Pick of the week: “World War Z” — My full review is here. That rare summer blockbuster that doesn’t insult your intelligence (like this summer’s “Edge of Tomorrow,” this fresh zombie thriller has Brad Pitt globe-hopping a planet covered in zombie hordes, who don’t just chase the living but swarm en masse like fire ants. This leads to some well-executed setpieces, including a massive attack in Israel and a satisfyingly low-key climax in which Pitt plays cat and mouse with zombies at a World Health Organization facility. Note: Netflix also has the unrated version available for streaming.
Tag Archives: omar
UW Mini Indie Film Festival Day 3: “Omar” and “Wadjda”
The four-day Mini Indie Film Festival at the Union South Marquee continues with a full day of movies. All are free and open to the public.
“Omar”: A Cold War thriller under a stifling occupation
“Omar” opens Friday at Sundance Cinemas. Not rated, 1:38, three and a half stars out of four.
Somebody tells a story in “Omar” about how monkeys are caught in Africa. The (probably apocryphal) story goes that trappers dig small holes in the ground with narrow openings, and drop nuts that the monkeys really like into the holes. The monkey reaches in, grabs the nut, but then can’t pull its paw back through the opening without dropping the nut. So there the monkey sits, unwilling to drop the nut, as the hunters arrive at their leisure.


