We Need to Talk About Kevin Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) We Need to Talk About Kevin is the best horror movie in years. It’s the antithesis of a Saw or a Paranormal Activity film in that it’s based in the real world rather than one full of ghosts or, you know, murderous puppets. It depicts a parent’s worst nightmare: That his or […]
Take Shelter Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Psychological character studies seem to be all the rage right now on the indie circuit, but as compelling as this subgenre often is, it’s also one that feels a little played out. I love films like Shutter Island and, more recently, Martha Marcy May Marlene, but somewhere in the back of my […]
Melancholia Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Lars von Trier’s Melancholia defies classification about as much as it does your expectations. What else is there to expect, really, from the director of Antichrist and from a very personal story of depression and the end of the world. I guess the easiest thing to call it would be the anti-Tree […]
The Ides of March Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The Ides of March is a slick thriller with a clear message: Idealism and hope have no place politics. Succumb to these feelings and you’re finished. Yes, it’s not a new thesis, but it’s one that director George Clooney presents unflinchingly. There are moments in this film that I felt real despair, […]
50/50 Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Cancer, sadly, is something most people need to deal with sometime in their lives, whether it’s their own diagnosis or that of a family member or friend. That’s what makes 50/50 so believable and relatable. It looks at one young man’s diagnosis of a rare form of the disease, the way he […]
Revolutionary Road Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Revolutionary Road is one of the most literary adaptations I’ve seen in some time. By that, I mean the film looks, sounds, and is structured as if it was directed by the source’s author Richard Yates, rather than Sam Mendes. That’s not a bad thing, per se. In fact, I think it […]
Win Win Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) As a drama, Win Win is exceptional—not unlike director Tom McCarthy’s last feature, The Visitor. Unfortunately, it occasionally gets its feet wet with comedy, which slightly derails the film. But on the whole, the good moments far outweigh the bad. This is definitely one of the year’s best independent efforts so far. […]
Cronos Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The horror genre is one I don’t get. The mainstream stuff is mind-numbingly stupid and full of pointless gore. The low-budget stuff is typically too low-budget to have any redeeming production values. That being said, it’s an undeniably important genre, more for the influence it’s had on some great directors. One of […]
Rise of the Planet of the Apes Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Who would have thought the worst titled movie of the summer would also be the best? But Rise of the Planet of Apes has it all. It’s a magnificent film with breathtaking special effects, exceptional pacing, and a ton of heart. Andy Serkis deserves an Oscar for his incredibly realistic, motion-capture portrayal […]
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) All good things must come to and end, even Harry Potter. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, the eighth and final film in the enormously successful series, lives up the promise of its immediate predecessor, Deathly Hallows: Part 1, and provides the series and its fans with the send-off they […]
Rango Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The best comparison I can come up with for Gore Verbinski’s Rango is last year’s Kick-Ass. While the two share little in common thematically, they both succeed on multiple fronts. They are great genre films—Rango, a western; Kick-Ass, a superhero movie—while simultaneously sending up that same genre. Fans of westerns will love […]
Another Year Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) If you’ve ever read this blog before, you probably know how much I adore the films of Mike Leigh. He has an uncanny ability to take seemingly mundane material and make it supremely insightful and emotionally involving. The director’s latest, Another Year, is no different. On the surface, it’s a hodgepodge of […]
West Side Story Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) I’m not afraid to admit that I’m a sucker for musicals. The silly songs and choreography—on top of typically outstanding technical—generally sweep me up despite the inherent cheesiness of these affairs. Actually, the cheesier the better. I guess that’s why I enjoyed West Side Story so much. It’s beyond cheesy, but the […]
Biutiful Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Calling Biutiful challenging is a major understatement. It’s easily one of the most difficult pictures of 2010. It’s just a brutal look at a man trying to survive—and barely succeeding. Javier Bardem completely disappears into the role of Uxbal—our modern-day Job. He’s as good as he’s ever been, as is director Alejandro […]
Blue Valentine Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine is a minor miracle of a film. Like John Cameron Mitchell’s Rabbit Hole, the film attacks a familiar subject matter (a breakup) with uncommon emotional honesty. What sets Blue Valentine apart from other similarly themed films is that we become invested without even necessarily wanting this couple to […]
The Man Who Wasn’t There Review
RATING: (3.5 STARS) The Man Who Wasn’t There is a deliciously offbeat, darkly comic noir that could only come from the minds of Joel and Ethan Coen. The story’s twists are painfully clever, and its performances are nearly perfect. It’s a little long-winded, which prevents it from being among Fargo and No Country for Old […]
