The Artist is charming, heart-warming, and fun, but I’m still uncertain why it’s destined to win the top prize at this year’s Academy Awards. To be fair, I accept that Best Picture rarely means “the best picture,” but I’m still confused about the source of all this hype. Michel Hazinavicius’ film is cute. It truly is, and […]
Being, seemingly, one of only two people across the globe who disliked Steig Larsson’s trilogy, I didn’t flock to see David Fincher’s screen adaptation. In part, there are certain plot points in the novel that just drive me a bit nuts, particularly the incredible progression of Blumquist’s discovery of a woman whose honeymoon fortuitously took place during […]
Ned lives contently with Willie Nelson (his dog) and girlfriend, Liz, somewhere in upstate New York. The vibe is reminiscent of hippiedom, or at least re-imagined hippiedom. Liz and Ned are idealists, which intones that they’re pacifists, and they often cite modes of non-violence when bickering. They work an organic farm, wear Crocks instead of Birkenstocks and […]
Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Those waiting for that break-up prohibition to expire can now submit as many pink slips as you wish. And, if you’re looking to drown your sorrows or start life anew, your best best this week will be to check out Undefeated. If you’re just looking to get depressed, you might want to […]
If 2011 was the year of the sequel, 2012 is set to rival that moniker with additional superhero franchise installments. Most notably is the uber-anticipated Dark Knight Rises, followed at a distance by The Amazing Spiderman and The Avengers. I’m sure Hollywood is also destined to bombard us with a handful of underground super movies that follow […]
…in the forest and there’s no one around to hear it, does it make a sound? This century-old philosophical thought experiment is often conducted to explore the connection between our realities and observations. However, If a Tree Falls, the newly Academy Award nominated documentary, contends, the answer to this question is: “No, which is why the aggravated […]
Andrew Detmer (Dane Dehaan) is a high school-assassin waiting to happen. Despite his often stoic demeanor, an anger ebbs and flows underneath, occasionally manifesting itself in a frustrated outburst. If it’s possible, his aggression is justified: his alcoholic father (Michael Kelly) is verbally and physically abusive, occasionally jabbing Andrew’s temple with a quick right hand, knocking him out of […]
Tales of police corruption in cinema are a dime a dozen. Some are akin to Serpico. Others are like Brooklyn’s Finest. Then there’s The Guard, which resembles neither, but has been drastically overlooked in 2011. Don Cheadle and Brendan Gleeson star in this Irish comedy that follows unorthodox policeman Gerry Boyle (Gleeson) as he investigates a few […]
Last week’s Big Miracle flopped like a humpback in pudding, but this week, we’re all gearing up for Valentine’s Day. For those of you looking for dinner and a movie, you’ve got your pick between Rachel McAdams, Reese Witherspoon, or animation. (I’m banking on the animation.) Looking for a bit of action, but you’re single, Safe House […]
A Separation begins and ends in a similar way: a seemingly insurmountable, superficially minute amount of space in the labyrinthine corridors of the Iranian judicial system. To begin Simin and Nader plead their case to an off-screen interrogator (Babak Karimi) who sits precisely at the camera’s lens. He is seen throughout the rest of the movie – […]