Alex Wehrung

January 9, 2015

“The Hobbit” digs further into the pit of mediocrity

By Alex Wehrung

Saying “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” is “the defining chapter” of the middle of the Middle-Earth saga is like saying “Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace” is the best of the “Star Wars” ...

January 8, 2015

Best of 2014: Film

By Alex Wehrung, Mackenzie Hart, Erika Lee

Artsweek Staff Shares the Movies that We’d Re-watch “Gone Girl” Alex Wehrung, Staff Writer David Fincher and Gillian Flynn adapted Flynn’s novel to the big screen to chillingly effective results. Port...

December 7, 2014

John Cleese Makes Laughs at Granada

By Alex Wehrung

“The thing about Fox News,” said John Cleese as he sat onstage at the Granada Theater, “is that when you bring up ‘quality programming,’ they have to go find a dictionary.” The packed theater laughed at the j...

December 5, 2014

Save it for Netflix, Lacks Character Depth

By Alex Wehrung

This film is proof that movies are being split for the sake of profit as opposed to story. Don’t get me wrong, “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1” is not a bad movie. It’s well-acted, well-shot and neve...

December 4, 2014

Five Christmas Films You Have to See

By Alex Wehrung

Thanksgiving has barely passed, but if Target is any indication, Christmas season started back in October. So, in light of the oncoming brouhaha that is crowded malls, irritating carolers and holly jolly cheer, here are ...

December 3, 2014

“King Lear” Sports All-Star Cast from “Game of Thrones” and “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”

By Alex Wehrung

Reviewing Shakespeare is admittedly a little difficult, as it’s difficult to criticize or analyze the story without causing traumatic memories of interpreting extremely difficult texts in high school to resurface. So i...

November 13, 2014

John Cleese Coming to the Granada

By Alex Wehrung

He is the John Lennon of comedy, and it isn’t just because they both have John for a first name. One of Britain’s most treasured filmmakers, the Black Knight sans limbs is coming to Santa Barbara as part of UCSB Arts...

November 2, 2014

Musically Energetic Film “Band Baaja Baaraat” Screens at MCC

By Alex Wehrung

I must confess, when it comes to Bollywood films, I am a newcomer — a noob — a virgin. The closest I have ever come to seeing one was “Bride and Prejudice,” which was basically Hollywood’s attempt at emulating ...