If the essence of cinema lies not in dialogue—a relic of previous art forms—but in the gestures, the movements, the compositions, and the editing, then Miroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s “The Tribe” should not feel like it is missing anything. The film is conducted entirely in Ukranian sign language, without the assistance of subtitles or narration, leaving the […]
AFI Fest 2014 Review: “The Tribe” Read More »
“The Giver” possesses all the right ingredients for a young-adult blockbuster success: a beloved and award-winning source novel, an A-list director in Philip Noyce, and talented veteran actors populating the supporting cast (most notably Jeff Bridges and Meryl Streep). It’s also proof that the right ingredients don’t always result in a fulfilling meal. The problems
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No filmmaker’s oeuvre is as conducive to the categorization of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ works as Woody Allen’s. The writer/director/sometimes-actor has churned out a movie a year since 1982, and the question always remains the same: “Will this be Woody’s next masterpiece, or just a pleasant diversion?” Of course, the latter class of Allen film is
Review: “Magic in the Moonlight” Read More »
One might naturally expect an R-rated comedy called “Sex Tape” to be boundary-pushing and taboo, but that’s not the case here, unless you find the idea of a long-married couple experimenting with a cornucopia of sexual positions or the mere mention of pornography to be boundary-pushing and taboo. In fact, “Sex Tape” is surprisingly conservative
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First off, allow me to state upfront: I’m a Republican and, while not religious myself, I’m generally sympathetic to the view that the contemporary American Left has unfairly demonized socially conservative Christians. One needn’t look any further than popular progressive reactions to the recent Supreme Court decision on employer-subsidized birth control for evidence of such demonization.
Review: “Persecuted” Read More »
No contemporary actor has been able to foster as singular a screen persona within as diverse a filmography as Nicolas Cage. Consider the variety of motion pictures that could all be labeled “Nicolas Cage movies” (as opposed to simply “movies starring Nicolas Cage”): the sobering “Leaving Las Vegas,” for which Cage won an Academy Award;
One of my most vivid childhood moviegoing memories is when my dad took me to see “The Waterboy” starring Adam Sandler. I was nine, and I laughed and laughed and laughed, probably harder than I ever had before. Critics panned the movie, but they weren’t part of the ideal audience. I was — old enough to “get”
Review: “A Million Ways to Die in the West” Read More »
As I anticipated in my preview piece, this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival was a sublime experience. The festival keeps growing year after year, and it’s easy to see why: great movies, lovely audiences (despite the fact that they seem to clap an unhealthy amount for Ward Bond), entertaining guests, grand theaters, perfect projection. And
2014 TCM Classic Film Festival: Wrap-Up Read More »
San Diego wouldn’t be one of the first cities that come to one’s mind when thinking of places with vibrant film cultures, nor should it be. Returning to Los Angeles for graduate school has only reminded me what a dearth of cinematic opportunity my hometown offers for a metropolis of its size, with its parade
Notes from the 2014 San Diego Latino Film Festival Read More »
The question on everybody’s mind at last year’s TCM Classic Film Festival was: Is this the end of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre as we know and love it? There was a collective feeling of uncertainty as festival-goers filed into the grand old movie palace for the closing night presentation of Buster Keaton’s “The General,” the final
2014 TCM Classic Film Festival: Preview Read More »
