The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring Review
RATING: (4 STARS) When New Line Cinema executives agreed to bankroll this massive project, to be filmed in New Zealand by a relatively unheralded director, they were risking their entire company. Sure, J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy is beloved by many around the world, but plenty of folks in the know at […]
Midnight Cowboy Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The first X-rated film to ever win Best Picture, Midnight Cowboy, is unique and shocking. It features great acting and is exceptionally directed. It’s possibly the definitive fish-out-of-water film, as well as one of the most quintessentially “sixties” movies ever. But it’s a hard movie to love. It does a lot of […]
Deliverance Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) Deliverance is part rousing adventure, part cautionary tale, part criminal cover-up, and part fish-out-of-water story, all thrown together and mixed with a little violence and humor. And that’s the film’s problem; It doesn’t have a strong identity (though its sense of place is exceptional), and its tone is all over the place. […]
The Last Picture Show Review
RATING: (3 STARS) The Last Picture Show is a very interesting film about, among other things, boredom. I know that sounds like an oxymoron. In fact, there are some long, drawn-out, boring passages in this film about boredom. But it’s what these people do as a result that is interesting. They explore their sexuality, sometimes […]
Wall Street Review
RATING: (2 STARS) Could there have been a worse time for me to watch Wall Street for the first time? After the job losses, corrupt CEOs, bailouts, and bonuses, how could I enjoy watching a film that celebrates that sort of culture? Because whatever sort of redemption the main character gets, whatever lesson we learn, […]
Requiem for a Dream Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Requiem for a Dream, Darren Aronofsky’s sophomore effort and his best film to date, is an unshakable cry in the dark, a stern and impassioned warning about the dangers of addiction and the depths one will go to for another fix. It’s an extreme film, but it’s also as powerful as any […]
Manhattan Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Manhattan is Woody Allen’s love letter to New York. It’s also a complex and realistic love story. It’s beautifully filmed, well-acted, and wonderfully written. Most importantly, it’s well-worth two hours of your time. This might be the beloved director’s finest hour. The film tells the story of Isaac Davis (Allen), a neurotic, […]
Sherlock Holmes Review
RATING: (2.5 STARS) If Sherlock Holmes had a somewhat decent story to go along with its enjoyable characters and great technical work, I’m sure I would be more enthusiastic about it. As it is, however, I can’t quite recommend it. The story isn’t even derivative, it’s a mess. Despite the fact that we are spoon […]
Chinatown Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Chinatown is an undeniable classic from a true master of cinema, Roman Polanski. An important (perhaps the definitive) entry into the “neo-noir†subgenre, the film also marks a turning point in Jack Nicholson’s career and the high point of director Roman Polanski’s. It’s a brilliant film, everything a good noir film should […]
In the Loop Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Fuck! In the Loop is a fucking funny movie! Never has a movie used profanity in such large fuckin’ amounts or in such a great fucking way, but it makes this movie. A satire about the ineptitudes of government, In the Loop doesn’t make any thought-provoking points (except that members of government […]
Wendy and Lucy Review
RATING: (3 STARS) Featuring an eye-opening performance from Michelle Williams, Wendy and Lucy is one of 2008’s underseen gems. With minimal plot, the film manages to touch on a number of personal issues such as isolation, desperation, and companionship. And unlike many films, it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome. At a slim 75 minutes, director Kelly […]
The Road Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) John Hillcoat’s The Road couldn’t be more different from recent apocalypse films like 2012 and The Book of Eli. It relies on terrific acting and an inescapable sense of hopelessness and dread to tell a story capable of reaffirming one’s faith in humanity. It also does something many thought impossible: Coherently capture […]
The Hurt Locker Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Real suspense is hard to achieve. It’s easy to throw in a shock or two into a film to keep the audience on edge. To sustain that feeling over a prolonged time is a challenge, but it’s something Kathryn Bigelow achieves in her uncompromising war film The Hurt Locker. Director after director […]
United 93 Review
RATING: (4 STARS) Perfectly capturing the chaos of the defining moment of my generation, “United 93†is not about the events of September 11, 2001 per se. Instead, it celebrates the human spirit. It’s a phenomenal achievement, a film of unparalleled power and emotion. I named the film my favorite from the last decade. A […]
Star Trek Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I have no connection whatsoever to the “Star Trek†franchise. I haven’t seen any of the first ten films or the television show. I have some passing knowledge of the characters, but that’s about it. In fact, the only thing that really attracted me to this film was J.J. Abrams (I’m a […]
Youth in Revolt Review
RATING: (2 STARS) My love for Michael Cera was seriously waning going into “Youth in Revolt.†I take pride in being one of the few people who watched “Arrested Development†from the beginning. He was brilliant in it, as he was in “Superbad.†I don’t care much for “Juno,†but I thought he was good […]
