World of Tomorrow Review
RATING: (4 STARS) It lasts just 17 minutes, but Don Herzfeldt’s World of Tomorrow packs more imagination into its running time than almost any other film I’ve ever seen. It’s a high-concept, low-sheen, utterly magical experience that, despite its brevity (or perhaps because of it), will certainly rank among my favorite films of 2015. Technically, […]
The Kid with a Bike Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Those familiar with the films of the Dardenne brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, shouldn’t be surprised by what The Kid with a Bike has to offer. As a former Dardenne virgin who popped his cherry here, I found myself surprisingly moved. The story is pretty bare-bones, but it’s an easy one to get […]
Sleepless Night Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Better than Bond, better than Bourne, better than Bauer, the new French thriller Sleepless Night sets a new bar for white-knuckle action movies. Taking place over a 24-hour period and primarily in one giant nightclub, the film is intense in ways no other has been in years. Vincent (Tomer Sisley) and his […]
The Loneliest Planet Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) There’s a moment near the midpoint of Julia Loktev’s The Loneliest Planet that turns a happy couple into a doubtful one. It changes an adventurous trek through the beautiful mountains of Georgia into a desolate, fearful, and truly hellish journey home. And it transforms a good-looking, unsetting film into something as complex, […]
Final 2015 Oscar Predictions
It’s show time! Here are my final 2015 Oscar predictions for all 24 categories: Best Picture American Sniper Birdman Boyhood The Grand Budapest Hotel The Imitation Game Selma The Theory of Everything Whiplash Predicted winner: Boyhood Alt: Birdman (Click here for my thoughts on all eight 2015 Best Picture nominees.) ***** Best Director Alejandro G. […]
Ranking the 2015 Best Picture Nominees
It occurred to me the other day that, despite seeing every film nominated for the 2015 Best Picture Oscar, I’ve only formally reviewed one. What?!? And it was a dud of a film—The Theory of Everything. Maybe that speaks to my general indifference toward this crop of nominees; after all, it’s easier and way more […]
My 2015 Indie Spirits Ballot
I’m voting in Film Independent’s Spirit Awards for the first time this year, and it’s been fun to catch up with some titles I might not have otherwise sought out had they not been nominated, like The Guest and Kumiko The Treasure Hunter and this lovely little flick called Selma. Anyway, Film Independent asks us […]
Jupiter Ascending Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) After The Matrix, the Wachowski siblings received carte blanche from Warner Bros. Clearly enamored by the world they created, they returned to finish Neo’s story with two Matrix sequels, but following the creative and financial disappointment that was Revolutions, it was time for Lana and Andy to step away from this world […]
If I Had a 2015 Oscar Ballot
I’m pretty far along when it comes to catching up with every 2015 Oscar nominee. (The foreign-language films are mostly blind spots, but what else is new.) So now is as good a time as any to share my choices for the best in show. It’s been a weird year for me watching the Oscars […]
Best Quotes from Paul Thomas Anderson Movies
Last year around this time, I put together a post featuring the best Wes Anderson quotes. I was rewatching some of Anderson’s films, and Bottle Rocket made me laugh; that was the inspiration. It’s been one of my most successful posts over the last year, weirdly enough, so I thought I’d so more. Digging into […]
What Are the Best Movies of the Decade So Far?
It’s hard to imagine we’re five years removed from the myriad “Best Movies of the Decade” posts of 2009. That was fun, and each intervening year since has produced more than enough titles worthy of appearing on such lists. Of course, most of those titles won’t eventually make it when we get to the end […]
Plan the Ultimate Snowmageddon Movie Marathon
Potentially record snowfall is set to hit Boston, New York, and other areas along the East coast over the next 24 hours. It’s bad news for multiplexes—American Sniper might only make $20 million a day instead of $30 million—but the folks over at Netflix must be giddy. If you’re snowed in this week and looking […]
Edge of Tomorrow Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) With the exception, maybe, of Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, no film has ever so closely replicated what it’s like to actually play a video game than Doug Liman’s All You Need Is Kill Live/Die/Repeat Edge of Tomorrow. And with the exception of Scott Pilgrim, no film that’s either explicity based on […]
Inherent Vice Review
RATING: (4 STARS) A stoner private dick, his manipulative ex-old-lady, her millionaire land developer lover, his scheming wife, her ripped kept man. A recovering dope fiend single mother, her missing snitch boyfriend, a black panther, a gang of Nazis, an maniacal actor cop, a maritime lawyer, a pot-smoking assistant DA, nose-picking FBI agents, and a […]
A Most Wanted Man Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The name John le Carré is to the spy genre as Tolkien is to fantasy. For more than 50 years, the man has thrilled fans with labyrinthine tales of hardened espionage agents trying to navigate morally murky waters—and he’s still going. Published in 2008, A Most Wanted Man is one of his […]
So, About Those 2015 Oscar Nominations…
What in the name of Dick Poop just happened?!?!?!? It was a wild morning that saw the announcement of the 2015 Oscar nominees, and I just can’t get past Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs’ all-time great mispronunciation of a name. Congratulations to Mr. Turner cinematographer Dick Pope on your Oscar nomination. I’m sorry you’ll live […]
