THE FILM YAP

In Theaters: Man on a Ledge

Wants to be a fun and zippy thriller, part heist flick and part revenge catharsis, but the moving parts fit together a little too neatly.

On DVD: Real Steel

Though hardly a cinematic knockout, “Real Steel” is an amusing, if overly sappy, father/son redemption story with impressively cool robots.

Snobbery Be Damned: The Fast and the Furious

The start of a new series where Austin tackles films that are really popular…for some reason.

Schlock Vault: Elvira’s Haunted Hills (2001)

Even Elvira can’t save us from her “Haunted Hills.”

Reeling Back: Wings (1927)

The original Best Picture Oscar winner remains eminently watchable in a fantastic new restoration for its first release on DVD/Blu-ray.

Interview: Molly Parker, Actress, “Trigger”

Actress Molly Parker talks to the Yap about her new film “Trigger,” learning to rock it out and say goodbye — in the same day — and the power of pink boots.

Movie Reviews

Shame

4 yaps

An amazing performance from Michael Fassbender in a revealing portrait of an addict whose craving happens to be sex.

A Dangerous Method

4.5 yaps

Some may dismiss it as highbrow erotica with a brainy bent, but “A Dangerous Method” brings the dry history of psychoanalysis to vivid life.

Red Tails

1.5 yaps

Heart is about the only thing in the right place for this rickety rah-rah resurrection of war-movie cliches that felt musty decades ago.

Haywire

4 yaps

An electrifying, sensually charged film of hand-to-hand combat that benefits from the scintillating presence of MMA fighter Gina Carano in her natural element.

Joyful Noise

2.5 yaps

One part “Burlesque,” two parts “Country Strong,” this glittery train wreck has one watchable Part(on).

Contraband

3.5 yaps

This unexpectedly shrewd and efficient, if imperfect, Murphy’s Law thriller is probably as close to that “Italian Job” sequel as Mark Wahlberg will ever get.

Couch Potato Cinema

Coming to DVD & Blu-ray Jan. 24

Hugh Jackman takes robots into the ring with “Real Steel” and Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt try to fight cancer as only they could do it in “50/50.”

Podcasts

Oscar Nominations Reaction 2011

The Academy Award nominations for 2011 are out, and Joe and Chris have plenty to say about the winners, the losers, the big surprises and everything else Oscar.