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City Paper Critic Says "Pacific Rim is So Much Better Than the Trailer"

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A diverse array of films are hitting screens around town. One film of note for the average Pittsburgher is A New York Heartbeat. Pittsburgh City Paper film critic, Al Hoff says movie makers attempted to make Pittsburgh look like Brooklyn in the 1950s. When Hoff asked the film creator why the film was shot in Pittsburgh, she was told it's because of the city’s “gritty alleys, rusty bridges and lack of contemporary graffiti.” Hoff describes the film as a small-scale movie, with a low budget feel, but not bad if you’re looking for an off-beat love story and views of Pittsburgh.

The East is a cerebral thriller about eco-terrorism. Hoff describes Patricia Clarkson’s character in the film as a cold and mean boss “in a delicious way.”

When it comes to giant explosions on film, Hoff says, despite its terrible trailer, Pacific Rim is her pick. Filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro’s, knockdown-drag-out robot vs. monster fist fights were fun, but Hoff wishes the writing were better.

“They bring in some not bad actors, but they give them the world’s cheesiest lines to say.”

Finally, The Way Way Back caught Hoff’s attention with its fresh and funny approach to a coming-of-age story about a boy working at a water park. “It’s a very funny movie, it’s got an edge and it’s kind of bittersweet.”

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