Pirate Radio Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Sometimes, a film doesn’t have to be deep or thought-provoking for me to really enjoy it. Despite the fact that most of my positive reviews are of dark, depressing stuff, I’m still a fun guy. I enjoy a good comedy every now and again. That’s exactly what “Pirate Radio†is – a […]
The Men Who Stare at Goats Review
RATING: (2 STARS) The opening of “The Men Who Stare at Goats†tells the viewer “more of this is true than you would believe.†But it’s definitely not more entertaining than I believed. With a cast that features George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor, and Kevin Spacey, how could you go wrong? Well, this film […]
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Review
RATING: (3 STARS) I’m not at all familiar with Abel Ferrera’s 1992 cult classic “Bad Lieutenant,†other than the fact that Werner Herzog re-imagined it into 2009’s “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans.†The former film starred Harvey Keitel as a dirty cop capable who didn’t give a damn about law and order. The […]
All the President’s Men Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) We all know the story. President Richard M. Nixon and “all of his men†conspired to bug the offices of the Democratic National Committee at the Watergate Hotel, operated a secret slush fund within the White House, and obstructed justice during the investigation. Alan J. Pakula’s “All the President’s Men†is the […]
2001: A Space Odyssey Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “2001: A Space Odyssey†is a transcendent experience. Calling it a film is an injustice, for it is so much more than that. It is a thought-provoking piece of art. No film has stuck with me the way this one did the first time I saw it. It’s hypnotic in a way. […]
There Will Be Blood Review
RATING: (4 STARS) The first time I saw Paul Thomas Anderson’s “There Will Be Blood,†I thought film was kind of a mess. A sprawling, epic, random mess, but a thought-provoking, impeccably made, sensationally acted mess. The direction, music, and cinematography are all over the place, as is the main character who’s a bundle of […]
Far from Heaven Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Todd Haynes’ “Far From Heaven†transports us to a time that is often lampooned in film (1950s suburbia), but rarely taken seriously. It confronts some difficult social issues (racism, sexism, homophobia), while also finding time to develop some involving, non-manipulative melodrama. It’s also visually stunning and features one of the finest performances […]
The Asphalt Jungle Review
RATING: (3 STARS) It’s hard to believe it took until 1950 to tell a crime story from the point of view of the criminals. John Huston’s “The Asphalt Jungle†did just that and opened up the door for later films like “Reservoir Dogs†and the “Ocean’s†films. The film goes on too long, which prevents […]
In the Bedroom Review
RATING: (4 STARS) “In the Bedroom†is an incredibly thoughtful story about grief, how people cope with it differently, and how these differences drive people apart. This was Todd Field’s directorial debut, and it set the independent film world on fire in 2001. It does a marvelous job of drawing us into the world of […]
Blindness Review
RATING: (1 STAR) I recently noted in my review of “Mutiny on the Bounty” that when films play without subtlety, it can either work or fall on its face. “Mutiny on the Bounty” worked. The time period and setting all appropriated themselves to the way in which director Frank Lloyd elected to tell his story: […]
Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “Mutiny on the Bounty,†Academy Award winner for Best Picture all the way back in 1935, is surprisingly powerful stuff, not because it’s filmed in black and white, but because everything else about it is black and white. There are no shades of gray – no three-dimensionality among its principal characters. Two […]
Everybody’s Fine Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Sometimes movies seem better than they are because they exceed your expectations. The inverse is also true; I’ve given films worse grades than they deserve because they disappointed me (“Juno†is a good example of this). “Everybody’s Fine†is an example of the former. I had heard OK things about the film, […]
The Gold Rush Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) “The Gold Rush†is charming, funny, and full of heart. It’s immensely enjoyable (I have a hard time imagining someone who wouldn’t like it) and contains some truly timeless scenes (like the one with the cabin teetering on the edge of a cliff). I’ve actually never seen a Charlie Chaplin film until […]
Micmacs Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The best word I could use to describe “Micmacs†is delightful. A lovely little French comedy from Jean-Pierre Jeunet, director of “Amelie,†the film details a rag-tag bunch of homeless people who decide to take down two weapons corporations. Consistently hilarious, never too serious, this film will brighten your day and bring […]
Cyrus Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Few films received as much positive buzz out of Sundance as “Cyrus,†the latest from the Duplass Brothers, Jay and Mark. Many hailed it as a film of rare emotional honesty. Festival-goers in Austin for South by Southwest responded in kind, but I couldn’t help but think the film didn’t live up […]
Mars Review
RATING: (3 STARS) “Mars†is a slick little festival film, which premiered at South by Southwest and isn’t like to go much further. But to not discuss it for that reason would be doing it a disservice, for it’s unique, quite beautiful, and very enjoyable. The story line is familiar, but the way it looks […]
