground. More»

For everyone else, it's a mindless diversion

(NEWSER) - Critics aren't exactly enamored with the A-Team—"pity the fool" headlines abound—but most give it a pass as harmless fun.

• Ann Hornaday, Washington Post : "A thoroughly unnecessary but nonetheless satisfying adaptation of the cheeseball 1980s TV series."
• Andrew O'Hehir, Salon : It's "reasonably good fun," though "if you can switch your mind off entirely, so you become measurably dumber during the two hours you're sitting there ... it's largely painless."

Even naked Christina Ricci can't save ambiguous horror flick

(NEWSER) - Critics are absolutely burying After.Life, a dull horror flick about a woman who may be dead. And no, the stupid dot in the title is never explained. Here’s what they’re saying:

• What seems like it ought to be a vaguely silly movie “takes itself so seriously it’s practically embalmed,” writes Stephen Whitty of the Star-Ledger . Liam Neeson in particular “seems to have convinced himself that he’s in some rare, rediscovered Beckett play—Krapp’s Last Autopsy.”

Plot, lead character 'preposterous'

(NEWSER) - Critics disagree over whether Bourne-style action flick Taken is a quality picture, but they concur on one thing: Its plot is “preposterous,” as Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times puts it. It’s “a completely unbelievable action picture” in which Liam Neeson’s “sharpshooting, pursuit-driving, pocket-picking, impersonating” character appears capable of any feat. That said, Ebert writes, “it's very well-made.” More»