Kick-Ass is approached with a keen sense of humor, surprising wit, and a delicate blending of virtue and filth in a way that turns the cookie cutter world of comics upside down. Kick-Ass Directed by Matthew Vaughn With the rapid succession of superhero movies to hit the theaters, distinguishing oneself from the masses is easier …
Thursday night at 11:30 p.m. EST, the highly anticipated and Beyonce video “Telephone” made its world premiere. The nearly 10-minute extravaganza directed by Jonas Åkerlund (director of the infamously bad Spun) was inspired by the work of Quentin Tarantino — Kill Bill in particular. (The actual pussy wagon even makes an appearance.) They story picks up …
Repo Men Directed by Miguel Sapochnik Have you ever seen Repo! The Genetic Opera? It premiered at Fantasia on July 18th, 2008 to a packed house. Upon receiving mixed reviews the film obtained a limited theatrical release in North America the following winter and was finally released on DVD a few months later. Surely you …
134- Birth (2004) Directed by Jonathan Glazer Genre: Drama A stylistically bold movie that combines the surrealist work of Luis Buñuel while evoking the austere technical mastery of Stanley Kubrick, Birth is visually dazzling, always unpredictable and features lingering performances by Nicole Kidman and 11-year-old Canadian actor Cameron Bright. Coupled with an intriguing premise about …
Whilst The Hurt Locker unfolded in a theatre that felt metaphoric, Green Zone wears its heart on its sleeve and is unashamedly partisan in its political sniping of piercing accuracy Green Zone Directed by Paul Greengrass We used to have to wait a decade before the cinema could fully digest the impact and consequences of that most …
I must admit the outcome of this year’s Academy Awards has me a bit skeptical for the future of this famed award show. First and foremost, I want to discuss the bestowment of best picture to The Hurt Locker. Now before you write me off as some pessimistic dissident with no substantive evidence to frame …
Mother is a strange and compelling film that stretches the bounds of audience sympathy, and manages to work equally well whether or not it is maintained for its entire running length Mother Directed by Joon-Ho Bong Maternal pain is the driving force behind Korean wunderkind Joon-Ho Bong’s fourth feature, acting as the practically exclusive catalyst …
5. Brokeback Mountain vs. Crash (2005) A strong character has the privileged opportunity to reveal who we are, and sometimes whom we want to be, delivering a message linked to the consequences attached between the two. Ang Lee’s tender love story between two homosexual ranchers in the American Midwest effectively demonstrated this harrowing reality. It …
Despite its many flaws, Alice is half a triumph. Besides being able to technically bring Lewis Carroll’s world to the screen, the film is usually enjoyable. Alice in Wonderland Directed by Tim Burton Reviewing the new Tim Burton helmed Alice in Wonderland picture is somewhat of a fool’s errand. Both Burton and Alice command a devoted …
A difficult film to watch, not because it is pornographic, or even all that graphic, but because we watch the characters become increasingly desperate as they realize they are no longer suited to the world around them. The Night Porter (1974) Directed by Lilliana Cavani Italy – 118 min. Color Criterion Spine # 59 “History …
Day One As opposed to Cannes (open only to film professionnals), the Berlin Film Festival is open to everyone, and it is possible to see people lining for hours (sometimes under the snow) in order to get tickets for films from Taiwan, Latvia or Paraguay. This gives the entire city a really festive touch, with …
Technically, the film is a marvel – this is Heneke’s first black and white film and it’s simply dazzling. The White Ribbon Directed by Michael Haneke – There’s always a certain kind of dread in a Mikael Haneke film. It could perhaps be do his reputation for exploring some of the most shocking aspects of …
Despite that fact that the competition this year underwhelmed (see Shane Danielsen’s column) there were sill some pleasant surprises and curiosities that are helping 2010 become another great year in film. Two recent releases premiered over the past couple weeks. Martin Scosesse’s Shutter Island got a mixed response, which translated the same stateside. While Roman …
This heartwarming, humanist and gender-blurring pic about life imitating art imitating life could possibly be his most accomplished work. All About My Mother Directed by Pedro Almodovar With All About My Mother, Pedro Almodovar shifts away from his earlier, more kinky and offbeat views of sex and relationships. Here, he is more concerned about conventional …
Cinema as we know it is under threat from cell phones – those super-slim, shiny and increasingly seductive devices around which 21st-century life revolves. No, I’m not talking about the popcorn-munching, Apple-loving text addicts, whose glowing handsets ruin the big-screen experience for the rest of us. And I’m not losing any sleep over the DIY …
150- The Birthday (2004) Directed by Eugenio Mira Genre: Horror, Dark Comedy A young man attends his girlfriend’s father’s birthday party held at a luxury hotel. Just as they arrive, weird things start to happen and guests and hosts alike become exceptionally aggressive. Shot in real time (a la Hitchcock’s Rope), The Birthday begins as …
Fish Tank Directed by Andrea Arnold – “less politically inclined than Ken Loach or theatrically mannered than Mike Leigh – the film operates in a realm well-trod in UK cinema and serves as a welcome antidote to the adrenaline-fueled demands of the summer season.” – The UK has a proud tradition of social realist cinema, pioneered by …
This may be the year the Oscars get out of their ratings slump. The expanding of the Best Picture category from five to ten was a smart move. Its big enough to include red state crowd pleasers (The Blind Side), fan boy fare (District 9), the biggest movie ever (Avatar), and at least one ballsy …
The Last Station feels more like a stuffy old British play than actual history The Last Station Directed by Michael Hoffman The Last Station presents the fascinating last year in the life of Russian giant Leo Tolstoy, watered down by a cavalcade of coming-of-age story and biopic clichés. It’s too bad, because there is so …
Wu-tang, originating from Staten Island, NY, aka Shaolin, burst onto the scene in the early 90’s. Ever since, the group has had a significant impact on a wide range of artistic mediums, including film. Whether it’s RZA spinning a slick, unique bass line to complement a flick, or Method Man lighting up an L and …
Revanche is a tough slow, depressing film, but incredibly well-acted, consistently believable, and an always entertaining, modest, satisfying arty crime story. – Revanche (2008) Directed by Gotz Spielmann Australia – 122 mi. Color Criterion Spine #502 “If you plan revenge, dig two graves,” the saying goes… A prostitute trying to escape her desperate existence, her …
Shutter Island does not measure up to Scorsese’s acknowledged directorial capacity. His flair for innovation and the uniqueness of his storytelling are better directed toward a simpler design, not the blockbuster horror epic with its altogether fatuous termination. Shutter Island Directed by Martin Scorsese Shutter Island, Scorsese’s fourth film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, recounts the unnerving …
Shutter Island definitely begs a second viewing, and while it might not rank up there with earlier Scorsese classics, it remains a masterpiece in my eyes, and a production that has set the new standard for all future psychological thrillers. Shutter Island Directed by Martin Scorsese Before seeing Shutter Island, all I knew about the …