Russell Hainline | Movie Mezzanine - Part 2

Russell Hainline

Russell Hainline is a writer currently living in Santa Monica, CA. He graduated from Duke University and attended The Ohio State University for grad school. He is a writer for several film criticism outlets, including his own blog, thepasswordisswordfish.com. He is the host of The Long and Late Movie Show, a weekly film podcast. He is a fugitive from a chain gang. He is number four. He is legend. He is Sam. Follow on Twitter.

All posts by Russell Hainline

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Reviews

‘Battle of the Year 3D’: The Oscar Race is Over

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

I am an unrepentant fan of dance movies. I've seen every Step Up, You Got Served, Save The Last Dance, Stomp The Yard (does that count?), and everything in between-- usually on opening day. They are unquestionably predictable, unrepentantly silly, and star bla...

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Reviews

‘Getaway’: CRASH! COME ON! CRASH! ANSWER! CRASH! SHUT UP! CRASH!

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

The following contains the full experience of Courtney Solomon's Getaway. It may contain spoilers, if you consider dialogue from the film spoilers. CRASH. BROKEN GLASS. PUDDLES OF BLOOD. FLASHBACK. FLASHBACK. FLASHBACK. WOMEN BEATEN UP GRATUITO...

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Reviews

Standard Sparks Fly In This ‘Closed Circuit’

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

Russell Hainline reviews the new thriller from director John Crowley.

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Reviews

‘Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters’ Is Earnest, Good-Natured Fun

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

Film adaptations of young adult novels seem like easy targets for critical beatdowns. They're simplistic, littered with rote characters, broad strokes mythology, an all-encompassing lack of surprise, and an overly-serious tone. Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters c...

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Reviews

Four Extraordinary Women In the Extraordinary Doc, ‘20 Feet From Stardom’

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

The entertainment business is full of dreamers. Anyone who loves singing, writing, filming, acting, painting, or any form of artistic expression enough to pursue it as a lifelong profession is almost certainly certifiably insane. You have to love the art enoug...

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Reviews

The Trouble With the Terrible ‘Turbo’

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

The most tried-and-true formula in the history of storytelling is the tale of the underdog. In the proud tradition of David, The Miracle on Ice, and Susan Boyle comes Turbo, the snail who dreamed a dream of being a race car driver. Turbo doesn't have to face a...

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LAFF

The Hainline Diaries: Recapping the 2013 Los Angeles Film Festival

11 years ago by Russell Hainline

Los Angeles Film Festival: Spanish for "The Film Festival of Angels." Saturday, June 15: I pull into Parking Garage B at LA Live, barely able to see in front of me. This wasn't the world-famous LA smog, this was rather the side effect of having spent the...

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Reviews

‘Peeples’

12 years ago by Russell Hainline

B I saw Peeples in the least ideal situation imaginable. The movie started nearly 45 minutes late due to projector issues, and I was alone in the theater with one other person, never the right scenario for a comedy. My mood, thankfully, changed during the c...

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Reviews

Oblivion: Science Fiction Comfort Food

12 years ago by Russell Hainline

B+ Oblivion is familiar territory, both for Cruise and for the science fiction genre. It unquestionably remains devoted first and foremost to delivering stylish visuals and gorgeous imagery, yet unlike Tron: Legacy's emptiness, second-time feature director ...

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Reviews

Dead Man Down: Critic Man Yawn

12 years ago by Russell Hainline

Dead Man Down, the new directorial effort from Niels Arden Oplev, desperately tries to deliver the pleasures of both a noirish thriller and an action bonanza. Unfortunately, it fails at both. Some slick cinematography and a game cast are wasted, as you feel th...