Rob Kinnan PhotographyPablo Campos takes on all comers during Carolina RailHawks 4-1 defeat of FC Edmonton WAKEMED SOCCER PARK / CARY — It is no small irony that on the Carolina RailHawks’ “Faith and the Family” promotion night, the weather around WakeMed Soccer Park felt as hot as Hades. However, Saturday’s 100°F temperature would turn […]
Neil Morris
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Captain America is hokey, pulpy fun … no more, no less
Captain America: The First Avengertwo starsOpens Friday Trianglewide Captain America: The First Avenger ably accomplishes its primary mission: serving as the latest—and perhaps last—place setter for Marvel’s long-gestating Avengers ensemble. What is shrewdly surprising about this rockem sockem, old-fashioned origin story of runt-turned-super solider Steve Rogers (Chris Evans, formerly “flaming on” in The Fantastic Four) […]
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Harry Potter and the timelessness of art in Deathly Hallows: Part 2
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 opens Friday throughout the Triangle Our rating: The action-filled climax to the acclaimed fantasy series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 dispenses with much additional character development or insight, save for Harry’s revelatory gaze through a prism formed from the tears of Severus Snape (Alan […]
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Tenth for the Fourth — Carolina RailHawks soften Impact 2-0
Carolina RailHawksJonny shows Steely resolve during RailHawks 2-0 win over Monreal WAKEMED SOCCER PARK / CARY — A patriotic air enveloped the season-high crowd of 4,690 that assembled at WakeMed Soccer Park on July Fourth weekend to watch the Carolina RailHawks clash with the Montreal Impact, the rival from the Great White North who, like […]
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The triumphant life of horse whisperer Dan “Buck” Brannaman
Buck opens Friday (see times below) Our rating: Robert Redford thought someone was pulling his leg the first time he met horse trainer Dan “Buck” Brannaman. Interviewing to serve as a consultant for Redford’s 1998 film adaptation of The Horse Whisperer, Buck strolled into the filmmaker’s Hollywood office clad as an apparent cowboy caricature, complete […]
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon is Michael Bay’s loud, jingoistic metaphor
Transformers: Dark of the Moon opens Wednesday throughout the Triangle (see times below) Our rating: The greatest trick Michael Bay ever pulled was making his last Transformers movie so godawful that virtually any follow-up would look superlative by comparison. While Bay excises most (but not all) of the ethnic “humor” that sullied Transformers: Revenge of […]
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Bad education: Cameron Diaz and Justin Timberlake can’t save Bad Teacher
Photo by Gemma LaMana BAD TEACHER*Opens today throughout the Triangle Lately, Cameron Diaz is known more for the men she dates than the movies she makes. Over her 16-year film career, it’s hard to tell the difference between versatility and never quite finding a niche. She has starred in romances (My Best Friend’s Wedding; The […]
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Pixar’s pedestrian Cars 2 has lots of commotion but little soul
Cars 2 opens Friday throughout the Triangle (see times below) Our rating: Cars isn’t among the most critically acclaimed Pixar films, but it is an entertaining and deservedly popularly entrée in the studio’s canon. It certainly influenced the gift-buying choices for my then-4-year-old son more than Finding Nemo, Ratatouille and The Incredibles combined. As Cars […]
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The more things change…Carolina RailHawks power past FC Tampa Bay 3-1
Carolina RailHawksMatt Watson battles for loose ball during RailHawks 3-1 victory over FC Tampa Bay WAKEMED SOCCER PARK / CARY — Old met new Saturday evening when the Carolina RailHawks hosted FC Tampa Bay, Carolina’s first home match in three weeks. More precisely, the game and scene around WakeMed Soccer Park served as evidence of […]
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Mad X-Men: Prequel reaches to the early 1960s for a fresh start
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS**Opens everywhere FridaySee showtimes below Early in X-Men: First Class, we discover that the childhood memories of Erik Lehnsherr/ Magneto extend beyond contorting Jewish ghetto gates with his mind. When Erik is later unable to replicate his magnetic power on command, Nazi scientist Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon) guns down Erik’s mother in front […]