Christa Banister

• How to Make Friends and Monsters is Silly and Substantive
  Monday, June 24, 2013
• Shakespeare & Whedon's Worlds Mix Well in Much Ado About Nothing
  Funny script and whimsical tone give movie lovers an escape from the more mindless stories where the highlight is something blowing up.
  Saturday, June 22, 2013
• Tired Action Scenes Aside, Man of Steel is Serious, Substantial
  Clear parallels to the life of Christ and themes of sacrifice, redemption and love elevate Superman's story above mere entertainment.
  Thursday, June 13, 2013
• Frances Ha a Delightful Ode to Late Bloomers
  Just as reflective about universal emotional experiences as director Baumbach's previous work, but positively jubilant in comparison.
  Thursday, June 6, 2013
• Epic Never Quite Lives Up to Its Name
  With such a title, the bar is immediately set too high for what’s a fairly conventional good vs. evil battle with spectacular visuals.
  Friday, May 24, 2013
• Lady Antebellum Bounces Back With Golden
  Thursday, May 16, 2013
• Worship Runs Deep on Misty Edwards’ Only a Shadow
  Tuesday, May 14, 2013
• Fantasia Gets Personal on Side Effects of You
  Friday, May 3, 2013
• Firth, Blunt Wasted in Clichéd Arthur Newman
  It's odd to say about an independent film that there’s little originality or authenticity in this slow, self-conscious, offbeat story.
  Friday, May 3, 2013
• Heart, Humor Converge in Iron Man's Best Chapter Yet
  While some comic book movies become lazy and predictable, genuine surprises and character development keep Iron Man 3 from growing stale.
  Thursday, May 2, 2013
• The Fight for Racial Equality Fuels 42
  This true story of American legend Jackie Robinson is about how two ordinary men took a stand against racial prejudice in the late 1940s.
  Monday, April 8, 2013
• Place Beyond the Pines is Both Bleak and Beguiling
  If points were awarded strictly on ambition, it's nothing short of epic. Unfortunately, director Clanfrance doesn't know when to say when.
  Friday, April 5, 2013
• Melodrama Hampers Anything Positive about Temptation
  A film so poorly plotted that it makes anything featuring Perry’s obnoxious Madea seem downright genius in comparison.
  Friday, March 29, 2013
• Fascinating Admission Makes the Grade
  While most of the marketing suggests that it’s a charming romantic comedy with two likeable leads, that’s really only half of the story.
  Friday, March 22, 2013
• Captives Underscores the Power of Personal Choices
  Wednesday, March 20, 2013
• The Incredible Burt Wonderstone is Short on Magic
  A few genuine laughs along the way as Carell's Burt tries to forge a path forward, but this film’s third act is truly a head-scratcher.
  Friday, March 15, 2013
• The Call Hits Most of the Right Numbers
  Proving that sometimes the best ideas are, indeed, the simplest ones, this nervy new thriller dials up a promising first two acts.
  Friday, March 15, 2013
• Dead Man Down Defies a Few Action Movie Stereotypes
  As unsatisfying as the conclusion is, the journey itself makes for a pretty fascinating morality tale... as far as action movies go.
  Friday, March 8, 2013