Conviction — The Currency of Life
Conviction walks the well-worn path of “underprivileged youth cum adult done good,” but does it better than most. From a distance, this Hilary Swank an…
Reviews
The Muppets — A Fine Time to Join the Crew
Nostalgia drove me to the theater, and part of me was frightened when purchasing tickets, not because I feared being one of a handful of…
The Next Three Days — Surveillance, Truth, and Youtube
Deciding to watch The Next Three Days took longer than actually watching the film. Paul Haggis might be one of the most polemic directors today…
J. Edgar – A Meditation on Heroes, History, Villains and Anti-Villains
The rapper K’naan has a song that begins: “Until the lion learns to speak/the tales of hunting will be weak” It implies an empathic view of…
Limitless — A Film by Any Other Name Still Needs Boundaries
Amidst the mishmash of clichés, Limitless is okay, but the first thirty seconds impel the viewer to question “Why do I watch?” as it presents…
You Can Touch Us. We’ve Seen the Steve Jobs Movie
It is difficult to say anything about Steve Jobs that has not already been said. Unless, perhaps, you are Steve Jobs. And you are talking…
Rango — Cinema Culture is The Culture
It’s not often that animated films make it to Gladiators, but Rango gave me reason to pause. It’s not genius, and it’s not really unique:…
Martha Marcy May Marlene — A Fractured Past, Present, and Future
The buzz around Martha Marcy May Marlene was initially kindled by the emergence of an Olsen sister who isn’t a twin; however, the first few…
Red State: Silent Bob Speaks and Castigates Everything
In Red State, director Kevin Smith deviates from the canon of familiar characters and actors that made previous films like Mallrats, Clerks, and Chasing…
Blue Valentine — When Prince Charming is Content With His One Shining Moment
Back in March, Tim Adkins took a poignant look at the unplanned pregnancy crux of Blue Valentine and transitioned the filmic conflict into a personal…