The Cove
I’ve said before on this blog that I’ve never really been a huge fan of documentaries. To be fair, I don’t watch all that many (maybe three or four per year on average, although a quick survey of 2010’s slate of non-fiction tells me that number will be much higher). I think the reason I […]
Driving Miss Daisy Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Of all the Best Picture winners I’ve seen, I think Driving Miss Daisy might be the one I’m most surprised won the award. There are some among the 82 distinguished films that are so ambitious and different that it’s a marvel they were acknowledged (Midnight Cowboy and No Country for Old Men […]
Me and Orson Welles Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) With the exception of one outstanding performance, Me and Orson Welles is completely disposable. An awkward mix of romantic comedy, theater drama, and coming-of-age story, the film isn’t original and doesn’t say anything particularly interesting. But Christian McKay’s brilliant work as the enormously charming, yet painfully controlling Welles is on par with […]
The American Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The American is an altogether new breed of spy film—one that almost completely disregards plot and action in favor of character. It’s quite straightforward, which ironically makes it unconventional. It regularly plays with the viewer’s expectations, but in such a way that it will frustrate many. Director Anton Corbijn and his star, […]
TRON Review
RATING: (3 STARS) TRON was hailed as revolutionary back in 1982, and even today, you can’t deny its technical achievements. While the film looks incredibly dated, few movies before it had ever relied so heavily on computer graphics. It’s easy to write the film off now because incredible advancements have been made, but its concept […]
From Russia with Love Review
RATING: (4 STARS) I grew up watching James Bond and separating the quality of the films from the nostalgia I feel watching them is somewhat difficult. Even the worst films in the series hold a special place in my heart, while the best films in the series have some very visible flaws. Still, some entries […]
The Day of the Jackal Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The Day of the Jackal reminds me why I love the spy genre. A brilliant cat-and-mouse game between two great minds, the film follows a terrorist on a quest to assassinate Charles de Gaulle and the cop in charge of the investigation. It’s a real slow-burn thriller, and director Fred Zinnemann’s cold […]
Three Days of the Condor Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The decade of the 1970s were a tumultuous one for Americans—war, scandal, oil crises, etc. As a result, many people thought the government was untrustworthy, the enemy. Three Days of the Condor is a terrific thriller that preys on that distrust. It portrays the government as the ultimate big brother and as […]
The Art of the Steal
The Art of the Steal—another great doc in what’s already being dubbed the best documentary year in a long time—does something seemingly impossible. It crafts a compelling and informative story about art galleries. It sounds as dry as the Sahara on paper, but the story is surprisingly engaging. I objected to director Don Argott’s almost […]
City Lights Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Charlie Chaplin is undoubtedly one of film history’s most beloved figures, and City Lights is one of Chaplin’s most beloved films. I found it to be a poignant love story, but the comedy was a little uneven for my taste. Some of the gags are great; others are a little awkward. The […]
Edge of Darkness Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) I sat down to watch Edge of Darkness wondering if I’d still be able to separate Mel Gibson the actor from Mel Gibson the lunatic. I was happy that I still possess that skill. However, that doesn’t mean this is a good movie. Nor does it mean that Gibson gives a good […]
The Other Guys Review
RATING: (3 STARS) When I first saw Anchorman back in 2004, I thought Will Ferrell was the king of the world. He could do no wrong in my book. It was by far the funniest movie of that year, and it remains one of my favorite comedies of the past decade. Slowly but surely, Ferrell […]
Boys Don’t Cry Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The story of Brandon Teena is a tragic one, and knowing its outcome ahead of time makes watching Boys Don’t Cry a difficult, but interesting experience. Brandon was born a female—Teena Brandon—in Lincoln, Nebraska, and was a pre-op transgender in late 1993. When his true identity was revealed to his friends, John […]
The Godfather: Part III Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I recently read an article calling The Godfather: Part III the “most reviled sequel of all-time.” It’s a debatable point, but I honestly can’t understand why. While imperfect on its own, it’s a very good addition to director Francis Ford Coppola’s transcendent crime saga. It brings the focus onto its tragic main […]
Up Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Up is without a doubt one of Pixar’s best films. The film’s first scene is one of the most sublime cinematic moments I’ve ever experienced. And while the rest of the film doesn’t quite measure up to that level of greatness, it’s still a rousing adventure, complete with all the humor and […]
The Book of Eli Review
RATING: (2 STARS) Post-apocalyptic films have been big over the past year or so. The Road, 2012, even Zombieland touch on the human condition at a time when society has collapsed—all to varying degrees of success. The Book of Eli is 2010’s entry into the genre, and it does nothing new, nothing interesting to set […]
