WHAT WOULD TOTO WATCH? — Movie reviews from award-winning journalist Christian Toto

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September 7, 2011

Sometimes it’s a shame to leave your beautiful, flat screen television turned off.
Today’s HDTV sets deliver rich images that can transform an otherwise staid room into the most exciting space in your house. But it might be rude to power up “Dances with Wolves” or “Dr. Zhivago” just for their sumptuous visuals during a dinner [...]

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Why I’m worried about the ‘Human Centipede’ sequel

September 6, 2011

I’m more than a little embarrassed to say I can’t wait to see “The Human Centipede Part 2 [Full Sequence].”
The sequel to one of the more disturbing horror film ever made hits theaters next month, and the only glimpses we’ve seen of it so far are a pair of gimmicky teaser trailers.
Mystery is great, but [...]

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A September to remember … at the movies?

September 6, 2011

This September might not be the cinematic wasteland we’ve come to expect.
September usually bridges the gap between the summer blockbusters and serious Fall movies. That means you’re left with action films that can’t compete with the likes of “Transformers” and “The Dark Knight,” and dramas without a flicker of Oscar heat.
This September looks different, so [...]

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Will Eddie Murphy be Billy Crystal reborn as Oscar host, or Chevy Chase 2.0?

September 5, 2011

The big movie news over the weekend had nothing to do with doomed space flights or killer sharks.
Eddie Murphy’s name is being bandied about as the front runner to host the next Oscar ceremony.
Nothing is set in stone, yet, but the move does make sense on a few levels. A good Oscar host should be [...]

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Toto’s Movie Review: ‘Apollo 18′ (Lloyd Owen, Warren Christie)

September 3, 2011

In space, no one can hear you scream. But in movie theaters, giggling at a silly science fiction movie like “Apollo 18″ is entirely possible.
The latest horror film using the “found footage” gimmick started with “The Blair Witch Project” is easily the worst of the lot. The tale of a doomed mission to the moon [...]

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Toto’s Movie Review: ‘A Good Old Fashioned Orgy’ (Jason Sudeikis)

September 3, 2011

Stop the R-rated movie carousel, I wanna get off.
“A Good Old Fashioned Orgy” caps a summer of raunch – a season brimming with baby diarrhea, dry humping and other comic morsels for our inner 13-year-old.
We may have loved our “Horrible Bosses” and found that “Bad Teacher” amusing, but “Orgy” isn’t as naughty – or funny [...]

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Toto’s Movie Review: ‘Bellflower’ (Evan Glodell, Jessie Wiseman)

September 2, 2011

Breaking up can get ugly, especially when you have a homemade flamethrower at your disposal.
Indie sensation “Bellflower” hits select theaters this weekend, and it’s hard to picture a more unconventional film winning over movie goers. But it will all the same. The movie takes a timeless story, that of a broken-hearted soul unable to process [...]

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Direct link between anti-military film and dead soldiers – will Hollywood notice?

August 31, 2011

For years, pundits have been trying to connect violent movies and video games with actual crimes.
The arguments typically end up more theoretical than reality based. In one famous instance, the 1994 Oliver Stone film “Natural Born Killers” supposedly inspired a young couple to kill a person and leave another paralyzed.
More recently, celebrities like Elizabeth Banks, [...]

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Toto’s Movie Review: ‘The Debt’ (Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain)

August 31, 2011

What’s a movie as superbly crafted thriller as “The Debt” doing in theaters this time of year?
Movie fans know the tail end of summer represents one of the two worst windows for film releases – the other being the month of January. But “The Debt” could be parachuted into any calendar page and still outshine [...]

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Our first glimpse of the Coen brothers

August 30, 2011

Film critics found plenty to admire about the 1984 film “Blood Simple.” But could anyone have predicted it marked the dawn of the most remarkable brother act in film history?
The film noir classic, out this week on Blu-ray as a solo title and as part of a four-film Coen Brothers Collection, hinted at the brilliance [...]

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